Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Some in the Auckland real estate sector are giving the Government's move to require taller apartments near key rail stations the tick of approval.   The Resource Management Bill will be amended to force Auckland Council to allow apartments at least 10 or 15 storeys tall around City Rail Link stops.  LJ Hooker Head of Network Campbell Dunoon hopes locals get behind what he believes is a g...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 26th of 2025, the government announces it will be forcing Auckland Council to allow new developments of at least 15 storeys next to City Rail Link train stations, LJ Hooker Head of Network Campbell Dunoon shares his thoughts.  Trouble could be brewing for super rugby's Moana Pasifika, Weekend Sport host Jason Pine explains. A re...

New Zealand isn't good at maintaining its infrastructure. The Infrastructure Commission's released a 30-year draft plan revealing its first look at how New Zealand needs to invest in our future builds and upgrades to roads, hospitals, and buildings. Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett told Ryan Bridge big parts of government don't have a record of what they own, and therefore n...

It's obvious to anyone paying attention that we don't have enough young people working to support the cost of health and Super for the elderly.  This problem is going to get much worse in the coming decades.  All this is spelled out in a Treasury report, which Thomas Coughlin published in the Herald today.  This is not new. We've known this for a long time.  Future governments...

News GPs can soon prescribe ADHD medication from the outset is being hailed as a community breakthrough.   From February, GPs can offer a patient stimulant medications without them needing a specialist recommendation first.   Specialist wait times vary across the country, but can surpass a year.   ADHD NZ spokesperson Darrin Bull New Zealand has a major underdiagnosis issue, with on...

Teachers and principals are relying on other students to know if someone is bringing a weapon to school.   Figures released under the Official Information Act show 526 students were stood down, suspended, or excluded for using or having a weapon at school last year.  That's 80% higher than in 2018.  PPTA President Chris Abercrombie told Ryan Bridge the experience of most schools ten...

The US President's received praise for his involvement in a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel.  Both sides are claiming the other has breached the truce.  Donald Trump scolded both for early violations but directed particularly stinging criticism at Israel over the scale of its strikes.  US columnist Henry Olsen told Ryan Bridge it's a win for Trump, but earlier US strikes o...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 15th of June 2025, Trump's ceasefire deal between Iran and Israel has fallen apart, Washington Post Columnist Henry Olsen has the latest.  The number of students being disciplined for using or having a weapon at school has more than doubled, PPTA President Chris Abercrombie shares his thoughts. From February GPs will be abl...

US President Donald Trump has landed in the Netherlands for his first NATO summit since 2019. World leaders are gathering for the alliance meeting in The Hague to agree on increases in defence spending.  The new target will be to spend 5 percent of the size of their economies, measured by GDP, on "core defence" along with defence-related areas such as security. UK and Europe correspondent Gav...

It's just amazing the shear breadth and diversity of things we get outraged by on any given week.  Whether its Brian Tamaki, who after literally decades taking to the streets and stirring the pot, nobody should be outraged by. Or whether it's a bunch of chicks in bikinis rolling around in cow's milk trying to make a buck on OnlyFans. The Police were called.  Yes, I kid you not. Couple of...

Scott Robertson has called up five new faces for his first All Blacks class of 2025, with his 35-man squad for next month’s series against France named.  Following a spate of injuries and departures offshore, Robertson has put his faith in four newcomers to face Les Bleus, themselves weakened by an inability to select from their full complement for the tour opener.  All Blacks regulars D...

Flares have lit up the sky above Doha following threats Iran would retaliate against US strikes on its nuclear sites.  Iran's also reportedly launched an attack on another US base in Iraq.   Qatar has confirmed no deaths following Iranian missile attacks on an US Air Force Base Al Udeid.   Qatar closed its airspace earlier amid threats from Iran, and a flight from Auckland to Doha h...

Iran's strikes on Qatar and Iraq have sent oil prices tumbling.  Crude prices fell about 6% following the news.  Analysts have been warning of steep rises if Iran retaliates against Sunday's US strikes, by targeting oil infrastructure and closing the Strait of Hormuz.  AA Principal Policy Advisor Terry Collins told Ryan Bridge that the talk of potentially doubling the price of oil p...

There's no downside to New Zealand's latest 'golden visa' scheme, according to a former Labour Cabinet Minister.  The Government's confirmed almost 200 applications have been received from overseas investors since settings loosened in April.  Former Minister Stuart Nash, who launched golden visas in 2022, told Ryan Bridge it's not just about the financial investment.  He says it's a...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 24th of June 2025, the golden Visa scheme has taken off former Labour cabinet minister Stuart Nash shares his thoughts.  Newstalk ZB Sports reporter Nick Bewley provides analysis on the new All Blacks squad.  AA Principal Policy Advisor Terry Collins shares his thoughts on fears petrol prices could increase by 30c a litre as...

A couple of investment-related revelations from the Government this week proves a couple of basic points about business: you've got to sell something people want, and you've got to do it at a competitive price.  Take the golden visa numbers the Government's crowing about.  The golden visa category changes are netting results. This where we give residency to wealthy foreigners, but they'v...

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday 23 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.

A Defence Force team is heading to the Middle East, ready to assist an estimated 180 Kiwis spread between Iran and Israel. Defence Minister Judith Collins announced a Hercules will leave today for an undisclosed destination, for security reasons. Airspace in the region is closed, and it's unknown when it will re-open. Collins says our Defence team will be ready to help. See omnystudio.com/listener...

So we now know the Americans used seven B-2 Stealth bombers to attack Iran's three nuclear sites.  They used a dozen bunker-buster bombs - the first time these massive 140o KG big boys have been used in combat. They flew in the dark of night, dropping the payload just after 2 AM local time.  They fired Tomahawk missiles from US Navy ships nearby. Decoys were used to throw the Iranian off...

Whether the United States will intervene in the Iran-Israel conflict remains up in the air.  President Donald Trump says he 'may' or 'may not' order American military involvement.   US correspondent Katie Fisher told Ryan Bridge the uncertainty is causing some rifts within the Republican camp.  She says that some of his “right-wing cheerleaders” like Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Tayl...

From November, transiting Chinese passport holders won't need a visa to pass through New Zealand airports.   They'll can instead get a New Zealand electronic Travel Authority that's processed in four hours, and lasts for two years.   Immigration Minister Erica Stanford told Ryan Bridge our Chinese visitor numbers are lagging at about 65% pre-Covid levels, so they're doing anything to hel...

An Auckland manufacturer is feeling good about the current economic position.  GDP figures are due to be revealed this morning.   Economists and the Reserve Bank are expecting 0.7% growth for the first quarter of the year – slightly higher than the 0.4% predicted earlier this year.  Dodson Group CEO Dave Sweas told Ryan Bridge things turned a corner around February and March. ...

The traditional census as we know it is coming to an end. Stats NZ is moving to a system using Government collected admin-data, saying the current five yearly Census is financially unsustainable. Census-style questions will still be asked in much smaller annual surveys looking at a small fraction of the population. Auckland University of Technology Professor Rhema Vaithianathan told Ryan Bridge th...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 19th of June 2025, Dave Sweas CEO of Manufacturer Dodson group, joins Ryan Bridge to talk about the GDP figures out today.  The government scrapped the 5-year census, AUT director of the centre for social data analytics, Rhema Vaithianathan shares her thoughts.  We've got more Visa changes for Chinese nationals, Immigration...

I’m as guilty as the next Kiwi of complaining about the tyranny of distance, but the fact is we’re bloody lucky to live far across the ocean and out of harm’s way.  We’re at least 10,000 kilometres away from the nearest nuclear weapon launch site, whether it’s China’s Jingxian Province or the United States' Pacific Coast.  That doesn’t mean we’re immune to threats and fallout from confli...