Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

A former Finance Minister believes there's a need for a publicly funded body to find out what election promises would cost.  Act and New Zealand First have shot down current Finance Minister Nicola Willis' proposal, which would have allowed resources from the public sector to cost policies of political parties up to 10 months before an election.  Ruth Richardson was the Finance Minister...

The Minister for Children's $41 million workforce investment is expected to train and retain youth care staff.  Karen Chhour says her new funding follows a 2023 Oranga Tamariki review, which found many workers weren't equipped to deal with the high needs of some kids in care.  The boost will qualify more staff, recruit capable workers to vacant positions, and establish clinical roles in...

People are swarming outside a New York courthouse following Sean “Diddy” Combs' conviction. The 55-year-old hip hop mogul's been found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. But he's been acquitted of his more serious charges, of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking. US Correspondent Mitch McCann is outside the courthouse and told Ryan Bridge social media influenc...

Yesterday was a bad day for some of my pet peeves.  I couldn't find a carpark in town, I had to visit a supermarket, and Qantas suffered a data hack.  Nothing drives me more crazy than a business — big or small, although in this case very big — asking too many personal questions and getting too many personal details about their customers.  Unnecessarily so.  Now. There's a good...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 3rd of July 2025, the government's ready to start negotiating with councils on regional city deals, Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley shares her thoughts.  Minister for children Karen Chhour yesterday announced more money for Oranga Tamariki staff's professionalism training, Child Matters CEO Jane Searle tells Ryan Bridge how big...

Books written by artificial intelligence have been finding their way onto local library shelves, and they could become more common in the future.  Newstalk ZB can reveal most libraries avoid buying AI-written books, but don't ban them, and some have added them to their collections by accident.  Laura Marshall, Library and Information Association of New Zealand Executive Director, told Ry...

The Defence Force is keeping details of its cost cuts secret.  But Newstalk ZB can reveal NZDF admitted, in internal communications, that it would have to scale back or cut programmes that impact how people view the force, and New Zealand's reputation.  The defence force also noted the sinking of the Manawanui added to its financial struggles.  Retired Lieutenant Colonel Hayden Rick...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 2nd of July 2025, the government introduces tougher penalties for crime, Woolworths director of retail Jason Stockill shares his thoughts.  Quite a few of New Zealand's libraries either already have or are open to stocking books written by AI authors, Laura Marshall from the library and information association tells Ryan Br...

Woolworths says it takes a community effort to curb retail crime.  Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has unveiled the plan for Police to issue infringement fines for people stealing - similar to speeding tickets.  It is based on suggestions from the Retail Crime Ministerial Advisory Group.  Woolworths Retail and Franchise Director Jason Stockill told Ryan Bridge the announcement is an...

You know immediately when something makes good political sense.  You can usually tell, not by listening to the Minister announce it, but by listening to the Opposition oppose it.  Crime is topic du jour as the Government's rolling maul of thundercloud announcements continue.  It's one of the party's strongest, biggest levers to pull - it's one of the few election issues on which the...

Businesses still seem to be doing it tough.  The latest Centrix data for June shows the number of people behind on payments is down on last year, for the fifth consecutive month in a row.  At the same time, company liquidations have risen 27% year-on-year.  BWA Insolvency’s Bryan Williams told Ryan Bridge he expects it to start falling again later this year.  He says people wil...

Business NZ's Advocacy Director says Invest New Zealand is looking to hire people with an array of international connections.  The government organisation's been given $85 million over four years to work with global investors to create jobs, boost innovation, and lift productivity.  Catherine Beard told Ryan Bridge potential employees should be well-connected around the world.  She...

The Government's introduction of new sentences for coward punches is being described as merely cosmetic.  It's announced specific offences for striking a distracted victim - which could carry a sentence of life imprisonment, if fatal.  But Law Association Vice President Julie-Anne Kincade told Ryan Bridge she understands people have been looking for reform in this area.  She doesn't...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 1st of July 2025, the Government's announced coward punches will now be a specific offence, Vice President of the Law Associaiton Julie-Anne Kincade KC tells Ryan Bridge the difference it will make.   Bryan Williams, Principal at BWA Insolvency, shares his thoughts on new data from Centrix around business liquidations.  From...

The robots are coming, and they reckon they'll be better than us humans at doing difficult, complex stuff - like being a doctor.  Microsoft announced overnight "an artificial intelligence system that performs better than human doctors at complex health diagnoses".  That's according to the Guardian, who say the company's AI unit is creating a “path to medical super-intelligence”. So, Micr...

From tomorrow, all rental properties in New Zealand will have to meet the healthy home standards.  The Healthy Homes Act brought in stricter rules around heating, insulation, ventilation and draft stopping.   Despite the long notice period and extensions, Advocacy manager at the Property Investors Federation Matt Ball says some homes are still not up to standard.   In a recent sampl...

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday 30 June. 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.

Shoplifting and trespassing laws are expected to get a revamp this week.  Newstalk ZB understands policy changes relating to Retail Crime Ministerial Advisory Group recommendations are imminent. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith's previously labelled current trespassing laws as not fit for purpose.  Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young told Ryan Bridge the changes should deal with recid...

The government's so-called crackdown on crime is more than just tough talk but that doesn't mean it'll make much difference to crime.  That's not for want of trying. It's because the Courts are a law unto themselves.  They apply sentencing discounts like they're Briscoes Sales - 90% off for remorse. 10% of for your family report. You're free to leave the dock with time served on that mur...

There'll be a by-election in Auckland in the coming weeks, following the death of Te Pati Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp early yesterday.  She was 50 and had been battling kidney disease.  Kemp's body has arrived at Hoani Waititi Marae this morning, where she will lie in state for mourners to visit, before her tangi on Tuesday.  Newstalk ZB’s Jason Walls told Ryan Bridge it’s almost ce...

Access is opening up for Kiwis to a weight loss drug described as a game changer.   Wegovy, made by pharma-co Novo Nordisk, will arrive in pharmacies next week.   It's not funded by Pharmac, so users will have to pay and get a prescription for the weekly injectable.  Calocurb CEO Sarah Kennedy told Ryan Bridge that people need to be aware of both the cost of the drug and the side ef...

Auckland's City Rail Link is expecting 19 thousand peak passengers after opening day, a sharp drop compared to earlier forecasts.   In 2022, it was reported 27 thousand passengers an hour would be using the rail link at peak times when it opens next year.  Auckland Transport says it's increasing the train fleet by about 30% to make 19 thousand passengers possible.  Heart of the City...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 27th of June 2025, Ozempic style weightloss drug, Wegovy is coming to New Zealand, Sarah Kennedy CEO of Calocurb tells Ryan Bridge about the benefits it'll bring.  The number of commuters using Auckland's new city rail link could be much lower than first thought Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck shares her thoughts.  Tributes fl...

If you've got a health problem, if you've got a mental problem, if you can't sleep, if you're fat, enormous, obese, don't worry.  All your problems can be solved with a pill, an injection. a prescription - or even no prescription.  That's the clear message we've been getting from regulators.  From Tuesday, the Hollywood weight-loss drug Weygovey, like Ozempic, will be available here...

Moana Pasifika's future looks uncertain despite their fourth and most successful Super Rugby campaign.  The Herald reports concerns centre around the charity Pasifika Medical Association Group which bought the franchise last year and a reduction in their Whanau Ora contracts.  Those have previously been used to bolster Moana Pasifika's finances, a strategy reported as quietly contentious...