Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

New Zealand investor confidence has dropped to its lowest level since Covid. ASB's latest survey shows sentiment is weakest in the lower North Island and among those over 60, with under 40s being more optimistic about their situation. Senior Wealth Economist Chris Tennent-Brown told Francesca Rudkin global uncertainty and the weak housing market have made the last six months challenging. He says i...

Yesterday Health Minister Simeon Brown announced $100 million has been allocated for hospital maintenance and refurbishment. It will fund 21 upgrades around the country.    The money was set aside in the 2025 budget – listed under things like ‘remediation’ and ‘redevelopment’ - but at the time Treasury didn’t say how much was allocated due to commercial sensitivities.    But it...

The Black Ferns have made it to the semi-finals.   After handily defeating South Africa in the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final, they’re now set to face the World No 2 team – Canada.   However, they’re missing a major player from their line up – flanker Jorja Miller appearing to be out with a hamstring injury.  Sky Sport Commentator Rikki Swannell told Ryan Bridge that while Mi...

The Corrections Minister says the Government has helped reduce the number of people breaching electronically monitored bail.   There were 832 cases of absconding from EM bail last year - up from 64 in 2015.   The total number of people on EM bail has risen from 1300 to over six thousand since 2015.   But Mark Mitchell told Ryan Bridge the percentage rate of absconding is actually co...

Surprise across the board with the latest sharp drop in GDP.   Our economy's contracted 0.9% in the June quarter - a worse outcome than any economists had been forecasting.   Many were predicting a 0.3% drop, including the Reserve Bank and ASB. ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith shares his analysis with Ryan.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 19th of September 2025 GDP fell 0.9% in the last quarter, ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith shares his thoughts.  The Women's World Cup semi-final is this weekend; Sky Sport commentator Rikki Swannell tells Ryan about the atmosphere leading up to the game in the UK.  Ankle monitor escapes have increase from 64 in 2015 to more t...

Has Nicola Willis failed on growth in her year of growth?  So far, yes. We’ve gone nowhere in six months - Q2 basically wiped out Q1.  Should she resign? No. Why? Trump’s tariffs. Nobody saw them coming. Markets thought he was bluffing, a negotiation tactic. Until he wasn’t. Businesses and Mums and Dads sat on their cash to wait it out - a reasonable response to an uncertain future.&nbsp...

Wellington's globally renowned World of Wearable Arts show opens its doors today in its 20th year.  The event runs for three weeks at TSB Arena with more than 60-thousand people are expected to attend.  It brings in designers and creatives from around the world in a mix of fashion, music, and design.  Chief Executive Meg Williams says it embraces the capital's creativity and around...

The Opposition doesn't want the Government taking all the credit for a drop in youth offending.   The Government says the rate of serious and persistent offending from young people has dropped by more than 14% since June 2023.   Labour's Children Spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime says it is largely because of the Circuit Breaker programme – which they started.  She told Ryan Bridge tha...

An economist is predicting a gloomier number than the Reserve Bank from the latest GDP figure.  Stats NZ data on GDP for the year's second quarter will be released today.  The Reserve Bank's predicting a 0.3 percent drop.  BNZ Chief Economist Mike Jones is a picking a 0.5 percent fall.  He told Ryan Bridge economic growth is probably going to be slow for a while.  Jones sa...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 18th of September 2025, GDP is out today, BNZ Chief Economist Mike Jones tells Ryan what he's expecting to see.  The World of wearable arts kicks off in Wellington today, CEO Meg Williams tells Ryan about the impact it has on the capital.  Labour's Willow-Jean Prime shares her thoughts on the latest youth crime data. ...

Did you see the cops put out a handy warning for us all yesterday? Hide, tell, escape. The spooks in Wellington reckon extremist violence is a realistically possibility in this country.  Now, they’ve been saying this for some time.  Yesterday you may have got a news alert about this new campaign from police telling you what to do during an armed attack in a crowded place.  You could...

Food price inflation is starting to stabilise.  Latest figures from Stats NZ show the food price inflation is 5% – unchanged on a month ago.  Butter prices have risen 32% in a year, cheese is up 26%, while milk has increased by 16%.  Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Ryan Bridge that while households are still seeing high costs, the pressure is coming through in a more...

The number of convicted criminals being sent to prison is at an all-time high.  Ministry of Justice data shows more than seven thousand people were sent to prison following convictions in the year to June, up 14% on the previous year.  The proportion of people who received prison sentences is the highest on record, at 15%.  Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith told Ryan Bridge their focu...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday 17th of September 2025, you’re more likely to be sent to jail following a conviction than ever before, according to the latest Ministry of Justice statistics, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith tells Ryan why criminals are no longer getting a free ride from our courts.  The aviation sector is calling a new Government plan a major...

Like it or not, next year's big dance in politics will ultimately be decided by the few, not the many. Most MMP elections have been. Minnows hold the keys to the kingdom.  Be it Winston with his best result ever or Te Pati Māori with an overhang - 2026 won’t be a 2020 landslide. The difference this time is how extreme some of the smaller parties, more to the point, some of their MPs, hav...

Hopes that the Government's aviation plan can help more pilots take off.   The Government released the first ever strategy for the sector.  Part of that is a commitment to look at pilot education and create a workforce plan.  Airports Association Chief Executive Billie Moore told Ryan Bridge it's something we can't afford to neglect.  She says there's already a pilot shortage,...

Auckland businesses are keen to see what benefits more events at Eden Park could bring them.   The Government's looking at Eden Park's rules, including the number of concerts and sporting events that can be held, and a 2000 person limit for conferences.   It's exploring whether current rules are holding back economic growth.   Heart of the City Chief Executive Viv Beck told Ryan Bri...

Forestry industry voices say keeping 100% of slash and wood debris inside forest boundaries is operationally impossible.   Gisborne District Council has obtained an enforcement order forcing two companies to properly manage the sediment risk.   Samnic Forest Management is appealing the order and says it would probably go bankrupt if it went ahead.   Eastland Wood Council Chairman Ju...

The latest Rabobank survey's found farmers' faith in the broader agricultural economy is at its second highest level in the last decade, up to 46 percent. 51 percent expect it to improve in the year ahead - up three percent from the last quarter. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay told Ryan Bridge it's pleasing to see - as it's good for the country's economy. He says when the primary sector's doing...

I’ve had it with people whinging about state of this county and people fleeing to Australia who then refuse to stop and ask why we got here and how we get out of it. Chucking up a post up on TikTok or waving a banner at a protest won't cut it.  Productivity (that’s how much we get out for what we put in) is crap. It's been getting worse or flat-lining for decades. Australia’s is better. Wages...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 16th of September 2025, the Government's investigating local rules that are holding Eden Park back from hosting more big events, Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck tells Ryan about the impact this could have on Auckland.  Agriculture Minister Todd McClay shares his thoughts on farmer confidence climbing.  Gisborne council’s fore...

Hopes a new events fund will make Auckland an attractive choice for international acts.  The Government is pumping $40million dollars to secure large scale events from next year - part of a bigger $70million dollar boost. Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner says his dream would be a Spice Girls reunion concert.  But he told Ryan Bridge any big name will be good for the city.  LISTEN ABOVE Se...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 15th of September 2025, The government's dropping $70 million to supercharge events and tourism, Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner shares his thoughts. Andrew Alderson has the latest on the weekend's sport.  One in four of our schools need help to achieve the government's 2030 attendance target, NZ Principals Federation President Leanne...

A view that factors schools can't control are the reason school attendance is static. About 600 schools are struggling to reach the 2030 goal of having 80 percent of students attending more than 90 percent of the time. That's almost one in four schools. Principals' Federation President Leanne Otene told Ryan Bridge this data includes both unjustified and justified absences - as well as transience....