Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Cost barriers continue to keep disadvantaged students out of university. Of the 26 thousand students who went straight from Year 13 into study in 2024,  just 1.3%, or around 230 students, came from the most disadvantaged schools.  It's despite the fees free policy aiming to alleviate costs. Victoria University Students' Association Vice President Aidan Donoghue told Ryan Bridge study sho...

India and the European Union have announced what's been named 'the mother of all trade deals'.   The landmark agreement will allow the free trade of goods across the 27 EU states and India, which make up nearly 25% of global trade across a market of two billion people.  It comes as both sides contend with economic pressure from Donald Trump's tariffs.   Europe correspondent Mike Pea...

An ACT MP wants the Broadcasting Standards Authority to be abolished as the watchdog seeks more power.   The authority has been asking for law reform for about 15 years as media companies produce more online content.   A Parliamentary paper notes the watchdog operates off a definition of a broadcaster established 35 years ago.   ACT's Laura McClure told Ryan Bridge she agrees the wo...

A Wellington bookstore owner is expecting a 35% loss in revenue following the closure of their NZ Post counter - and says she’s “devastated” for affected customers, particularly the elderly. NZ Post has announced it will close 142 urban partner stores across the country after reviewing how customers use its urban retail services. No rural stores are currently affected. The decision has left many i...

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 28 January. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A view there's no harm in having Tauranga Council review the Mount Maunganui disaster alongside the Government inquiry. A Rāhui's now in place over parts of Pilot Bay and Mount Main Beach, and the cordoned area where recovery work's expected to run into weeks. Six people remain missing, presumed dead. Political Commentator Bryce Edwards told Ryan Bridge the council review can take a look at its ow...

New Zealand is going to sign this free trade deal with India. The massive boost we got and still enjoy from Phil Goff’s signing of the China FTA is still very much fresh in mind. Hipkins sounds pretty upbeat about it, with a few questions to be asked, but he says caucus will look at it and make a decision.  Of course, it’ll need support across the aisle because NZ First isn’t keen. The Europe...

More flexible electricity use could save the country billions of dollars.   The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority's new report finds about 18 hundred megawatts of demand could be shifted away from peak times.  Their analysis found $3 billion dollars could be saved without changing how people live and work.  Octopus Energy COO Margaret Cooney told Ryan Bridge it might mean...

While New Zealand's been stuck under grey skies for a lot of this summer, things are heating up across the ditch.  Temperatures are expected to reach the high 40s in the southern states of Victoria and South Australia.   Some Australia Day events were cancelled yesterday out of safety concerns.  Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge it's the worst heat wave in decad...

There’s a belief the Government and experienced principals need to step up to secure the future of the profession.   A recent New Zealand Council for Educational Research survey found just 18% of teachers want to become principals, while 50% said they definitely wouldn't.  It's after Newstalk ZB revealed one in five principals quit within a year.  Principals' Federation President Ja...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday the 27th of January 2025, Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young has left the board of the retail crime Ministerial Advisory Group, she tells Ryan why.  A new report out this morning reckons shifting to more off-peak electricity use could wipe $3 billion bucks a year off our power bills, Octopus Energy Chief Operating Officer, M...

Turmoil within the Ministerial Advisory Group for victims of retail crime - with three of the five members resigning in recent weeks. It includes Michael Bell, Lindsay Rowles, and Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young.  Group Chair Sunny Kaushal's refused an interview but says it is well known himself and Young have different views on the group's recommendations.  Carolyn Young told Ry...

Have you seen how much gold is worth lately? Yesterday it hit another new record - US$5000 an ounce. It’s up 60% on last year. If you watch this stuff closely you’ll know it’s not just happened overnight. It’s been building slowly but surely since Trump took office, and investors look for safe places to put their money. People have been worried about the AI bubble bursting, so they out their money...

An inquiry is underway to review the build up to Thursday's landslide at Mount Maunganui.  Tauranga MP Sam Uffindel told Newstalk ZB’s Ryan Bridge that the Tauranga City Council are continuing to work on the inquiry into what happened leading up to the deadly landslide. He said those coming forward saying they warned emergency services of the risk of a landslide earlier in the day would be ta...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 26th of January 2025, Hundreds of people gathered at a sunset vigil at Blake Park, to acknowledge those missing in last week's the Mount Maunganui landslide, Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell tells Ryan what it was like.  Andrew Alderson has the latest of the weekend's sport.  Gloriavale's school will remain open for now following a...

Yet another push for the Government to intervene and shut Gloriavale's school down for good. The school’s licence was due to expire on Friday, but the Ministry of Education agreed to keep it open after the School Board applied to the High Court for a judicial review. Gloriavale Leaver's Trust Founder Liz Gregory shares her concerns with Ryan.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Question: Who wants a pay rise? Who deserves a pay rise? Simple question, easy answer.  Answer: Everybody and most kiwis. By and large we’re hard workers and deserve more. Teacher, nurses and doctors. By and large, yes. Yes. Yes.  At the weekend, more reports of doctor shortage - Whakatāne this time. Last week it was a teacher shortage.  Union came out and said what unions say. Thro...

An ACC lawyer believes the crown entities new plan to improve costs completely misses what the Accident Compensation Act is about.  Its new plan's been released after a critical report that found its deficit would balloon to $26 billion by 2030.  It focuses on getting people back to work quicker and increasing the number of clients who have their own case manager as a single point of con...

Travel costs are keeping inflation higher for longer than the Reserve Bank would probably like.  Stats NZ is providing its latest CPI update at 10.45.  Three months ago, the annual inflation rate was 3% - at the very top end of the Reserve Bank's target range.  Economists expect it now to be between 2.9 and 3.1%.  Economist Cameron Bagrie told Andrew Dickens inflation is lookin...

Mt Maunganui's community is stepping up to help families and first responders a day after a landslide drove through a campground and hot pools.  The Herald understands from a source involved in rescue efforts that there could be up to nine people unaccounted for. Hundreds of emergency responders have been at the base of Mauao since from just after 9.30 yesterday morning. Tauranga Mayor Mahé D...

So yesterday the Otago Daily Times ran an article about the thoughts of Grant Kitto, a former Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) worker. Grant Kitto argues that showcasing the USAF F-22 Raptor at Warbirds Over Wānaka effectively legitimises US military power and the weapons systems that have been used in conflicts where civilians were killed.  The Raptor is made by Lockheed Ma...

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast 2025, Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale has the latest on the rescue mission at the Mount Maunganui landslide.  The ACC has outlined its plan to get out of a $26 billion deficit by 2030, ACC lawyer and researcher Warren Forster shares his thoughts.  We're expecting the official inflation number for the year 2025 independent economist,...

A long runway for an economic recovery is thought to be the main reason for a November election.   Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's set November 7th as election day – the latest election since 2008.   Early voting will open on October 26, with final results due in early November.  Political Commentator Liam Hehir told Andrew Dickens that the Government’s hoping that if they have a...

US President Donald Trump's delivered his two cents on the state of Europe, as tariff threats over the Greenland issue loom.   Trump's spoken at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, confirming he still wants to buy and control the Danish territory, but won't use force.   He's already threatened increasing tariffs on eight European countries if he doesn't get a deal.  University...

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Thursday 22nd of January 2025, Donald Trump's made a speech to the World Economic Forum saying he won't use excessive force to acquire Greenland, but he will push ahead with Tariffs, University of Iowa Economics Professor Anne Villamil explains the impact this will have on the US.  Confidence seems to be returning to the construction...