Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

The retail sector is in for a much-needed boost today.   The industry is set to make about 270-million dollars from Black Friday sales.  Retail NZ Chief Executive Greg Harford told Kate Hawkesby he's hoping Kiwis will get out and support businesses.  “It could really be busier than Boxing Day. Black Friday has become a really significant part of the shopping calendar.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio...

Judith Collins says history will judge her kindly, for her decision to demote Simon Bridges.  Collins was removed from the leadership yesterday -- after her surprise decision to demote Bridges the night before.  She says she was acting on a complaint from a female caucus colleague about comments Bridges made in that colleague's presence five years ago.  Speaking exclusively to the Mike Hosking Bre...

What the hell is going on inside the National Party?  Here's the problem with that question. We shouldn't even be asking it. We shouldn't need to ask it. They shouldn't be making everything about them and drawing attention to themselves in this way - at a critical time for the opposition to make hay, with so much material available to them to clobber the government with. What are they thinking?  T...

Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has arrived in Canada, but little is known of what her day will entail.   It's the last leg of her first international trip in the role.  She's meeting with her Canadian counterpart today Melanie Joly.  But Correspondent Anna Burns-Francis, who's in Canada with Mahuta, told Kate Hawkesby it's all a bit hush-hush.  She said she’s not sure what they'll discuss, saying...

Many of Auckland's city slickers are upping sticks and moving north to the Hibiscus Coast.  Within three days, seven coastal properties were snapped up for more than seven million dollars.  Bayleys Orewa owner and manager Kirsty Macky told Kate Hawkesby inner city Aucklanders are pushing up the prices very quickly.  “It’s just supply and demand. We’ve just got more buyers than we have properties f...

Businesses are welcoming back the ability to travel internationally without MIQ.  Fully vaccinated Kiwis will be able travel home from Australia without MIQ from January 16, and from all other countries from February 13.  All other fully vaccinated travellers will be able to come here from April 30.  All must still self-isolate for seven-days.  Christchurch exporter Enztech chief executive Iain Mc...

A bus carrying tourists back to North Macedonia crashed and caught fire in western Bulgaria early Tuesday, killing at least 45 people, including a dozen children, authorities said. DNA tests were being carried out to identify the victims.  The bus apparently ripped through a guardrail on a highway, though authorities said the cause was still under investigation. Photos taken shortly after the cras...

Well, we learnt this week from a senior MIQ official, that Grant Robertson was indeed involved in the decision to refuse entry to the SailGP team, even though he denied it. Not only did he deny it, but he blamed MIQ officials for it, who’ve now called for him to “correct the record.”  He won’t of course, because this government is always right, it’s never wrong, never accepts responsibility or bla...

A litigation lawyer says she's been inundated with stories from neighbours of Kainga Ora tenants.   Associate Housing Minister Poto Williams says she's had discussions with the state housing provider about looking at its process around evictions.  No state tenants have been kicked out since the start of 2018.  Lawyer Adina Thorn told Kate Hawkesby the no evictions policy has to end.  “This isn’t g...

New Zealand is set to reap billions of dollars in benefits, thanks to a new travel and trade route.  A New Zealand China Council-commissioned report has found a route linking Asia to South America via New Zealand could bring close to 1.9-billion dollars over 10 years  Executive Director Rachel Maidment told Kate Hawkesby it would benefit our e-commerce, tourism and education sectors.  “There is go...

Another major retailer is making vaccination mandatory for staff.  Countdown has announced it will require all staff to be jabbed by January 10, following The Warehouse Group's decision to require its staff to be jabbed by January 16.  Rival chain Foodstuffs is also discussing a vaccine mandate with its store owners, which could take effect on February 16.  First Union retail organiser Ben Peterso...

They say half right isn't wrong, so that's me this time yesterday.  I said this time yesterday that they'd open hairdressers and the beauty industry this week. So, half right.  Which is pleasing given the pasting I took after the show right across the spectrum from colleagues to siblings, all telling me I was nuts. But I was basing it on Robertson's visit to Auckland last week when he saw how acut...

Auckland hairdressers can open up from Thursday, for the purpose of trialling vaccine passes.   Aside from that, the Government says step three isn't necessary, given we're going into the traffic light system next Friday.    That's pleased a Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillor, who worries vaccination rates among Māori and Pacifika in South Auckland are still desperately low.   Councillor Daniel New...

Everybody loves hearing stories of Kiwi start-ups using kiwi ingenuity to take on the global business market.  A local footwear company based in Wellington says they have developed the world's lowest carbon footprint sneakers.  YY Nation are launching their environmentally friendly sneakers both here and in the U.S this morning.  Founding Director Jeremy Bank told Kate Hawkesby algae and sugar can...

The criteria for blood donations is being expanded, to help keep up with demand.   The upper age limit for first time blood or plasma donors has risen to 71 - and existing donors are now eligible until 81.  New Zealand Blood Service spokeswoman Asuka Burge told Kate Hawkesby having donors give blood for longer is a big help.  Three hundred donors, who currently donate, will be able to keep donatin...

Australia's reopening its borders to vaccinated international students, business visa holders and refugees from Wednesday next week.  In this country, the Government's approved visas for a thousand international tertiary students, but they won't start arriving until March.  Australian correspondent Donna Demaio told Kate Hawkesby Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the move's a major mil...

I run the risk of making a massive dick of myself today – well to be honest, that’s a risk everyday, but today in particular, because of what I said last Friday. Friday morning I was on the Mike Hosking Breakfast which has just a teeny tiny smidge of a larger audience than we do, just a smidge, and I said to that rather large audience, that today Cabinet would announce they’re going to open hairdr...

The good news for the Black Caps is the test series starts on Thursday.  The bad news? Well, there was a bit of that.  New Zealand slumped to their fourth-heaviest loss by runs in T20 international history, being swept 3-0 by India at Eden Gardens this morning.  The hosts triumphed by 73 runs in Kolkata, a margin of defeat for the Black Caps that marked an ignominious end to a forgettable series. ...

NCEA and scholarship exams start today after a disrupted school year.   Students who have been affected by the ongoing level three lockdown are eligible for an Unexpected Event Grade.   If students don't sit the exam, they'll get that grade and if they do sit - they'll receive whichever grade is higher.   National Party education spokesperson Paul Goldsmith told Kate Hawkesby there'll be low numbe...

Auckland businesses are pleading for the right to reopen this week.  Cabinet will decide today whether to move the region to Step Three restrictions on Wednesday -- allowing bars, restaurants and hairdressers to reopen with public health measures in place.  A spokesperson for the Prime Minister has suggested such a move is unlikely.  But Hospitality New Zealand Auckland President Jamie Freeman tol...

So, Northland's lagging behind in the vaccination stakes - second to last on the national league table.  But to be fair, it's not for a lack of effort.  Right now, there are campervans touring around offering vaccines, pop-up vaccination tents left right and centre.  At the weekend, the DHB staged an all-day event in Whangarei with music, dancers, free kai and vaccinations - must have cost thousan...

Former Chef and Restaurateur Adam Dickson is unimpressed with the Government's treatment of the hospitality sector.  He's behind 'Hands up for Hospo'.  An initiative designed to help those struggling, stay afloat, by way of an online fundraising auction.  Dickson told Tim Dower this is designed to help business owners who are having to shell out for lots of hidden costs.  “A little from a lot of p...

Some hard data has confirmed the devastating effects lockdown has been having on people's mental health.  Police have been too busy to attend half the mental health callouts in the past year – 140,000 of them overall.    Newstalk ZB can report a 55% increase in events in August and September, compared to the same months in 2019.  Dr. Angela Lim, Chief of Clearhead, an online mental health platform...

It's not just businesses trying to navigate the new traffic light system.  Catholic churches are planning to hold mass for people with vaccination passes, and a separate service with limited numbers for unvaccinated worshippers.  A date on when the country will move into the new framework will be decided on November 29.  The Anglican Bishop of Auckland Ross Bay told Tim Dower he's consulting with...

It feels weird to stop and think what’s become of our lives these days and how basic things like leaving your city or walking into a café, now require passes, proof and a QR code. It’s like a futuristic movie, but sadly without the hovercraft. Hovercraft would come in handy right now come to think of it, if it meant getting across borders without checkpoints.   But here we are. Regimented, archive...