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0600 NEWS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 NEWS STORY TOBACCO ACTION - govt considering legislation to improve chances of taking successful legal action against tobacco companies to recover cost of smoking-related illnesses. omment from PM Helen Clark, Trish Fraser of ASH, lawyer Michael Okkerse and Garfield Mahood, Canadian non-smokers' rights organisation. (Clare Szirany) U.S. - GUN CONTROL - President Clinton denounces National Rifle Assn for suggesting he's tolerant of some gun killings because it's good for politics. Mr Clinton pushing for tougher gun control legislation, but NRA exec vice president Wayne LaPierre say he's exploiting violence for political gain. Live i/v with correspondent Robin Brandt.
0620 RURAL NEWS MEGA MERGER lobbyist, Taranaki dairy farmer Antonie Eggink, says Kiwi suppliers may well consider forgoing some early cash benefits to join with rival Dairy Group. NZ Dairy Group will only accept merger if its farmer suppliers receive extra payment of 40 cents kg of milkpowder produced, but Kiwi has offered even deal.. Mr Eggink says farmers need more information on Kiwi's true financial position. (Diana Leufkens) WOOLNET - Wool Board subsidiary Woolpro says use of Woolnet internet wool trading service has grown steadily since launch in January and farmers using it have made significant financial gains. But Wool Exporters' Council says claims are exaggerated and misleading. Comment from council's exec manager Nick Nicholson and Woolpro's managing director Lance Wiggins. (Kevin Ikin) AUSTRALIA - WHEAT - largest shipment of grain leaves for Middle East this week, 122,000 tonne shipment of milling wheat valued at more than $A30 million. (AAP)
0625 SPORTS STORY U.S. SPORTS - live i/v with Paul Witteman, "Sports Illustrated". (annual college basketball tournament starts; Dan Merino,- 38 yr old Miami Dolphins football player retires; professional basketballer player returns to court after kidney transplant)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 NEWS STORY SERBIA - NATO - attitude of many Serbs to NATO remains angry and distrustful, fuelled mainly by President Milosevic. (BBC). INTERNATIONAL PAPERS MANA NEWS MAU TAIAHA - i/v with Mita Mohi, credited with revival of mau taiaha, he his Mokoia Island wananga. HONORARY DEGREES conferred by Waiariki Polytechnic.
0650 BUSINESS NEWS AIR NEW ZEALAND - Brierley Investments move to sell part of stake to Singapore Airlines appears to have hit last minute snag over price. Understood the 2 parties had already agreed main elements of deal before BIL moved to change some details and raise asking price. (Gyles Beckford) MONETARY POLICY STATEMENT - NEW PARADIGM - Reserve Bank's statement raises prospect of seachange in whole economy. Economists call it the new paradigm - sustained high growth without excessive inflationary pressures. Reserve Bank statement devoted special chapter to issue. Comment from Governor Don Brash shows Bank diffident about new paradigm. Does prospect of such an environment in medium to long term tally with Bank's actions - is inflation dead or dying? Live i/v with Deutsche Bank's chief economist Ulf Schoefisch. FINANCE/ MARKETS WEST COAST GOLD - Gold and Resource Developments to re-examine project following increase in gold prices and cheaper extraction costs. Perth-based company says it has already invested $A25 million in Reefton project. Comment from company secretary Angus Kennedy Perkins. (Catherine Walbridge) MERIDIAN ENERGY wins legal victory in High Court in WN against Bay of Plenty Electricity, says it sought court injunction in December to prevent it carrying out threat to disconnect customers who wanted to switch power companies. Bay of Plenty Electricity backed down day before injunction due to be argued and High Court has awarded costs to Meridian. (Catherine Walbridge) BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS TOBACCO ACTION - PM, Health minister and Attorney General meet ASH to discuss possibility of Crown suing tobacco companies as well as forcing them to label cigarette packets with additives used. WN lawyerMichael Okkerse, who specialises in medical damages cases, says suing tobacco companies would cost huge legal fees and govt would risk further massive payouts if it lost case; live i/v with PM Helen Clark; live i/v with Garfield Mahood, exec director of Non-Smokers' Rights Assn of Canada, which has been at forefront of lobbying for legal action in Canada. Canada moving towards legislation to make it easier for tobacco companies to be sued for recover of health care costs associated with smoking. BOUGAINVILLE - NZ Foreign Affairs minister Phil Goff says compromise needed if there is to be lasting peace, says peace monitoring group giving Bougainville and Papua New Guinea leaders such as sense of security they don't feel any urgency to find a compromise - i/ved. (Mng Rpt) APOLOGY re use of words "put this dog down" in reference to Winston Peters during December i/v with Helen Clark re result of vote count in Tauranga electorate. TAIWAN - CHINA'S premier Zhu Rong-Ji warns Taiwanese not to vote for independence in this week's election, says outcome of vote will decide future course of China's relationship with Taiwan. China repeatedly warns Taiwan it risks war if it moves towards outright independence. (BBC) COMMONWEALTH - SECRETARY GENERAL - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan pays tribute to outgoing C'Wealth head Chief Emeka Anyaolu and his successor Don McKInnon in his delivery of annual Commonwealth lecture. (Paul Chapman)
0730 NEWS/WEATHER NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE GAVIN DASH CASE - mother of missing WN student says she's not bitter it's taken police 4 months to step up investigation into Gavin's disappearance. Police believe 24 year old no longer alive but until last month were still treating disappearance as missing person case. Live i/v with new head of inquiry team, Det Snr Sgt Mike Arnereich. MENTAL HEALTH GUIDELINES -need to give families of mental health patients more information and assistance in caring for family members at heart of new guidelines launched by Schizophrenia Fellowship, will be incorporated into contracts between Health Funding Authority and service providers. (John MacDonald) TUVALU - FIRE APPEAL - appeal launched today for families of 19 people killed in school fire. 18 girls and a matron died when fire swept through locked dormitory. (Mark Torley) SNAKE - sniffer dogs to be used to search WN shipping container yard for signs of venomous snakes. MAF has identified snakes found at site as poisonous Eastern Brown, found widely in Australia. Female snake killed after discovery and while there's no evidence she laid eggs, MAF wants to be sure because this snake variety can survive in NZ. Live i/v with Derek Belton manager of MAF's surveillance and disease response programme. INTERNATIONAL PAPERS
0800 NEWS/WEATHER TOBACCO ACTION - PM considering changing law to make it easier for govt to sue tobacco companies for recovery of health costs associated with smoking. Some lawyers fear gvot would face huge legal costs. Live i/v with WN lawyer Michael Okkerse who specialises in medical damages cases. ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHS - Green MP Keith Locke wants all photgraphs of royalty removed from Parliament. Live i/v with him and National MP John Carter, who believes it's not Mr Locke's decision whether such pictures should be removed from Parliament. NATO MEETING - Russian and NATO ambassadors meeting for first time since Kosovo conflict in effort to improve relations. Proliferation of nuclear weapons and Russia's more negative military stance towards West also on agenda. I/v with NATO spokesman Jamie Shea. (Mng Rpt) WRITING SLATE used by daughter of Hongi Hika about 170 years ago found under floor at Kerikeri Mission House, has name Rongo Hongi inscribed on it. Live i/v with curator Fergus Clunie. FILM INDUSTRY representatives meet today with local government officials to explore ways of attracting more film and television production into NZ. Comment from WN mayor Mark Blumsky, Catherine Fitzgerald and Jane Gilbert, Film Commission. (Eric Frykberg)
0830 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS DIESEL SPILL - light plane examining area of coast off Stewart Island for any signs that spill from sunken fishing boat has affected wildlife. Boat which sank yesterday was carrying 7,000 litres of diesel. Live i/v with Warren Tuckey, co-ordinator of clean-up for Environment Southland. PEST INFESTATION in some AK suburbs raises alarm bells with conservation workers throughout North Island. Rat numbers have increased, also mice and stoats. Phenomenon of "masting" has played part - good weather has led to increased seed or fruit production, meaning more food for wildlife and predators. Live i/v with Warwick Murray, DoC. REFUGEE SERVICES - study into status of refugees raises concerns NZ doesn't provide adequate services for those who've survived traumatic experiences. Vladimir Madjar spoke to Bosian refugees released from Serb concentration camps during his research for Masters thesis - i/ved live. CYCLE HELMET - DN man Gregor Campbell fined for not wearing his cycle helmet says govts have reneged on promises to educate motorists about cycle safety. He says he chose to waer his helmet on his elbow as protest against lack of motorist education - i/ved. (Mng Rpt) BRITAIN - CABBIES - new study shows brains of London's cabbies grow as they store the mental map of the city - "the knowledge". I/v with correspondent Alistair Wanklyn. FRUIT AND VEG REPORT with Jack Forsythe.