Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

One of the things I like about London is the infrastructure works. The buses, the trains, the tube, the taxis all work. It’s a systems place, it’s got the population to support it, and it works, so people use it. The other thing I’ve found on our travels both here and in the States, is that service culture is huge. It’s a career. At home it feels a bit more of a transient option for school leavers...

An Auckland primary school is boasting big improvements in literacy with its different way of teaching. Willow Park School has adopted a structured literacy approach after a trial proved successful. It means early intervention for any kids struggling from Year One. Principal Duncan Millward joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's hoped a new fund will unleash opportunities for New Zealand's domestic wood processing sector. Government is putting $57 million into the industry, aiming to process more logs onshore, create high-wage jobs and aid climate change goals. Forest Industry Contractors Association Chief Executive Prue Younger told Kate Hawkesby the problem the industry is facing is heavy reliance on export markets...

The Government is being called on to invest any money it may borrow, into things that create a stronger economy. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed no major tax overhaul will be made this term, including on capital gains or a cyclone levy. Council of Trade Unions economist Craig Renney told Kate Hawkesby if we borrow for things like roads, schools and hospitals, we're all better off as a s...

With all this tax the rich talk and naysayers wanting punitive measures dished out to anyone showing signs of success or ambition, I just wonder if we're shooting ourselves in the foot here. Are we not at peak tall poppy syndrome now? Because where does all this "it's not fair, woe is me" whining actually get us? So far all I can see is that it sends our best and brightest off elsewhere. We have t...

WARNING: This story discusses rape and may be distressing. A writer suing Donald Trump has taken the stand to tell jurors that the future president raped her after she accompanied him into a department store fitting room in 1996. “I’m here because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen. He lied and shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try and get my life bac...

What is the fallout for the Super Rugby teams with Scott Robertson pinching their coaches for the All Blacks? All Blacks assistant coach Jason Ryan will be joined by Blues coach Leon MacDonald, Hurricanes coach Jason Holland and Scott Hansen from the Crusaders. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliot Smith joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

National says the Government needs to front up on whether it'll tax people more. Inland Revenue research shows the top one percent of earners pay a median effective tax rate of 9.4 percent, when including capital gains on investments. Meanwhile, Treasury estimates a comparable tax rate for a "middle wealth" Kiwi is roughly 20 percent. National Party Finance Spokesperson Nicola Willis told Kate Haw...

Potential policy changes from the Reserve Bank could provide a helping hand to first home buyers. It's looking at tweaking the rule by which banks can only give 10 percent of new loans to borrowers with deposits under 20 percent. The Reserve Bank wants to increase that to 15 percent of new lending from the start of June. Mortgage Supply Co-Director David Windler told Kate Hawkesby it's good news f...

Western countries are racing to get their citizens out of Sudan, as conflict in the country continues to escalate. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Kate Hawkesby the UK has just carried out the first of several flights to evacuate hundreds of British nationals. “There are dozens of British NHS doctors currently trapped in Khartoum and sadly the militia there are actually going to try and round up...

As school goes back today, for how long who knows given the looming strikes, but as we head back to the office and to school, it’s been interesting to reflect on the past two weeks. We headed away for the first time in three years – we hadn’t left the country since Covid and closed borders, but we’d heard from everybody who had, how refreshing it is to get out of NZ. How inspiring it is to see how...

Tensions between china and the west continue to heat up. The UK foreign secretary is expected to give a major speech this week, which will urge China to come clean about its "biggest military spend up in peacetime." It's thought China will have a stockpile of 1500 nuclear missile warheads by 2030. International relations professor at Otago University, Robert Patman, joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN AB...

The ACT Party is claiming the Government is slamming the brakes on road investment. In 2020, Waka Kotahi identified almost 400 risks on state highways around the country, including major and extreme threats, but has only started work on ten of them. ACT Party Transport spokesperson, Simon Court, told Kate Hawkesby says it demonstrates what the Government wants to focus on. “They are focussed on th...

New research is coming out about how much tax New Zealand's rich are paying. The Inland Revenue report will estimate the effective tax rate of the wealthiest families, taking into account their full economic income, rather than just taxable income.  Deloitte Tax Partner Robyn Walker told Kate Hawkesby it's expected to show they're paying tax rates that are lower than marginal tax rates. But she sa...

UK diplomats and their families have been evacuated from war-torn Sudan. Fighting broke out two weeks ago between Sudan's national army and rival paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces. The two sides have been sharing power since a coup in 2021, but there's been disagreement about how to lead the country. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Roman Travers that the UK nationals living in Sudan re...

Some principals begin a two month work ban this morning over a recent pay offer. Those working in primary and area schools will pause the work they do with the Education Ministry, including all work outside of 8am to 5pm weekdays, apart from board meetings. NZEI President Mark Potter says this is about sending a message. He says they need action from the Ministry, because the Ministry needs princi...

Modified technology from the wine industry could potentially save hundreds of thousands of lives every year. New Zealand researchers are developing a medical device in the hopes of preventing about 1.5 million deaths annually caused by surgical complications. Auckland University's Surgical and Translational Research Centre director and professor John Windsor says there's no easy way of measuring o...

There's never been a more important time to introduce a stringent bonding policy to encourage qualified Kiwi's to remain in New Zealand.  From July first this year, New Zealanders who've been on the Special Category Visa and who've lived in Australia for at least four years, will be able to gain Australian citizenship.  The most ironic outcome from the new immigration policy announced for Australi...

I doubt that many of us will ever forget the protest action that took place for three weeks on the grounds of Parliament that began in February last year, lasting 23 days.  Apart from the Springbok tour protests back in 1981 that lasted 56 days, I’ve not seen that level of barbaric, dishevelled and uncivilised behaviour in our society before.  The protest in Wellington last year was hard to watch...

The Tertiary Education Union is shocked by the number of jobs potentially on the chopping block at Otago University. Several hundred staff could be made redundant as dwindling student numbers takes a toll. They're down by about 670 so the university needs to reduce its annual budget by $60 million. Union National Secretary Sandra Grey joined Roman Travers. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listene...

Victims of retail crime are getting a further $9 million in support. Police minister Ginny Andersen has made the announcement, topping up the crime prevention fund to $15 million . It goes towards the likes of fog cannons, security sirens and CCTV systems. Dairy and Business Owners Group chair Sunny Kaushal joined Tim Dower to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Coromandel businesses are crossing fingers for a bumper Anzac weekend after its local economy lost $30-million in the year's first quarter. A driving lottery has begun via the coastal route until Tuesday as State Highway 25A remains closed to vehicles. It features cameras in secret locations from Thames all the way around to Waihi, photographing random vehicles. Prizes include stays at a beach res...

The soaring cost of living is pushing every one of us to reconsider which groceries remain a priority.  For some, this may mean going without limes in their evening cocktails, but for many, the reality is that fresh fruit, vegetables and many forms of meat are no longer affordable for each and every meal.   Adjusting one's intake of the aforementioned will undoubtedly have a negative effect on peo...

Our current period of high inflation isn't over yet. Latest figures due out this morning are expected to show consumer prices rose between 6.9 percent and 7.2 percent in the year to March. ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Roman Travers says two major factors are driving the high inflation rate. "One is food prices really have rocketed and the second thing is housing costs remain really elevate...

Questions over whether the costs justify hosting the 2034 Commonwealth Games. The New Zealand Olympic Committee has expressed interest in bidding for the event, under a new hosting model which now allows nations to host as a whole. Last year's Games in Birmingham was backed by $1.55 billion New Zealand of public and government funding. Games commentator Brendan Telfer told Roman Travers the costs...