Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Prince Harry has launched a fierce attack on what he calls the "vile" press. The Duke of Sussex and 100 others is accusing Mirror Group Newspapers of widespread unlawful information-gathering between 1991 and 2011. He's told the High Court in London he blames the tabloids for destroying his adolescence and later relationships. Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby they looked at 140 s...

I think what that new NZ Herald poll at the weekend on crime tells us is what we already knew, the Government's completely out of touch. It will be this, among other things, that will see them lose the election come October. Despite telling us over and over again that crime is down and that we all feel safer, you can only lie and feed us so much BS before your cover gets blown. And as it turns out...

Red meat consumption is on the decline in New Zealand, as shoppers fill trolleys with chicken instead. A study out of Lincoln University shows that while nine in ten of us still eat meat, over all intake is lowering due to cost and health concerns. But it also found that chicken now makes up about a third of meals a week. Poultry Industry Association Executive Director Michael Brooks says people a...

An electoral law expert is supportive of some proposed changes to how we vote. The Independent Electoral Review Panel has suggested changes designed to make our electoral system fairer, clearer and more accessible. It includes changes to donations and lowering the party threshold from 5 percent to 3.5 percent. Graeme Edgeler says that change would allow greater diversity of thought. He told Kate H...

I think what we’ve seen this week is indicative of what we’re going to see for the rest of the election campaign from now until October. And that is – sideshows. And that’s the real let down for us the voters. We are being done a disservice not only by the politicians themselves but also the media covering them. What this country urgently needs is the basics. Roads fixed, hospitals functioning aga...

Questions are being raised around the finer details of a plan to buy out cyclone affected properties. The Government will help fund council buyouts of about 700 category three properties where future severe weather event risks can't be sufficiently mitigated. Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise told Kate Hawkesby the plan is a significant milestone, but there are still some unanswered questions. Wise says t...

A group of students is demanding the Government put the brakes on Victoria University's planned job cuts. The Wellington university is facing a $33 million deficit; so to combat this they're proposing to scrap up to 260 jobs and have put 59 courses under review. Due to the planned changes the group Victoria University Students Against Cuts is holding an emergency meeting at the uni today. Group me...

A detailed bit of work in the Herald today about a critical election issue, that being crime, law and order if you prefer, or the lack of it right now. Among other things, the work has found the number of people charged and convicted actually fell faster under the last National Government, than the current Labour Government. I think the idea there is to put a question mark into the air over which...

The tide may be turning on tumbling property values after three analysts all judged fresh real estate data shows a “possible floor in [house] prices is approaching”. New reports from OneRoof, CoreLogic and ANZ Bank point to potentially better times ahead for homeowners, despite interest rates likely staying higher for longer. Today’s latest  OneRoof-Valocity House Index  showed New Zealand’s avera...

The Police Association says a fall in prosecutions doesn't mean a fall in crime. The number of people charged with non-traffic offences has halved since 2009. Herald analysis has found between 2017 and 2022, the total number of people charged and convicted for all offences dropped by a quarter. That number fell at an even faster rate under the National governments of Sir John Key - and rose the mo...

Battle is brewing over those Auckland Airport shares currently owned by Auckland Council. The Council actually inherited 22 percent of the airport when it was formed and since then there's been a capital raising by the airport which has diluted that holding down to 18 percent. But it's worth well over $2 billion; enough to plug that Budget gap six or seven times over. So, the Council's in a bit of...

Farming produces by-products and there is one by-product in particular that has become an increasing issue in recent times; effluent, and in particular, methane emissions from farm effluent ponds. A trial by Craigmore Farming in North Canterbury will test a system designed to remove nearly all of that methane. Craigmore General Manager Stuart Taylor joined Roman Travers to discuss their plans. LIS...

Air New Zealand has been named New Zealand’s Most Attractive Employer for the seventh time, according to Randstad’s latest Employer Brand Research. The HR and recruitment specialist surveyed 4302 Kiwis, with the market’s 150 largest employers eligible for the recognition. While Air New Zealand bumped last year’s winner, Evolve Education, it could be seen as a continuation of its dominance in the c...

It's a challenging time for transport funding. Treasury says Fuel Excise Duty or Road User Charges may need to go up in a year's time to manage pressures on the National Land Transport Fund and a loan granted to Waka Kotahi. But, Transport Minister Michael Wood says he doesn't want to foreshadow Cabinet consideration of the upcoming transport budget. Transporting New Zealand Policy Advisor Billy C...

You'll be well and truly aware that when our primary producers do well, the whole country benefits. When our farmers, orchardists and horticulturalists make a decent living, they’re able to invest a new capital and clear debt. That all trickles down through to our towns and cities. Those selling farm implements, car dealers with the latest utes and farm to town cars for the family, boarding school...

Kegs in cafés may become the new norm, but not the kind of keg you're probably thinking of. Waikato's Green Valley Dairies is supplying cafés with 18 litre milk kegs to help reduce waste. It's set to eliminate up to 10,000 plastic milk bottles per café a year. Green Valley Dairies General Manager Mark Pullman joined Roman Travers. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sheep and Beef farmers are feeling the pressure of a second year of high inflation levels - which have not been seen since the 1980s. Beef and Lamb New Zealand reports show a 40 year high at 16.3 percent; that's two and a half times consumer price inflation. The most recent March figures follow a 10.2 percent increase over the previous 12-month period. Westpac Agricultural Economist Nathan Penny t...

Police pursuits are being viewed as a double edged sword. Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says a new fleeing driver policy gives officers more scope to pursue offenders. The Fleeing Driver Framework factors in the threat from the driver, their suspected offence - and the chance they'll offend more. Road safety and crash investigation expert Hamish Piercy told Roman Travers Police are between a r...

The trades are giving a tick of approval to the Government's promise to make its Apprenticeship Boost Scheme permanent. Brought in during the pandemic, the programme was set to end this year - but was extended till the end of 2024 in the Budget. Building Industry Federation Chief Executive Julien Leys told Roman Travers that it's very good news for an industry needing lots more workers. Leys says...

Delegations from nearly 200 countries are gathering in Paris to work on a Global Plastics Treaty. It's the second round of talks on an internationally binding agreement, which will lay out how to address plastic pollution globally. The UN Environment Assembly aims to finish negotiations by the end of next year. Tearfund's Claire Gray says plastic production doubled between 2000 and 2019, and it's...

Wasn't it reassuring to hear some promising promises made by the Prime Minister Chris Hipkins over the weekend? The promises were apropos the future of apprenticeships and the blinding need to ensure that we have an ongoing supply of tradespeople being brought through the ranks. Chris Hipkins used his first major speech to his party faithful to promise to keep an existing apprenticeship scheme in...

Turkey's President Erdogan is set to stretch his rule into a third decade. Unofficial results in the election run-off show him with about 53 percent of the vote, while opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has 47 percent. Europe correspondent Gavin Grey told Roman Travers that it's not beyond doubt, but Erdogan supporters have already begun celebrating. He says he's been in power for more than two...

You have to take the polls with a pinch of salt right now, although we're closing in on the election and neither of the two main blocs has a clear lead. This time around the 1News Kantar poll puts National and ACT in the driving seat with 62 seats on these numbers - enough to govern alone. Bear a couple of things in mind though. Number one; this is another small survey with only 1000 people over t...

New Zealand's mental health workforce is reportedly on the brink of collapse. A report one of the main non-government bodies involved in the sector this has some innovative ideas. Ember Innovations Director Taimi Allan joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Road repairs look to have lost out in the latest allocations to the Transport Ministry. Nearly $500 million less is set aside for maintenance next year on state highways and local roads. National's Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown, joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.