Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday 5 May. 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.

The Defence Minister is tight-lipped over whether a major investment in the military, will mean better pay for frontline troops.  Defence contractors will be lining up their bids to build the Defence Force's new maritime helicopters. Judith Collins revealed yesterday two-billion dollars has been set aside for new helicopters, while 957-million's been earmarked over four years for Defence Forc...

No doubt Donald Trump's brand is dicey at home at best but globally, the world has watched on with a mix of amusement and feigned concern.  These results out of Canada and Australia at the weekend show that brand has turned toxic... like a beef Wellington at a family dinner party.  We've all seen the host - the chef - tuck in... but now we're thinking hmm... do we want to do the same.&nb...

The balance of power seems to be shifting in Australian politics.  There was a shock U-turn in the polls ahead of the election, with Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party suddenly pulling out in front.  It now seems likely the party will secure a second term.  Independent Member for Warringah, Zali Steggall told Ryan Bridge confidence in major parties keeps decreasing, and there’s an...

New figures on meth-use are prompting calls for more preventive action.   Discharges from public hospitals suggest meth-use has increased four-fold over the past decade, while wastewater testing last year showed a doubling in meth use.  Former detective and anti-meth advocate Mike Sabin told Ryan Bridge that you’ve got to turn the tap off on the supply.  He says that New Zealand’s h...

Act Leader David Seymour's taken aim at the size of government.  He's calling for a limit on the number of ministers, with no ministers outside cabinet, and no associate ministers other than in finance.  There's currently 82 ministerial portfolios, held by 28 ministers, and he claims they're full of 'meaningless titles'.   PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons told Ryan Bridge it'...

Alright it's time for Friday confessional.  With the Pope passing away, all this focus on Catholicism's got me feeling repentant.  There are two things I predicted would happen last December as I was signing for Christmas here at Newstalk ZB. One of those things hasn't happened and the other one is about to not happen.  Poilievre winning the Canadian election and Albo losing Austral...

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 2 May. 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.

The Government's ensuring financial education is central to a refreshed school social sciences curriculum.  Education Minister Erica Stanford's announced it will be a core element for Years 1-10 from next year.  The curriculum will cover key financial skills for younger students, such as having a bank account, earning, spending and saving.  Older students will be taught concepts lik...

About five-thousand senior doctors are striking until midnight in a bid to get more of them on the roster.  This comes after eight months of failed negotiations with Health New Zealand.  The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says it’s not going to fill workforce gaps without major improvements to pay and conditions.  President Katie Ben told Ryan Bridge salaries aren't com...

The Rail Minister says any supply chain interruptions caused by the Interislander reducing its Cook Strait ferry fleet can be handled.   Aratere will be retired when demolition begins on its decaying Picton dock late this year or early next, to add infrastructure for new ships.  It's KiwiRail's only rail-enabled ferry.   Winston Peters told Ryan Bridge it won't have an impact on the...

Mark Mitchell, he's got a bit on his plate at the moment.   He'll be happy with the score he got from Audrey Young in her ranking of ministers for midterm, but I reckon he is holding on to a ticking time bomb.   This is the case of the beautiful young Colombian woman in Christchurch living next door to a monster. She didn't know he'd been let out of prison 10 weeks before he raped her an...

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 1 May. 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.

The Government books are expected to reach surplus by 2029.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis has teased slices of her Budget 2025 cake, revealing $1.3 billion in new operating spending – a cut from the forecast of $2.4 billion.  Ministers and agencies have been asked to cut more costs, for diversion into focus areas including health, education, and defence.  Labour’s Finance Spokespe...

Chaos for southwest Europe during a major power blackout.  Spain, Portugal, and parts of France went dark yesterday due to an issue with the grid, originating in Spain.   Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says power has now been restored, and they will take all necessary measures to prevent a repeat.  Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge cash registers, gas pumps, and credit cards a...

Canadian Liberal Party Leader Mark Carney will have a lot of issues to tackle after winning the country's election last night.   The win means he'll continue to lead Canada – the job he took over from Justin Trudeau six weeks ago.   It's an upset loss for the Conservative Party, which was leading the polls up until Carney took over.  Political Analyst Nick Harper told Ryan Bridge it...

A children's support charity says a mix of heightened awareness and more abuse could be the reason for more reports to Oranga Tamariki.  The Ministry for Children estimates its seen a 45 percent increase in reports of concern in the year to April. It comes as Newstalk ZB reveals more than a-thousand children are overdue to be assigned a social worker.  Child Matters Chief Executive Jane...

You can’t say we weren’t warned Nicola Willis would be taking to government spending like a butcher to a fresh carcass. She’s been saying it for months.  Yesterday she halved the operating allowance to $1.3 billion. All this because she wants to do what she said she’s do, and that’s balance the books by 2029. The recession’s cut her tax take so you either push your surplus out or you trim you...

On the Early Edition Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 30 April 2025, numbers revealed this morning show more 1,300 children are waiting to be assigned a social worker by Oranga Tamariki. Child Matters CEO Jane Searle gives her reaction to Ryan Bridge.  Labour is already calling the upcoming budget the "slash and burn budget." But Ryan questions Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds on what she...

A thumbs-up from the building industry over changes to certifications and inspections.   The Government will be letting approved builders, plumbers, and drainlayers sign off their own work for simple residential dwellings.   80% of inspections will also need to be completed within three working days.  Master Builders CEO Ankit Sharma told Ryan Bridge there’s a lot that can be done t...

A belief there's hope to solving New Zealand's plastic waste problem.  Plastics New Zealand has released two reports with strategies for minimising plastic waste in the construction sector and in consumer, medical and seafood packaging.  Five thousand tonnes of polystyrene packaging enters the supply chain every year, with 77% going to landfill.  Plastics New Zealand CEO Rachel Bark...

Tory Whanau is bowing out of Wellington's mayoral race.  The incumbent's confirmed she'll instead stand for the council's Māori ward seat to give former Labour Leader Andrew Little a clear run.  She says Little will do a good job, and she hopes people see her withdrawal as a gracious move.  Little's been critical of Whanau, calling rate increases under her leadership "simply not acc...

Here we go again with the whinge fest about Air New Zealand's prices.  I get it.  I try book the same flights as everybody else and when you're trying to fly some obscure route from this province to province its gets expensive. Quickly.  But here we are again with politicians telling us fibs - telling us they can wave a magic wand and fix all of our problems.  This time is Jame...

On the Early Edition Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 29 April 2025, Tory Whanau has given up her bid to be re-elected Wellington's Mayor. Ryan Bridge got reaction from the apparent frontrunner in the race, Andrew Little.  The construction industry is celebrating the government's to allow reputable builders, plumbers and drainlayers to self-certify their own work for certain builds.  We get...

Three people have been taken to hospital after they were found injured in Leeds. Among them is a 38-year-old suspected attacker who is thought to have caused the injuries by using a crossbow. Police are investigating the incident as a counter-terrorism event because they also found a firearm at the scene. UK Correspondent Gavin Grey talks to Mike Hosking about the incident, Marks and Spencer still...