Reporter: Kerryanne Evans Producer: Neil Parker Assignment looks at the human cost to sub-contractors in the building industry who have been hit hard in recent years, with the collapse of building contracting companies. Hartner Construction is the latest in a number of major building companies to go under in recent years. Their demise coming during the construction of the apartment/hotel complex on Auckland's Princes Wharf. Correspondent Kerryanne Evans talks exclusively with Wayne Hartner and project developer Dave Henderson about the situation. Hartner went into liquidation owing many millions of dollars. More than a thousand suppliers and sub-contractors may have been affected by the collapse. Assignment talks to a number of the subbies who have been affected about the financial and human cost. [31/05/01]

Presented by Richard Long, Assignment is the only hour-long, in-depth current affairs programme on New Zealand television and features some of New Zealand's most experienced and respected journalists: Rob Harley, Rod Vaughan, Kerryanne Evans and Jackie Maher. The series covers a range of stories of significance to New Zealand and its people, with in-depth analysis which maintains the highest standards of authority, credibility, fairness and impartiality, notwithstanding the often controversial nature of the programme's content.