0600 NEWS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 NEWS STORY TELEVISION N.Z. - HAWKESBY ROW - future of some TVNZ board members uncertain following meeting between board and Finance and Broadcasting ministers. Comment from Marian Hobbs, Helen Clark, and Michael Cullen. (Sarah Boyd) AUCKLAND - DEVELOPMENT ROW - - some AK City Council officers accused of misusing Resource Management Act and other legislation to block developments on Great Barrier and Waiheke Islands. ACT MP Owen Jennings says he has evidence to back up "widespread allegations of gross mismanagement", wants Parliamentary select committee to investigate. Comment also from develooper Adrian Chisholm and AK deputy mayor Bruce Hucker. (Luke Henshall) illegible RURAL NEWS DAIRY FARMERS' INCOMES set to rise by $400 million this season, on earlier estimates, as Dairy Board calculates combined effects of higher payouts and record milk production. Chair Graham Fraser comments. (Kevin Ikin) APPLE HARVEST starts in Hawkes Bay this week, with growers hoping they'll make enough from this season's crop to avoid business failure. Region's growers hardest hit from collapse in Braeburn apple prices. Region's fruitgrowers' president David Mardon says good growing conditions have produced heaviest set he can recall of Gala variety but that's brought extra costs for growers who've had to meet extra costs of hand-thinning crop. (Kevin Ikin) APPLE HARVEST WORKERS - hunt on for fruit-pickers and packhouse workers. Recruiting agents say they'll have to rely more on local labour this year because traditional source of overseas backpakcers not so available due to higher air fares reducing number visiting country. (Kevin Ikin) DAIRY COMPANY LAWSUIT - individual civil suit against Kiwi and former Tui company directors discontinued in High Court in Palmerston North. Manawatu dairy farmer Suzanne Bruce was suing over merger of Kiwi and Tui, suit withdrawn but she and other dairy farmers still pursuing joint action against Kiwi, its top management, and former Tui directors. Plaintiffs claim Tui acted illegible by holding 2 shareholder meetings to gain required support for merger. (Jill Galloway)
0625 SPORTS STORY: U.S. SPORTS - live i/v with Paul Witteman, "Sports Illustrated". (golfer Tiger Woods' winning streak breaks; baseballer Ken Griffey Jr signs 9-year $116.5 million contract - how high can salaries go before teams bankrupt themselves?; former Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry dies)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 NEWS STORY: WINZ - ministerial inquiry to be carried out by former State Services Commissioner Don Hunn into Work and Income's objectives, how well it achieves them and how well it meets govt objectives. Former NZ First cabinet minister Peter Mccardle, who set up WINZ, says combining Employment Service with Income Support was a good thing despite controversy which has surrounded WINZ - he' i/ved. (Mng Rpt) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS MANA NEWS TRAFFIC REPORT
0648 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS EXPORT OUTLOOK - combination of better international prices and lower NZ dollar bolstering outlook of export sector. ANZ Bank's commodity indexs show prices for key commodity exports up nearly 10% for year ended January. Comment from chief economist Bernard Hodgetts. (Gyles Beckford) DAIRY PAYOUT - Dairy Board announces increase in projected payout to suppliers in coming season. Improve international outlook also being reflected in board's key businesses. (Gyles Beckford) VODAFONE AIRTOUCH plans to float 20-25% of Australasian business around June or July. Sale in 25% estimated to be worth aroud $Aust 1.4 billion. (Helen Matterson) CURRENCY MERGER - not much enthusiasm for idea of merger of NZ dollar with either Australian or US currencies, as resurrected by ACT party leader Richard Prebble. Geoff Taylor, corporate treasurer of Dairy Board, NZ's biggest exporter, says costs of currency union outweigh benefits. (Gyles Beckford) FINANCE/MARKETS TRANSALTA MOVES SOUTH - country's biggest electricity retailer launches campaign to woo Dunedin customers. General manager of marketing Kristen Sallai illegible company won't be making unsustainable short-term offers. (Catherine Walbridge) LIFE INSURANCE MARKET - Standard and Poors report on Australasian life insurance sector warns there are too many players operating in small, highly competitive market. S&P's managing director of insurance, Ian Thompson, says there are opportunities for companies with strong market franchises to expand into some Asian countries. (Catherine Walbridge) AUSTRALIA - AAPT PROFIT for half year $8.7 million, less than half previous year's result. (AAP) BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS TELEVISION N.Z. - HAWKESBY ROW - TVNZ board angers govt over its handling of the hiring and firing of former newsreader John Hawkesby. Broadcasting minister Marian Hobbs, along with Finance minister Michael Cullen, meets the board to put series of questions to it - did she get what she wanted from the meeting? Ms Hobbs i/ved. (Mng Rpt) WINZ INQUIRY - State Services minister Trevor Mallard asks former State Service Commissioner Don Hunn to look into Work and Income Dept. Inquiry welcomed by beneficiaries. Comment from Mr Mallard, ACT MP Muriel Newman, former minister Peter McCardle, and Caroline Hatt, secretary of UNITE which represents range of beneficiaries and low income earners. (Eric Frykberg) TVNZ/WINZ - live i/v with Political editor Al Morrison, re govt's stance on Television NZ and Work and Income Dept. SOUTH PACIFIC MONEY-LAUNDERING - report by Paris-based Financial Action Task Force due today which govt hopes will provide strong lead in combatting money-laundering in South Pacific. Foreign minister Phil Goff concerned tax havens of Nauru, Niue and Vanuatu may be vulnerable to activities of international drug syndicates. Comment also from Patrick Moulette of the Financial Action Task Force, and Det Snr Sgt Pat O'Sullivan. (Stephen Harris) LISA BLAKIE KILLING - CH police following up sightings of car at centre of inquiry. Det Insp Rob Pope says identity of car and driver a key to the investigation - i/ved. (Mng Rpt)
0730 NEWS/WEATHER NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE: U.S. - COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL - more students die violently. 2 teenagers diein shooting at take-away bar a few blocks from the Colorado school where last year 2 pupils killed 12 others and 2 teachers before killing themselves. I/v with April Zesbaugh, reporter at KOA-AM News in Denver. (Mng Rpt) AUCKLAND - DEVELOPMENT ROW - ACT MOP Owen Jennings says he has evidence of "gross mismanagement" of Resource Management Act and other legislation to some AK City Council officers to block property development on Great Barrier and Waiheke Islands. Developer Adrian Chisholm says he was forced to abandon $325 million tourist lodge on Waiheke after AK City Council used emergency powers under RMA, although it had initially backed his plans; live i/v with Mr Jennings and AK deputy mayor Bruce Hucker. CLIMATE CHANGE - climate scientists from around world gather in AK this week, part of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Science group, UN body investigating "greenhouse effect". Meeting begins with public lecture from group's co-chair Sir John Houghton. (Bryan Crump) AMERICAS CUP - KEELS of competing boats will be unveiled shortly. Live report from Todd Niall.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER TELEVISION N.Z. - HAWKESBY ROW - TV3 seeking legal advice over whether TVNZ acted illegally when it offered job to former newsreader John Hawkesby. Managing director Graeme Hunter says lawyers being consulted to assess whether Mr Hawkesby was illegally enticed to break his contract with TV3. Graeme Hunter i/ved live. WINZ INQUIRY - govt says it can't rule out possibility that inquiry could see end to Work and Income Dept. AK Peoples' Centre says since WINZ's inception, more beneficiaries have asked for help rather than fewer as expected. Centre manager Geoff Tucker says whole culture of dept has to change - i/ved live. DROWNING ACCIDENT - 11-year old Joshua Dean Thomas McNaught drowns while on school camp in Coromandel. Another boy found floating in river airlifted to AK Starship Hospital and is in critical condition. 2 boys among group of 60 pupils from Howick Intermediate on school camp at Kauaeranga Valley Christian Camp. I/v with school principal John McAleese. (Mng Rpt) U.S. - TORNADOES rip through southwestern Georgia killing at least 12 people and injuring more than 100. Live i/v with correspondent Catherine Drew. BABY LETTERS BUNGLE - Capital Coast Health dealing with public relations bungle caused by WN Maternity Project sending letters, expressing congratulation re impending delivery, to women who's miscarried or terminated pregnancies. Letters were sent to women who'd used maternity services and were expected to deliver around New Year, intended to offer advice on how to deal with likely illegible interest in millennium babies. Live i/v with Cathy O'Maslley, chief exec of WN Maternity Project. TRAFFIC REPORT
0830 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS AMERICAS CUP - KEELS revealed, traditional part of regatta. Live report from Todd Niall. CRICKET - AUSTRALIA/NZ - world champion Australian team arrives in NZ for 7 weeks of matches. I/v with Australian cricket commentator and former international Bill Lawry. (Mng Rpt) INDONESIA - WIRANTO - President Wahid suspends Gen Wiranto from cabinet, just hours after saying Wiranto would keep post while his part in last year's violence in East Timor is investigated. I/v with correspondent Mark Bowling. (Mng Rpt) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS SPACE - ROBOT SPACECRAFT goes into orbit around asteroid for first time ever. Spacecraft NEAR - Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous - started mission 4 years ago and was supposed to have gone into orbit of asteroid Eros last year but malfunctioned. Project lead technical designer Andrew Santo says mission finally proceeding to plan - i/ved. (Mng Rpt) CRAYFISH - how to humanely dispatch a crayfish? Now an offence to kill crayfish inhumanely and HortResearch has carried out survey of killing methods - recommends chilling, then splitting or spiking. Live i/v with Dr Tim Lowe who carried out the survey. INDIA - FILM ROW - film industry accuses govt of bowing to "cultural terrorism" after acclaimed director Deepa Mehta forced to stop work on latest film following violence by Hindu fundamentalists. I/v with correspondent Ranjan Gupta.