Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Israel is facing pressure from various countries around their ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.   A raft of western allies, including New Zealand, is pleading with Israel not to escalate matters.   CBS correspondent Linda Gradstein told Mike Hosking that the United States has made it clear to Israel that their forces shouldn't go into Rafah without getting civilians out first.  ...

The results of decades of under-investment in Auckland infrastructure are becoming clear. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's demanding Auckland Transport stop all projects that were funded by the Regional Fuel Tax.  The tax is being scrapped late June, and the mayor says it'll leave a $1.2-billion gap in transport funding over four years.  Trains were also cancelled this week due to heat speed restricti...

The possibility of future rate hikes remains uncertain.   Despite ANZ shifting its forecast to predict two more rate hikes, there are economists saying that the Reserve Bank has no need.   ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking that there is a growing chance that the Reserve Bank will get impatient and lift interest rates.   However, he said, they think that they can hold off since thi...

Victorian fire authorities are that warning today may pose the greatest fire risk in four years.   Melbourne correspondent Donna Demaio told Mike Hosking that there’s a catastrophic bushfire danger rating for parts of the state, with high winds, heat, and the potential for dry lightning likely.   She says it's going to reach 40 degrees plus, and the fire experts say these forecast conditions haven...

Councils may continue to join forces to tackle infrastructure around three waters.   The Government's confirmed its plan to repeal and replace the controversial legislation.   It will introduce bills that attempt to make it easier for councils to determine their own water strategy, including making it easier to set up council-controlled organisations.   Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Alex Walker told M...

An Auckland business leader says nothing surprises him with the city's railway infrastructure, after trains were cancelled due to heat.   Some Auckland train services were cancelled through yesterday afternoon and evening, including at peak hour.   Kiwi Rail, which manages the tracks, blamed track temperatures, which reached 48 degrees in some places.   Newmarket Business Association chief executi...

The Emergency Management Minister says additional money for Cyclone Gabrielle recovery will help Hawke's Bay reach silt removal targets. The Government's announced $63-million for sediment and debris removal. Hawke's Bay Regional Council will get 40-million, three million of that is for removing debris in Wairoa. Gisborne District Council will receive 23-million. Minister Mark Mitchell told Mike H...

Las Vegas is in Super Bowl mode today as thousands are in town for the big game. The NFL match between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will kick off at 12:30 this afternoon. Sirius XM host Ben Harlum is there, and told Mike Hosking that the streets are packed, security's been increased and the Swifties are in full force. He says he's been to Vegas many times but has never seen it li...

Israel looks set to proceed with its ground offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza, despite a lack of support from western allies. Correspondent Gavin Grey told Mike Hosking the US wants Israel to come up with a plan for protecting the safety of the civilian population, before the military advance begins. Foreign Minister Winston Peters says our government is "extremely concerned" about the potential...

The Government and Auckland Council are not in agreement over the scrapping of the Regional Fuel Tax.   It will be gone at the end of June, providing what the Government says is a cost-of-living relief.    Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has come out swinging, saying the decision will leave a $1.2 billion shortfall in transport funding over the next four years.   Ratepayers Alliance spokesperson Jordan...

Uncertainty continues to plague Mount Ruapehu's future as a skiing destination.   Whakapapa Holdings has pulled its bid on the Whakapapa side of the mountain, claiming there's not enough Crown funding.   It's unclear how that part of the mountain will operate this winter.   It comes as a conditional agreement for Pure Turoa to run the Turoa ski field has been signed.   Former Ruapehu Snow Sports S...

GP advocacy groups say funding issues are approaching crisis levels.   Many GPs are hiking their prices as government funding fails to keep up with rising costs.   GenPro Chairman Angus Chambers told Mike Hosking that GP clinics receive different subsidies for different patients.   He says one of the issues is that it doesn't take into account complexity within age groups.   Chambers says he gets...

Young people are increasingly going on the benefit and staying on it for longer.   Reports released to Newstalk ZB suggest a sharp spike in the time beneficiaries will spend on income support, with a 23% jump in the number of people staying on job-seeker support until retirement age.   Youth advocate Shirley Johnson told Mike Hosking that the education system isn't adequately preparing young peopl...

Taylor Swift's lawyers are trying to put an end to public tracking of her private jet, claiming it's 'a life or death matter'.   Student Jack Sweeney uses public data to track take-offs and landings of celebrity planes and posts them to Twitter.   US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Mike Hosking that the 21-year-old's been issued a cease-and-desist to stop sharing Swift's plane location.   He says...

Our latest unemployment numbers have caught some by surprise.   Stats NZ figures show a 4% rise in the three months to December.   That's up from 3.9% in the preceding three months but below most economists' predictions, who'd been expecting between 4.2 and 4.3%.   ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Mike Hosking there's potential these figures are more reflective, and things may have actually wo...

The Māori Development Minister has hit out at media coverage of events at Waitangi.   The Coalition came under fire from Māori leaders, with both ACT Leader David Seymour and NZ First Leader Winston Peters among those heckled during speeches.   Tama Potaka says he thinks most people came away feeling warm and excited for the future.   He told Mike Hosking that he thinks the coverage was not compre...

Prince Harry has arrived in the UK alone after his father's cancer diagnosis.  Buckingham Palace announced King Charles cancer yesterday, which was discovered during a separate procedure.  Harry was earlier photographed arriving at Clarence House.  The King's now been seen for the first time since the announcement - being driven with Queen Camilla from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace, where it...

A spike to New Zealand's unemployment rate may be on the cards later this morning.   Multiple bank economists estimate it to land at 4.3%, up from the September quarter's 3.9%.   ANZ Economist, Henry Russell told Mike Hosking that he agrees.   He says the key driver is the ongoing recovery in labour supply, reflecting the record net-migration we've seen.   LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listene...

We’re a generous bunch us Kiwis. It never ceases to amaze me how New Zealander’s step up when tragedy or just bad luck strikes someone or a community. In May 2023 - when every second headline was about the cost-of-living crisis - it was announced we’d given $36.6 million to charities and causes over that last financial year. It was a 38% increase on the previous year. That’s a lot of money. We’re...

David Seymour hopes a 'peaceful debate' can come out of Waitangi - in the wake of backlash to his proposed Treaty Principles Bill. The ACT leader is being welcomed alongside the coalition at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in the Bay of Islands today. He skipped both last month's Kingitanga's hui-a-motu and Ratana commemorations. Iwi representatives spoke at Waitangi yesterday, expressing criticism ov...

The Government is being warned that its attempts to streamline the costs of government-funded school lunches could backfire.   An MBIE briefing has revealed the lunches could end this year unless the Government finds $330 million.  Prime Minister Chris Luxon says his government will fund them beyond the end of the year, but he wants to optimise the programme.    Health Coalition Aotearoa co-chair...

The Council of Trade Unions says it's heartless that the Workplace Relations and Safety Minister recommended a 1.3% minimum wage increase.   The Government's decided to increase minimum wage by 2% to $23.15 an hour from April.    Inflation is at 4.7%.   Council of Trade Unions Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges told Mike Hosking that all New Zealanders have a right to a liveable income.   She says t...

Airbnb and its rivals are warning their services may need to be suspended if the Government doesn't delay a GST law change. Accommodation providers and ride-share services such as Uber will become liable for ensuring GST is paid through services booked on their websites from April 1. Airbnb, Booking.com, Bookabach, and Bachcare wrote  to Finance Minister Nicola Willis in December requesting an urg...

The US has decided on their course of action when it comes to retaliating to the drone strike that killed and injured over forty US troops.   Their response is likely to come in the next couple of days, officials saying that they will respond at a time of their choosing.   US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Mike Hosking that while they have a couple of options, it’s likely that they will target th...

AUKUS is expected to be a topic at today's trans-Tasman meeting.   New Zealand and Australia's Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers will meet for talks in Melbourne today.   Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum Co-Chair Greg Lowe says it's certainly worth having discussions about the second pillar of AUKUS.   That second pillar involves things like cyber security and AI, rather than military...