Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

A health commentator says it'll be over a decade before new medical school students make an impact. If elected, Labour's promised to train an additional 335 doctors every year from 2027, with medical school numbers increasing from next year.   National's previously announced a new medical school at Waikato University, which would provide 220 extra places by 2030.   Ian Powell told Kate Hawkesby th...

A criminal barrister says our current approach to crime is working.   ACT Party leader David Seymour's pledging to boost prison capacity by 500 beds and toughen sentencing for offending against vulnerable workers.   The party also wants new youth justice beds under Corrections and ankle bracelets on youth offenders.   Criminal Barrister, Tony Bouchier told Kate Hawkesby that crime is becoming too...

I’ve been obsessed with grocery prices this year – I mean, haven’t we all? Anyone who does the shopping knows what a shock it can be when you see the prices of some things literally quadruple right in front of you.   I have an ongoing debate with the person in our household who does not do the groceries about this. His solution is: if you don’t want to pay $20 for blueberries, shop around. Now, th...

New Zealand's migration figures are above pre-pandemic levels.   There was a net gain of 96,200 people in the year to July, with 135,000 non-citizens arriving, and 39,400 New Zealanders leaving.   Demographer Paul Spoonley says the Productivity Commission says we need to align the number of immigrants with the infrastructure and services we can provide.   He says we're back in high annual populati...

There are calls for a cluster of international investment scams to come under scrutiny.   Financial expert Janine Starks wants a banking ombudsman to launch an investigation after accusing banks of corporate failure.   She says there's systemic failures with foreign scams estimated to be stealing up to $200 million a year from New Zealanders.   Massey University banking expert Claire Matthews told...

I'm just wondering if there's a big box of prezzy cards stashed somewhere inside the Beehive, or somewhere all the bureaucrats can go, to just bundle up endless prezzy cards to hand out to people.   In the latest prezzy card scandal —and let's not forget there've been a few— 'defendants on serious charges', it was reported, got $75 dollar prezzy cards to attend meetings. These were meetings in Haw...

There’s been a 900% increase in the number of prospective tenants viewing an Auckland rental property in just six months.   Impression Real Estate data shows on average, more than 50 people attend each viewing in the city.   Chief Executive, Rishabh Kapoor says demand comes from those who lost their homes in the January floods, and recent migrants.   He says property managers are seeing more cases...

Labour has plunged 5.5% in the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll, taking the party to just under 27% support.   National has shot up to 40.9%, while ACT's on 10%, the Greens 12.3% and New Zealand First is tip-toeing up to the threshold at 4.6%.   Former Senior Ministerial Advisor for the National Party Brigitte Morton told Kate Hawkesby that it’s a significant swing and is likely to stabilize back...

I’m wondering at this point who’s more obsessed with the election, the media, the politicians, or the voters.   The bulk of the feedback I’m getting at the moment is: we’re over it, open early voting, let’s get on with it, we just want change and a new direction. So as the politicians ramp up the campaigns and the polling starts spewing out percentages, and we begin crunching numbers and policy's...

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chastised China’s premier on Sunday for “unacceptable” interference in British democracy, after a newspaper reported that a researcher in Parliament was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of spying for Beijing.   Sunak said he raised the issue with Premier Li Qiang when the two met at a Group of 20 summit  in India. He told British broadcasters in New Delhi that he’...

A view ACT's new housing policy sounds good in theory - but is a step too far in reality.    The party's unveiled its housing policy - which would see builders able to use insurance companies as an alternative authority for consenting - to speed up the process.   It aims to cut local councils out of the consenting process.   Property commentator Ashley Church told Kate Hawkesby he believes in gett...

Like many of us, I was hoping for a triumphant Saturday of wins - the AB’s against France and the Warriors against the Panthers.   OK fair enough that was probably a tougher call the latter one, but a double win would have been a much-needed morale boost for a country in the doldrums at the moment.   Sadly it was not to be. And after some fleeting optimism and pre-emptive excitement - we are all b...

Ryan Fox must be wondering when the luck of the Irish will fall his way after finishing just short at the Irish Open for the third time of his career.   Fox, playing in his first tournament since the PGA Tour’s 3M Open in July, held a share of the lead midway through the fourth round but dropped a shot on the penultimate hole to end his chance of another victory on the DP World Tour.   Fox carded...

National's being accused of missing the point with its target for emergency departments.   The party's pledging to bring back health targets if elected, including 95 percent of ED patients to be admitted, discharged or transferred within six hours.   Northcare Accident and Medical's Peter Boot told Kate Hawkesby they should be thinking about primary care, which is falling over because doctors are...

The National Party is promising to build a new “Great Walk” as part of its new tourism policy.   It's planed an $14m upgrade the 80km Waiau-Toa/Molesworth walking track in Canterbury, creating the 11 th Great Walk.   Hurunui Mayor Marie Black told Tim Dower that having a track of this distinction in their district would be a significant boost for the local and regional economies.   She said that t...

Labour's law and order policy would allow Police to confiscate cars, motorbikes, and even tractors.   Police Minister Ginny Andersen says it's designed for large scale convoys going through public roads, disrupting people's daily lives.   Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen told Tim Dower that it appears they'll come at them after the fact.   He says they will have to show there's a breach of the road la...

Really? New Zealand First... really?   I mean, I know it's a pretty desperate time... we're all a bit lost and confused and disappointed, frustrated and seriously peed off at the state of the country right now.   But to see a poll showing New Zealand First potentially over the five percent threshold? I guess it shows how desperate things are for a lot of people.   It's not my place to tell you how...

Some in the dairy sector are less than convinced by Labour's five economic priorities.   The list includes growing an export-led country, boosting renewable energy, enhancing tourism, and focusing on sustainable agriculture technology.   Lincoln University Professor Jacqueline Rowarth told Kate Hawkesby she's confused by what the party's trying to achieve.   She says New Zealand already is a centr...

The Automobile Association says when it comes to EV structure, investment needs to happen ahead of demand.   The AA's pleased with National's promise of 10-thousand public EV chargers over the next four years, a promise that will cost $257 million.   The party would also dump Labour's clean car discount scheme and ute tax.   Chief Policy Officer Simon Douglas told Kate Hawkesby that big car manufa...

The country's big four electricity providers are being accused of abusing their power.   Electric Kiwi is taking a complaint to the Commerce Commission, claiming that Meridian, Mercury, Genesis, and Contact are taking advantage of their market dominance and driving out competition.   Chief Executive Luke Blincoe told Kate Hawkesby the complaint is extensive.   He says there are 37 pages of example...

In my ongoing obsession with all things canine, I was interested to see that Wellington has a problem at the moment with uncontrolled dogs.   It was reported in a Wellington City Council dog control report, that “the number of uncontrolled dogs has increased by 26 percent in the last year. Sixty-five attacks on people, 78 on animals, and 697 uncontrolled dogs were reported.” Not only that, but dis...

Dairy prices have risen for the first time in four months.   Overall prices are up 2.7% at this morning's latest Global Dairy Trade auction, making up slightly for a 7.4% fall at the last auction three weeks ago.   The news is even better for the all-important Whole Milk Powder price, which is up 5.3%.   HighGround Dairy consultant Stu Davison told Kate Hawkesby that it's too early to say whether...

Having witnessed a supermarket theft the other day, as we all probably have by now, I was not surprised to see that supermarket crime ‘has surged’.   In just Foodstuffs North Island stores, it's reported there are ‘more than a thousand incidents a month.’ And the thefts are brazen. There was one video of a man ‘armed with a screwdriver stealing nine legs of lamb’. Foodstuffs say that in more than...

Experts are warning against relying on Facebook Marketplace for your livelihood.   A New Plymouth couple has been locked out of their business account without explanation, cutting them from their income.   Social media expert Vaughan Davis told Kate Hawkesby that putting all your eggs in this basket is risky.   Davis says it means hitching your wagon to an offshore company who can change the rules...

Senior doctors and dentists say they don't want to see anyone harmed by today's strike.   Members of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists will strike for two hours from midday after rejecting Te Whatu Ora's latest offer.   Around 250 planned procedures are being changed as a result.   Executive Director Sarah Dalton says there are contingency plans.   She told Kate Hawkesby that she's b...