0600 NEWS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 NEWS STORY CHECHNYA - GROZNY - Russian army appears to be closing in further, controls nearly all of populated lowlands in central Chechnya except for Grozny and town of Shali. Reports say Russians have resumed shelling of capital after brief ceasefire to allow civilians to leave. Refugees trying to get out, and back in. (BBC) CHILE - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION turns into country's closest ever, with only a few votes separating 2 main candidates. Neither ruling coalition candidate nor opposition candidate won more than 50% of vote, so elections will go a second round. (BBC)
0620 RURAL NEWS illegible/SOUTHLAND FLOODING - govt approves assistance to flood-stricken farmers. Floods thought to have caused at least $2.5 million in damage to parts of Southland, Otago Lakes District, Cardrona Valley and Balclutha district. Agriculture minister Jim Sutton says govt has agreed to reduce stand-down time for students so they can be employed on Task Force Green projects in region and $19,000 granted for agencies in affected areas to co-ordinate workers, and income assistance. (Diana Leufkens) LAMB EXPORTS - FIJI - Meat NZ says meat industry set to lose substantial market if Fiji implements ban on sale of lamb flaps. Fiji facing increasing incidence of health problems associated with fatty foods but Meat NZ's international manager Gerry Thompson says lamb flaps valuable source of protein, minerals and of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which actually help prevent disease. (Walter Zweifel, RNZI) APPLE EXPORTS CONSENTS COMMITTEE expects answer tonight about its legal position. Committee set up following producer board reforms to consider applications from companies wanting to export apples independent of ENZA but ran into problems when it found it didn't have legal status to make decisions. Chair Richard Janes explains. (Heugh Chappell) LAVENDER QUALITY - growers issued with "sniff kit" to educate their noses about illegible of plant's oil. Crop and Food Research, with support from Technology NZ, has developed test to help growers pick optimum harvest time to get best quality oil. (Diana Leufkens)
0625 SPORTS CRICKET - England hangs on for draw in 2nd test against South Africa at Port Elizabeth. Live i/v with South African sports reporter Dillon Rogers.
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 NEWS STORY: PAKISTAN - TRIAL of deposed PM Nawaz Sharif still not underway, delayed by dispute over whether key evidence should be handed over to defence. Nawaz Sharif, his brother and 5 aides are accused of criminal conspiracy, hijacking and waging war against Pakistan. Dispute over tape recordings of conversations between air traffic control tower and aircraft carrying army leader Geb Musharraf, who later that day overthrew govt in coup. (BBC) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS MANA MāORI TRAFFIC REPORT
0648 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS N.Z. DOLLAR continues to scrape along bottom overnight in overseas trading. Concerns voiced by some investors in London and New York are about potentially corrosive effect of Greens on new coalition govt, continued unfounded rumours of ratings downgrade by Standard and Poors, Y2K computer fears, prospect that current account deficit will worsen, etc. (Gyles Beckford) ECONOMIC RECOVERY - economic forecasters finally believe recovery is actually in full swing. According to NZIER's December Quarterly Predictions, 3 main components of spending are on way up, including consumption, investment and export sales. NZIER director Alex Sundakov says while exports are on way up, way is not completely clear. (Helen Matterson) WORK SKILLS - battle for certain skills is fierce, with Morgan and Banks survey showing almost half employers surveyed find it necessary to recruit in wider Australasian market. Areas most in demand are information technology, telecommunications and specialists for some research teams. I/v with Morgan and Banks chief exec Alistair Sutherland. (Helen Matterson) FINANCE/MARKETS REGIONAL ECONOMIES - activity moves up a gear, according to latest National Bank Index for September quarter. Index shows activity rising by 1.5% over all, with Northland in front. National Bank economist Steve Edwards says NZ definitely out of recession. (Helen Matterson) BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS COALITION POLICY - govt announces wider review of defence policy to follow review of proposed purchase of F-16 fighters from US. Former ACT MP Derek Quigley in charge of F-16 review. Govt also signals swift action on student loans and minimum wage. Live i/v with PM Helen Clark. DEFENCE REVIEW - live i/v with former ACT MP Derek Quigley, appointed by new govt to review purchase of F-16 fighter planes. STUDENT LOANS - Univ of Otago Chancellor Eion Edgar pleased new govt has moved already on plans to scrap interest on some student loans. Policy means students enrolling at tertiary institutions next year won't have to pay any interest on loans until they earn more than $25,000 p.a. Final decision likely at cabinet meeting next week. Live i/v with Chancellor Edgar. BEECH LOGGING - threat of legal action now hangs over govt in wake of directive to scrap Timberlands' West Coast beech logging contracts but Forestry minister Pete Hodgson says legal advisors believe govt and SOE face only minimal risk in court. Others don't agree. Comment from former SOE minister Tony Ryall, Buller mayor Pat O'Dea, David Stock, a lawyer for one of the saw millers who will now have his contract voided, and milling company managing director Alan Sayer. (illegible Passey)
0730 NEWS/WEATHER NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE INTERNATIONAL PAPERS HEALTH FREEPHONE - plans to set up 24-hour service in some regions delayed following change of govt. Healthline supposed to start in January, offering expert medical advice over telephone to residents in Northland, East Cape, West Coast, and Canterbury, but Health Funding Authority has yet to sign contract with organisation it wants to run service, consortium involving St John's Ambulance and 2 overseas organisations. Live i/v with Health correspondent Rae Lamb. FISHERIES ASSETS - new Labour MP John Tamihere believes party's Māori MPs have moral obligation to support his efforts to change Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission's plan to allocate assets. Court of Appeal has granted conditional leave to AK urban Māori authorities to go to Privy Council to challenge Appeal Court's finding that first parcel of assets must be distributed only to iwi. Live i/v with Mr Tamihere. ELECTION - TAURANGA - RECOUNT begins this morning. Labour requesting recount despite candidate Margaret Wilson coming only third and is criticising National Party for not calling a recount. PM Helen Clark says National either wanted to delay opening of Parliament or realised overturning Winston Peters' election victory would advantage Labour but not itself. (q). Winston Peters says Labour's application for recount is bizarre. (q). Live i/v with Tauranga returning officer Kevin Nally. CHECHNYA - RUSSIA - reports that Russian fighter plane shot down, although no official confirmation; Duma approves amnesty for Chechen rebels who lay down weapons. Live i/v with Moscow correspondent Alistair Wanklin.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER DEFENCE REVIEW - govt to reconsider defence budget, following review of proposed lease-purchase deal with US for F-16 fighters. PM Helen Clark says current defence policy too expensive(q), says review will take into account possible diplomatic fallout from cancelling F-16 deal. Discussion with defence specialists Dr Steve Hoadley, AK Univ, and Jim Rolfe, VUW. (Mng Rpt) STUDENT LOANS - NZ Univ Students' Assn welcomes govt's move to scrap interest on some student loans. President Karen Skinner says it's good move but she hopes govt also reinstates emergency unemployment benefit for those students who can't work over Summer holidays - i/ved live. BEECH LOGGING - ACT's Forestry spokesman Ken Shirley says West Coast logging scheme could have been international model for sustainable logging. Mr Shirley illegible chair of grouped charged with developing international standards for sustainable forest management, says scheme is environmentally sound - i/ved. (Mng Rpt); live i/v with Pete Hodgson, minister responsible for Timberlands. CANTERBURY - DUMP ROW - fiery public meeting in Darfield on controversial proposed super-dump ends abruptly when meeting taken over by opponents of proposed site. Live i/v with Gillie Deans, Dump the Dump gorup and CH City Councillor Dennis O'Rourke, who chairs the Canterbury Waste Committee. TRAFFIC REPORT
0830 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS AMERICAS CUP - CHALLENGERS - Young America syndicates hopes of semi-final spot dashed, almost certain to make humiliating early exit from competition. America True scuttles Young America's hopes by saying it won't take part in its last race against French syndicate which means that unless French boat can't complete course, it's guaranteed last semi-final place; live i/v with correspondent Penny Whiting. SMACKING CHILDREN - Children's Commissioner Roger McClay wants to ban parents from smacking their children, wants new govt to target all forms of child abuse including smacking. Christian Heritage Party leader Graham Capill strongly opposed, says it's an attack on parenting. Live i/v with both. illegible WHALEBONE - police in Chatham Islands investigating disappearance of whalebone thought to be up to 12,000 years old. WN historian Rhys Richards dup up bone in October but was prevented from removing it from Chathams. (Catherine Harris) CROATIA - TUDJMAN FUNERAL - thousands of Croatians line streets of Zagreb for state funeral of President Tudjman but few foreign leaders attended. Western states sent only lower level diplomats to funeral which was overshadowed by persistent allegations that President Tudjman was behind wave of ethnic cleansing of Serbs from Croatian territory. Live i/v with correspondent Bruno Ogorelec. INTERNATIONAL PAPERS CHILE - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ends in virtual tie, and will have to run a second round for first time in Chile. Both leftwing candidate Ricardo Lagos and opponent Joaquin Lavin failed to win more than 50% of vote. I/v with correspondent James Reynolds. (Mng Rpt)