Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

There has long been talk of government merging TVNZ and RNZ into a new public media entity.  Cabinet is said to have finally made it's decision on the matter, and is expected to announce the merger will go ahead.  Someone who has a keen interest in this is TVNZ's main competitor Discovery who owns TV3.  Senior Vice President and General Manager of Discovery Australia and New Zealand Glen Kyle join...

These are awful times globally, aren’t they? I mean there have been darker periods in history, but for young people living through a pandemic and now witnessing what’s unfolding in Ukraine right now, awful. Horrific for all of us actually, not just young people. But we have record levels of anxiety amongst our young people in this country at the moment – exacerbated by the pandemic, and I do worry...

A Colin de Grandhomme century and two vintage Neil Wagner wickets have given the Black Caps hope, but they'll still need to accomplish a rare feat for another test victory over South Africa. South Africa reached stumps on day three of the second test at Hagley Oval at 140-5, holding a lead of 211 runs as the Black Caps hunt for their first test series victory over the Proteas. While a crucial pair...

Sitting with her teenage daughter in a hotel foyer in northern Romania, 38-year-old Viktoriya Smishchkyk breaks down in tears as she recounts her departure from Ukraine. “I could hear the sound of the fighting outside, it was very scary,” Smishchkyk, who is from Vinnitsya in central Ukraine, told The Associated Press from a hotel that is offering free accommodation to refugees. “We left all our be...

Covid-19 and other world events are increasing anxiety in children. Clinical therapist and parenting expert Dr Anna Martin says access to social media means kids are more likely to come across upsetting images. She told Kate Hawkesby parents can't put their heads in the sand on tough issues like the current Ukraine conflict. “Answer questions that they may have, but also let them know how safe the...

The travel industry's imploring the Government to remove self-isolation requirements for returnees as the first phase of the border re-opening begins. Fully-vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers from Australia can now skip MIQ and isolate at home for seven days instead. The first flight into Auckland Airport is due at 2.45 pm this afternoon while the first into Christchurch Airpo...

So we’re into Phase 3 as of today – and not before time.  Problem is, nobody knows what any of it means. I was out all day yesterday driving around Auckland and what I can tell you is that there are still snaking queues everywhere for PCR tests. Why?  Why is no one getting the memo on that? Why are all these people still queuing for tests? Possibly because RATs, which we’re supposed to be doing, a...

Businesses still expect to feel under pressure in phase three of the Omicron response.  Health officials will now primarily focus on managing high-risk contacts and locations of interest, like aged care homes.   Only cases and their household contacts must isolate for 10 days - with all other contacts expected to monitor for symptoms.   Canterbury Employers Chamber Chief Executive Leeann Watson to...

A sense of shock across Ukraine - as Russia ramps up its invasion of the country.  Forces are carrying out a major military assault -- with missile strikes and explosions being reported near major cities.  The Ukrainian military claims to have shot down at least six Russian aircraft - with reports at least 40 of its troops and several civilians have died.  Al Jazeera's Abdul Al-Kadiri spoke to Kat...

The Explore Tāmaki Makaurau voucher programme has been a shot in the arm for struggling Auckland businesses.  It's a scheme where you sign up for a voucher to spend on Auckland activities, and registrations are closing today.  More than 220,000 Aucklanders have registered, with 53,000 vouchers used so far.   Auckland Unlimited investment and industry director Pam Ford told Kate Hawkesby three and...

The testing thing is doing my head in.   The lack of preparedness, the lack of enough RATS, the queues, the delay on results, absolute cluster.   Then we’ve got the crazy isolation rules – so many people down and out having to isolate. I mean you know when Auckland’s iconic Ponsonby Road restaurant Prego has to close due to no staff that’s it’s end times. I mean that’s surely the final straw for m...

RATs will be the norm at testing sites in Auckland.   PCR testing has been pushed to its limits causing long delays.   Covid Modelling Aotearoa Lead Researcher Emily Harvey says the tests still need to be prioritised for people who are close contacts or have symptoms.   She told Kate Hawkesby if you test positive with a RAT, you should trust it.  “Very highly likely a positive result, so well over...

The Government is confident its new goal of zero road deaths by 2050 is realistic.  An extra $140-million will be spent on road policing in the next three years as part of the Road to Zero campaign.   Police Minister Poto Williams says human error is a good place to start in addressing the issue.   She told Kate Hawkesby the plan uses not only government but community agencies and educators as wel...

New Zealand's superannuation fund, as well as ASB and Westpac's growth fund all hold shares in Russian listed companies with ties to the Kremlin.   British and American sanctions on Russian companies therefore might start impacting our KiwiSaver funds.  Barry Coates, chief executive of Mindful Money joined Kate Hawkesby.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Case numbers yesterday were another ‘record’ of course, but given the lag in getting results notified, and the delay in having them updated, we can only assume these numbers are old. And by old, I mean, out by a few days.  In which case, if the experts who say numbers double every 4 to 5 days are right, then you’re looking at in all reality, us sitting at about 5 and half thousand cases at this st...

Police say genuine protesters are no longer in control of the behaviour in and around Parliament.  Veteran activist John Minto told Kate Hawkesby the protest leaders have tried - and failed - to get control of the situation.  “After two weeks, the group should have been able to sort this out to develop some clear guidelines, have some clear leadership and unfortunately I think with all the new peo...

A prediction the Reserve Bank will take a cautious approach to the Official Cash Rate.  The central bank releases its latest Monetary Policy Statement, and any change to the rate this afternoon.  The OCR is 0.75 percent, after it was raised by 0.25 percent in November.  Fisher Funds Head of Fixed Income, David McLeish, told Kate Hawkesby he thinks the Reserve Bank will put the OCR up by a quarter...

The sanctions being placed on Russia are unlikely to scare Vladimir Putin.  Western nations are taking action, after Russian troops were ordered into two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.   Germany has frozen a newly built, but not yet open, gas pipeline -- and both the EU and UK have announced sanctions against Russia.  But Birmingham University international security expert Stefan Wolff tol...

I know lots of people are over the protest, and I feel a bit that way too, and I know that’s easy to say if you're not sitting in the same city as it. Even those in Wellington, just not near the CBD, say they’re sick of it as well.   But then there are those at the epicentre who say it’s horrific, don’t underestimate the gruesome time we’re having. The students who can’t catch the bus, the law stu...

A hospo boss says new government help doesn't go far enough.   A targeted payment will help some businesses struggling with revenue loss due to Omicron. To be eligible, they must show a 40 percent drop in revenue, since moving to phase two.   Lone Star Chief Operating Officer Paul Steiner told Kate Hawkesby while it's great there's support, it doesn't address the problem of staffing.  “The bigger...

Queensland is clamping down on e-scooters, bringing the speed limit down to 12 kilometres an hour.   Here in New Zealand, e-scooters are relatively unregulated, with the speed-limit at the discretion of local councils.   National president of Blind Citizens NZ Jonathan Godfrey told Kate Hawkesby he wishes our country would take Kiwis with disabilities as seriously as they do across the Tasman.   L...

A suggestion of missed opportunities in the Christchurch rebuild.  It's 11 years today since the major quake that claimed 185 lives.  Auckland University sociologist Steve Matthewman told Kate Hawkesby the city could have been what residents wanted it to be - but central government took over the recovery process.  But he says it's still heading in the right direction.  “I think the real resource f...

A pile of figure-skating rubble created by Russian misbehaviour. A new Chinese champion — from California. An ace American skier who faltered and went home empty-handed. The end of the Olympic line for the world's most renowned snowboarder. All inside an anti-COVID "closed loop" enforced by China's authoritarian government. The terrarium of a Winter Games that has been Beijing 2022 came to its end...

I’m wondering how much the Government’s following all the numbers we’re getting these days. We are getting bombarded with numbers at the moment. Every day, every night, every news channel, every front page. It’s all numbers. Cases, hospitalisations, protestors, petitions, tents, cars, prices. Case wise – yesterday we hit 2500. So all the news outlets were able to use the now completely over used w...

The Government needs to come down from its lofty pedestal. That's the call from a political commentator as anti-mandate protesters wake to their third week at Parliament. Former United Future leader Peter Dunne told Kate Hawkesby leaders need to engage with the crowds at some point. “You can’t just carry on with the ‘we’re not talking, we’re not getting involved’ while the police are saying ‘we’re...