Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

We are well on our way to a collective one trillion dollars in debt. In the year to the end of May, New Zealand hit just over 870-billion in gross debt - up 5.4 percent from almost 830-billion last year. It represents an average of just over 160-thousand dollars in raw debt for every person in the country. At the current rate of growth, New Zealand will hit the trillion dollar landmark,  insi...

I went out for lunch to a café the other day and our table was served by a couple of waiters who all seemed to have a similar vibe about them. They just. Did. Not. Seem. To. Care. No smiling. No banter. No small talk or polite conversation. Just this blank look on their faces. You sit there and think “did they hear me”? You ever so politely repeat yourself in case they didn’t.  But they...

A reversion to a largely first-choice team for the All Blacks as they open the Rugby Championship against Argentina on Sunday morning in Cordoba.  The return of captain Scott Barrett from a calf injury headlines the side, while Du'Plessis Kirifi gets his second straight test start at openside flanker.  Although the New Zealand side has never lost to the Argentinian team at their home, fo...

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are gearing up for tomorrow's highly anticipated talks in Alaska.   The US and Russian presidents will discuss ending the war in Ukraine, with suggestions a second meeting could follow if it goes well.   The Kremlin's already dangling financial incentives, saying there's untapped potential in US-Russian relations.  US Correspondent Toni Waterman told...

The country's red meat sector may struggle to reach a goal set by the Government to double exports by 2034. Data from NZ Beef + Lamb's found breeding ewe numbers have dropped by nearly two-percent, while beef cattle numbers were up 4.4-percent. It reveals 2.6 million units of sheep and beef stock have been lost due to afforestation over the past eight years.  Federated Farmers Meat and Wool C...

What's the point in us having more affordable property prices for first home buyers if young workers are jetting off to Australia in search of a better tomorrow?  There's a perverse logic to this, but across the Tasman right now, where our flying Kiwis are headed, they're experiencing something of a property boom.  It's the opposite of the stagnant or falling prices we're seeing here, wh...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 15th of August 2025, All eyes are on Alaska ahead of a crucial meeting between Trump and Putin, US Correspondent Toni Waterman is in Alaska and has the latest.  The All Blacks are taking on Argentina in Córdoba, former All Black Josh Kronfeld shares his thoughts ahead of the game.  Sheep and beef cattle numbers are improving,...

Times are tough for property owners as they see the lowest resale profits in over a decade.  Cotality’s latest Pain & Gain Report shows 89.4% of homes sold above their purchase price last quarter – the lowest since 2014.  Christchurch was the most resilient of the main centres, with 4.9% of Q2 resales made at a loss, well below the national average of 10.6%, while Auckland recorded t...

NCEA Level 1 achievement's dropped to its lowest level in a decade, while all qualifications saw improvement.  In 2024, achievement in Levels 2, 3, and University Entrance went up for the first time since 2020.   Student's completing Level 1 continued to drop, and Māori also fell further behind.  Darfield High School Principal Andy England told Ryan Bridge there've been problems wit...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 14th of August 2025, Jacinda Arden and Chris Hipkins won't show face at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19, Minister responsible Brooke Van Velden shares her thoughts.  Property owners are seeing the lowest resale profits in over a decade, Matt Ball from the NZ Property Investors Federation tells Ryan why.  New N...

The ACT Party's laying into the former Ministers who lead our Covid-19 response for refusing to front public hearings.  Labour leader Chris Hipkins, and former Ministers Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, and Ayesha Verrall have declined to appear as part of the Royal Commission's Inquiry.  Commissioners are confident it won't hamper efforts. Act's Brooke van Velden, who's in charge of the...

Yesterday they wheeled out three excuses for not fronting up and answering questions about why they went so hard on lockdowns and mandates which they then papered over with $66-billion in spending - second in the world only to the US - thereby helping fuel the inflation we're all now paying the price for taming.  1. First we heard they wouldn't attend the public hearing and give public eviden...

More heat pumps in households could cut energy bills by a total of $1.5 billion a year.  A report by the New Zealand Green Building Council has found replacing gas and electric heaters with heat pumps could save 40% of gas produced, each year.  It's also revealed this could protect thousands of  jobs, with three mills closing in the last year due to soaring energy prices.  Ener...

The Vocational Education Minister assures its Te Pukenga de-merger is responsible, despite Treasury raising concerns. Newstalk ZB can reveal it urged the Government to seek reassurance that allowing polytechs to go back to governing themselves would help their finances. The mid-March paper warned the financial situation would be the same, if not worse, than before the merger. Penny Simmonds told R...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday 13th of August 2025, Treasury warned the Government that breaking up Te Pukenga could leave polytechs worse off, Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds tells Ryan Bridge why they decided to go ahead anyway.  A report from the Green Building Council shows Kiwis could save up to $1.5 billion on their annual energy bill if w...

People aren't telling pollsters they'd vote for Labour because they'd actually vote for Labour. Labour hasn't got any policies - they're an empty vessel.  It's captain is still, according to most recent polling, less popular than the current Prime Minister.  It's a protest vote. They're telling the PM to hurry up and do something else to rescue the economy the last lot, and a trade war,...

Major gas users are looking to the Government for help, with many struggling with high prices.  A survey by energy management company Optima and Business NZ reveals gas prices have risen by more than 100% on average in the past five years.  Nearly half of industrial and commercial users have had to make cuts as a result.  Resources Minister Shane Jones is seeking advice whether rati...

It’s believed our trans-Tasman friends are keeping tourism strong in Queenstown.   Skyline Operators, who run the luge and gondolas, have seen international luge rides increase by 32.6% from 7.46 million in the last year to close to 10 million.   Gondola rides have also risen more than 21%.   Queenstown Mayor Glyn Lewers told Andrew Dickens they're crossing the ditch in numbers.&nbs...

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast 2025 Tuesday 12th of August, the government's deciding whether to formally recognise Palestine as a state, Massey University's John Battersby tells Andrew the difference it will make.  Queenstown tourism is booming; Mayor Glyn Lewers shares his thoughts.  There's a call for the Government to take immediate action in the gas secto...

The world's eyes will be on New Zealand over the next month as it weighs up a decision to recognise Palestinian statehood.  Australia's declared it will recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September.  It's following suit behind other Western countries including the UK, France, and Canada.  Massey University defence and security studies professor John Battersby told And...

So the big question of today is whether New Zealand should join other nations in recognising a Palestinian state.  Now this is a much bigger question than it seems. For some it's easy - call Palestine a state and then they have a legal foothold to fight for some land I guess. And in a way, we already have done that by calling publicly for a two state solution to the conflict in the Middle Eas...

The greens want to lead the next government.  Co-Leader Chloe Swarbrick admits they’ve got ‘work to do’ - with the party polling just under 10% and Labour in the early 30s.  Former Green MP Catherine Delahunty told Ryan Bridge that Green will need to ‘team up’ with smaller parties if they want to push Labour out of the spotlight.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Federated Farmers says two new visas provide a clear pathway for seasonal international workers. Experienced workers like rural contractors can apply for the Global Workforce Seasonal Visa, which is available for up to three years and allows them to return on the same visa. The Peak Seasonal Visa will be for up to seven months.  Federated Farmers Dairy Chair Karl Dean told Ryan Bridge it's a...

You've got to feel for Zelensky on weeks like this.  Friday's the big day. Putin will fly to Alaska and meet Trump for cup of tea and biscuit.  They'll negotiate the terms of ceasefire for what the Russians are calling a 'Ukraine crisis', rather than a bloody war they started.  The body count is as astonishing as the fact there's a war raging in Europe in 2025.  One million Rus...

On the Early Edition with Full Show Podcast Monday 11th of August 2025, two new work Visas are on the way, Federated Farmers Dairy Chair Karl Dean tells Ryan about the difference it'll make.  The Green party wants to lead the next government, Former Green MP Catherine Delahunty shares her thoughts.  Andrew Alderson has the latest on the weekend's sport.  Plus, UK/Europe Corresponden...