0600 NEWS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 NEWS STORY WAIPAREIRA TRUST ROW - ACT leader Richard Prebble not backing off allegations against Trust and former chief exec, Labour MP John Tamihere, although Serious Fraud Office finds there is no evidence to support claims of fraud and not enough to proceed with investigation into foregery claims relating to cheques paid to Trust. Comment from Richard Prebble, John Tamihere and PM Helen Clark. (Claire Silvester) U.S. - CUBAN BOY - Attorney General Janet Reno says she won't send US Marshals immediately to take 6-year old Elian Gonzalez although deadline for his Miami relations to return him to his father has passed. Live i/v with correspondent Malcolm Brown.
0620 RURAL NEWS BEE PEST - MAF extending hive inspections in search for deadly Varroa honey bee mite. Inspections so far have confrimed 164 hives at 14 apiaries infested with mite, including Bay of Plentry apiary in Opotiki. MASF still waiting for test results from Otago apirary which may have been infested with Varroa mite from bees supplied by Manurewa apiary; NZ's $1.8 million live bee trade brought to halt with discovery of mite in South AK. 2 containeers of bees about to be shipped to largest market for trade, Canada, now being held in storage. MAF's international trade manager Jim Edwards says Canadian authorities expected to make decision overnight re whether they'll accept the shipment; Andrew Matheson, MAF Biosecurity Authority, warns if mite has become established in NZ it will have huge impact on bee-keepers and all those who rely on bees for pollination of pastures and crops. (Kevin Ikin); govt says it's too early to assess costof damage to beekeeping and agriculture sectors, or compensaation related to bee mite. Biosecurity minister Marian Hobbs says issue of govt compensation will be considered further down the line if MAF recommends any destruction. (q) (Kathryn Street) WOOL PRICES rise significantly across most wool types at wool sales, especially across large offering of lambswool in Ch and large offering of crossbred second shear in Napier. (Diana Leufkens) FOOD EXPORTS - 12 exporters aiming for big business from Asia at Singapore food fair. Companies exhibiting meat and seafoods, wine and beverages, apples and vegetables, ice-cream and honey. Trade NZ's Gavin Young says their expectations of increasing sales reflect improving Asian economies, especially in Southeast Asia. (Kevin Ikin)
0625 SPORTS STORY RUGBY - SUPER 12 - live i/v with commentator John McBeth re weekend's matches.
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 NEWS STORY WELLINGTON WATERFRONT - WN City Council scraps controversial waterfront development plan known as Variation 17 following unprecedented public opposition from residents. Plan would have seen 20 new buildings, some up to 10 storeys high, built along waterfront. Comment from mayor John Blumsky and Waterfront Watch president Lindsay Shelton. (Tony Reid) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS MANA NEWS PRIVY COUNCIL - National's spokesperson on Māori Affairs, Georgina Te Heu Heu, says Māori may be more willikng to cut links with Privy Council if govt improves relationship with Treaty partner.
0650 BUSINESS NEWS EMPLOYMENT XENOPHOBIA - recruitment firm Morgan and Banks says NZ employers have xenophobic attitude towards hiring information technology staff from non-western countries. General manager of Technology, Stuart Bennett, warns employers will need to change attitude or risk losing talented people. (Catherine Walbridge) CREDIT CHECKS - Baycorp credit information company says continuing high level of checks by businesses points to still strong domestic element of rebound in economy, says overall number of checks in first 3 months of year grew by nearly 5.5% of double that level of growth in previous quarter. Comment from Paul Stewart, Baycorp's general manager of strategic development. (Gyles Beckford) FINANCE/MARKETS GREEN BUSINESS - group of aspiring green businesses meet govt for first time. Business Council for Sustainable Development formed year ago, aim is to work towards new style of business which focusses on "triple bottom line" - profitability, social and economic benefits. Comment from member Stephen Tindall, The Warehouse, and PM Helen Clark who explains how she thinks relationship between group and govt will work. (Catherine Walbridge) ACCOUNTANCY STANDARDS - KPMG says changes to standards could add millions of dollars to balance sheets of NZ companies. It says many companies record assets they lease as operating leases which are disclosed in financial statements rather than on balance sheet but proposal that all non-cancellable operating leases should be recorded on balance sheets has been prepared by multinational group of accounting standard setters. Comment from KPMG technical manager Jackie Calloway. (Catherine Walbridge) BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS WAIPAREIRA TRUST ROW - Serious Fraud Office looks into payments from Health Funding Authority and Aotearoa Māori Rugby league to Trust and allegations of forgery involving cheques paid to Trust, finds no evidence to support ACT Party's claims of fraud and not enough evidence to proceed with investigation into forgery claims. ACT leader Richard Prebble not backing off his allegations - i/ved live; live i/v with Māori Issues correspondent Chris Wikaira. U.S. - CUBAN BOY - deadline for Elian Gonzalez' Miami relatives to turn the 6-year old over to immigration officials passes with no sign of intervention by federal authorities. I/v with correspondent Malcolm Brabant in Miami. (Mng Rpt) ZIMBABWE - LAND INVASIONS - High Court rules police must carry out earlier order to evict squatters occupying white-owned farms. Police had asked for reversal of order claiming insufficient resources to enforce it. I/v with Andrew Meldrum, correspondent for "The Guardian" newspaper. (Mng Rpt) CANCER SMEARS INQUIRY - 4TH DAY - former pathologist Dr Michael Bottrill reads statement saying he found women's evidence deeply moving and intensely distressing and wanted to acknowledge their suffering. Co-ordinator of women's support group Janice Hobbs says while some people are very angry with Dr Bottrill, most think he's just one part of the process; live i/v with Stuart Grieve QC, representing some of the women at inquiry.
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE SAMOA - TRIAL - judge announces today if he plans to overturn guilty verdict. 4 out of 5 jurors accepted prosecution case that Toi Aukuso Cain and Leafa Vitale planned the killing of Public Works minister and used Leafa's eldest son to shoot him. Live report from ACCOUNTANCY STANDARDS - KPMG says changes to standards could add millions of dollars to balance sheets of NZ companies. It says many companies record assets they lease as operating leases which are disclosed in financial statements rather than on balance sheet but proposal that all non-cancellable operating leases should be recorded on balance sheets has been prepared by multinational group of accounting standard setters. Comment from KPMG technical manager Jackie Calloway. (Catherine Walbridge) Karlum Lattimore in Apia. SOLOMON ISLANDS - PEACE TALKS - NZ and Australia offer to broker talks on conflict between Guadalcanal locals and settlers from Malaita island. Commonwealth special envoy Sitiveni Rabuka confident meaningful talks can be held and hopes for neutral venue; NZ Foreign Affairs minister Phil Goff i/ved. (Mng Rpt) MANUKAU SEX INDUSTRY - Manukau City Council attempting to crack down on sex industry, which new report says is growing in AK, commissioned reports after problems with prostitutes in Papatoetoe, underage sex workers and male to male soliciting in public toilets. (Barbara Dreaver) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS
0800 NEWS/WEATHER WAIPAREIRA TRUST ROW - ACT leader Richard Prebble says no need to apologise to Labour MP John Tamihere over his allegations against Waipareira Trust and Mr Tamihere's role as former chief exec. Mr Prebble says he has partial victory in issue because Auditor General has agreed organisations like Trust need to be more accountable; live i/v with Mr Tamihere. BEE PEST - MAF staff extending hive inspections as they continue search for deadly Varroa bee mite. Comment from Matthew Stone, biosecurity co-ordinator; live i/v with Lin McKenzie, National Beekeepers' Assn re impact of mite. CHILD ABDUCTOR - Whangarei police continuing to look for man who abducted small boy in Northland last weekend. Man police describe as sexual predator snatched 3 and half year old boy from side of road near Paproa but later released him after asking him to do indecent acts. Live i/v with Det Sgt Grant Smith. U.S. - CUBAN BOY - 6-year old Elian Gonzales remains at home of Miami relatives. Attorney General Janet Reno says she's prepared to enforce law but hasn't yet said when federal authorities can be expected to intervene in custody dispute; Havana correspondent Tom Gibb says Cuban authorities believe US govt should now take direct action to return boy to his father. (Mng Rpt) SAMOA - LEGAL SYSTEM - in case of politicians found guilty of killing cabinet minister, judge has announced he's reviewing jury's decision following further defence submissions. In NZ judge can't overturn jury's verdict, why is Samoan legal system different? Live i/v with AK barrister Simativa Perese.
0830 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS CANCER SMEARS INQUIRY - first week ends with apology from former pathologist Dr Michael Bottrill to women involved in inquiry. Health correspondent Rae Lamb reviews the week. SOUTH AFRICA - CRICKET SCANDAL - disgraced cricketer Hansie Cronje speaks about reasons for dismissal but despite taped phone conversations of him discussing games with Indian bookmaker, he still denies any allegations of taking money to manipulate games; live i/v with correspondent Guy Hawthorne. TRUANCY programme on AK's North Shore finds primary school children worst offenders and many of them are wagging school with knowledge of parents. (Mary-Jane Aggett) STEWART ISLAND - NATIONAL PARK - row on island over Conservation Authority's proposed boundaries for new national park, islanders say there won't be big enough buffer zone for future development. Live i/v with Ted Rooney, chair of Stewart Island Community Board and Lou Sanson, conservator for proposed park. OZ SPOT - live i/v with Phil Kafcaloudes. (Kosovo refugees- govt offers 50 more places if refugees agree to go back first; crocodile visits main street of Katherine; revealed former Victoria premier Jeff Kennet paid an author to write a book on achievements of his govt, using taxpayers' money)