Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

There are hopes pay transparency legislation will show New Zealand cares about equality.  The Government's looking at a law that would make companies reveal their gender pay gaps publicly.  It's also considering requiring companies to post starter salaries in job ads.   Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Karanina Sumeo told Kate Hawkesby if we want to close the gap reporting needs to be m...

Overnight, world leaders have been in Brussels for a round of emergency summits of NATO, the European Council and the G7.  This comes as they seek to align their responses to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  Ukrainian president Zelenskyy has pleaded with NATO to send a fraction of their combined firepower.  Former senior director of the United States National Security Council Stephen Flanagan joined...

So good news for sport lovers this weekend.  From midnight tonight, there will be no gathering limits on outdoor events.  This means for the Super Rugby season, they can finally have spectators at the games again.  One of this weekend's games is Blues vs Highlanders at Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin.  Business development manager at Dunedin Venues Kim Dodds joined Kate Hawkesby.  LISTEN ABOVE See...

I said yesterday that I thought the PM would use the opportunity to bang on about two years of Covid and our response and sure as eggs, she did. Is anyone still buying into this – as John Key rightly called it, ‘dog and pony show?’   Is anyone still subscribing to the PR spin and bollocks that’s spewing out of these press conferences? I mean I know dyed in the wool Jacinda lovers, like my mother,...

Vaccine mandates are ending for teachers at 11.59pm on April 4.  1400 teachers lost their jobs due to the mandate, but will soon be able to apply for jobs again as normal.  That's just in time for winter, when the teacher and reliever shortage really begins to hammer home due to sickness.  PPTA president, Melanie Webber joined Kate Hawkesby.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Air New Zealand has announced it is starting it's non-stop flights from Auckland and New York in September.  It will be one of the longest flights in the world, taking around 16 hours.  But government and Air New Zealand say American tourists are the key to our tourism recovery.  Aviation commentator Irene King joined Kate Hawkesby.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

Inflation is just one problem businesses are dealing with at the moment.  Finance Minister Grant Robertson is signalling another 2.5 percent rise in inflation if Russia's invasion of Ukraine lasts a year.  Inflation is already at a three-decade high.  Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Michael Barnett says it's on top of an increase in the minimum wage from the end of next week.  He told Ka...

The Government is starting a mental health nursing recruitment drive, funding registered nurses to specialise in mental health.   It's also announced two more apps that kiwis can download for free to help with mental health support.   These announcements came on the same day as a damning report by the mental health and wellbeing commission calling for transformation in the sector.   Dr. Angela Lim...

At almost 96 years old, I can understand the Queen feeling frail, and with the family she’s got, and the headaches they’ve given her over the past few years, it’s nothing short of a miracle that she’s still in such good health.  How good though? That’s the burning question at the moment.   There are many conflicting reports about her mobility. Some say she’s using a wheelchair, that she struggles...

A new report by an Auckland University think tank is suggesting an overhaul of the city's governance and funding structures.  Waitakere representative Linda Cooper says under the Supercity structure, there's one sort of united region, which helps get Government funding for things like the Central Rail Link.  But she told Kate Hawkesby we've lost that local connection.  Cooper says everyone had a m...

I’m just wondering if, when the PM announces they’re dropping mandates and vaccine passes, they could also drop the scaremongering epidemiologists?  Seriously, can we please retire them?   The hysteria is over, the peak is passing, in the grand total of two years of this pandemic, fewer than ten percent of New Zealanders actually caught Covid, many more had their lives disrupted and damaged in way...

A prediction New Zealand will provide military aid to Ukraine in the near future.  The Government is giving an extra $5 million to sure up fuel supplies, rations and medical kits.   The Defence Force is offering just over a thousand body armour plates and around 500 each of helmets and camouflage vests.  Otago University's Professor Robert Patman says what Russia's doing in Ukraine is a huge chall...

The Act Party says New Zealand is out of step with its traditional allies, and should show a united front.  The Government is stepping up support to Ukraine with an extra $5 million to bolster the supply of fuel, rations and medical kits.   The Defence Force is offering just over a thousand body armour plates, and around 500 each of helmets and camouflage vests.  Act leader David Seymour told Kate...

A couple of students from Massey University have developed technology to help farmers monitor their cow's health.  Their start-up Protag has developed small device clips that go onto a cow's ear, from there it transmits important data to farmers about the cow's health.  They've raised $1m from investors to fast-track the development of the ear tag sensors.  Co-founder of Protag Tyrel Glass joined...

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Saturday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a “turning point for the world,” arguing that a victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces would herald “a new age of intimidation.” But the British leader was accused by opponents of making a crass comparison by likening Ukraine’s fight against invasion to the U.K.’s exit from the European Union. S...

I popped into my local Dairy the other day and was surprised to see two Policemen standing there. I asked if they’d had a burglary, and one of the owners told me, not today, the Police were just here talking to them about safety protocols and how to beef up security. I asked why, had something happened. They said they’d been ram raided, and since then they’d installed a fog cannon machine which sh...

Fresh concerns around the sustainability of tourism. It comes as the country is set to reopen to international tourists from next month onwards. Massey University Development Studies Professor Regina Scheyvens told Kate Hawkesby good progress has been made by implementing the Tiaki promise, but more can be done. “That could be elevated more in terms of the awareness of all visitors coming to New Z...

The ifs, buts and maybes will haunt the White Ferns. Stand-in captain Amy Satterthwaite admitted as much while poring over the immediate aftermath of New Zealand's agonising one-wicket defeat to England at Eden Park on Sunday, a result that all but ends their World Cup semifinal hopes. Three tight pool matches – the tournament-opening three-run loss to the West Indies; two-wicket defeat against So...

The Government's review of our Covid mandates is being described as a political tactic. Cabinet meets today to discuss whether the current rules should be eased over the coming weeks. Mandates, vaccine passes and the traffic light framework are all expected to be on the agenda. Buddle Findlay Employment and Health Lawyer Sheridan Cook told Kate Hawkesby the timing is questionable, given our hospit...

An MIQ hotel has promised workers the living wage once it goes back to hospitality.  Managed Isolation and Quarantine will be a four hotel operation by the end of June, but there's been concerns they'd be dropping back to a lower pay rate.  Rydges Auckland has confirmed it will pay workers the Living Wage of $22.75 permanently.  Unite Union National Secretary John Crocker told Tim Dower they're no...

With borders opening, there are concerns as to whether Immigration New Zealand can meet demand.  Apparently not, according to National's Immigration spokesperson Erica Stanford.  Standford says the only reason the border reopening is being delayed for those that need visas to get into the country, is because Immigration NZ can't meet demand.  Principal immigration lawyer at NZ Immigration Law Aaro...

The news that Transmission Gully will finally open at the end of this month certainly surprised a few.  The motorway hasn't been a great advertisement for large roading projects and there are concerns its failures may impact support for future projects.  Nick Leggett from Transporting New Zealand joined Tim Dower.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I hold out hope that media reports that Russia’s ugly war could be over in about 10 days prove true.  I also hold out hope that claims peace talks are working, prove to be true. Because even if this does wrap up after a month, which in the grand scheme of wars seems a relatively short time, it has nonetheless been utterly heart breaking, painful and abhorrent to watch. And that’s part of the probl...

St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Ireland are making up for a lack of cheer over the past couple of years.    Since 2020 events organised for the holiday have had to be restricted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.    However, Tourism Ireland’s Siobhan McManamy told Kate Hawkesby this year’s events are going ahead at full force.    “We’re back to parades in every small town and village.”  LISTEN ABOVE S...

Nicola Willis is continuing her rapid rise in the National Party.  Yesterday, she was confirmed as the party's new Finance spokesperson.  Arguably, the Finance portfolio is the toughest role to have in Cabinet.  Infometrics senior economist Brad Olsen joined Kate Hawkesby to discuss what makes a good Finance Minister.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.