Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Say what you like about Cam Slater, but the boy can write. He's had his ups and downs and paid for some bad behaviour on his website, but he has a good flow in his writing. He’s also had a good contact book but whether those contacts are still talking to him is anybody’s guess. On his website, now called good oil, he’s written a think piece called the coming National coup. He reckons Christopher L...

More than 3,000 charges have been filed against gang members in the three months from the launch of new laws.  Police have seized 76 gang patches and 67 guns under the Government's patch ban.  The Police Commissioner says gang members have been mostly compliant since the laws banning insignia began.  Police Association President Chris Cahill told Andrew Dickens the gangs seem to hav...

Germany's conservatives are celebrating after the country's snap election.  Friedrich Merz is most likely to become the country's next chancellor.  His centre-right Christian Democratic Union has topped votes at just under 29%, with far-right Alternative for Germany, AFD, inching more than 20%.  Merz must now form a coalition, but has ruled out working with AFD.  Director of Be...

A defence of the gap between Andrew Bayly's resignation and it being revealed to the public.   The Port Waikato MP resigned from his ministerial portfolios after a staffer complained about him laying a hand on them last week.   Bayly resigned on Friday, and it was then made public yesterday.   Political commentator Brigitte Morton says giving him time to tell his family was a good m...

How many times in the middle of an intense argument with a stupid work mate have you been tempted just to smack their stupid little face. But you don’t.   In fact, you know that you can’t even touch them. You can glower and scowl and talk with a low harsh intensity.   But no touchy touchy and no raised voices.   It’s hard but being civilised and rational and being grown up demands y...

On the Early Edition with Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 25th of February 2025, Andrew Bayly is giving up his Ministerial portfolios after an incident with a staffer Political Commentator Brigitte Morton shares her take.   It has been a momentous 24 hours in German politics, Co-founder and Director of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin tells Andrew Dickens about the reaction followin...

David Seymour has announced the Government will make it easier for Kiwi businesses to receive international investment.  The Associate Finance Minister said a reform will be made to the Overseas Investment Act.  How is the business world reacting?  Business New Zealand Director of Agency talks to Andrew Dickens.  LISTEN ABOVE.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Newstalk ZB's Andrew Alderson join the show to update the biggest sporting moments of the weekend.  Auckland FC beat Wellington in an enormous 6-1 win, electrifying their home stadium.  After Daniel Dubois pulled out of his fight against Joseph Parker, the Kiwi instead took on Martin Bakole, and the India v Pakistan ODI is live.   LISTEN ABOVE.  See omnystudio.com/listener...

Christopher Luxon is heading to Vietnam this week for bilateral talks. This visit comes as the Asia New Zealand foundation put out a report which explores potential ways that we can improve our bilateral relationship with Vietnam. The report included strengthening trade in fashion and food, and collaborating on defence and security matters.  Chief Executive of the Asia New Zealand Foundation...

On the Early Edition Full Show Podcast for Monday the 24th of February 2025, The Government's announced an overhaul of the Overseas Investment Act, Business NZ's Catherine Beard shares reaction from businesses.   The Prime Minister is heading to Vietnam this week for bilateral talks, Chief Executive of the NZ Asia Foundation Suzannah Jessep tells Andrew Dickens what she'd like to see from the...

The first exit polls in Germany's snap election have been released.  Centre-right CDU tops votes so far, with leader Friedrich Merz likely to be the next chancellor.  Alternative for Germany AFD sits at just under 20-percent -- the best showing for a German far-right political party since the end of World War Two.  Correspondent Gavin Grey told Andrew Dickens immigration is a major...

So, the weekend has been spent watching the Chinese Navy use the Tasman Sea as a firing range.   They’ve never done this so far south before and you have to wonder why.   Defence commentators call it a power projection.   Sure, but don’t project power round here. Don’t divert Air New Zealand and Qantas planes.  Coincidentally and ironically, it comes at the same time that the C...

Building costs have gone through the roof.  A new QV CostBuilder survey revealed a significant increase to costs over the last four years.  It looked at the comparative costs of a standard 150m square home over six main centres, and revealed an average increase of 44%.  The biggest increases were seen in Palmerston North, Dunedin, and Wellington.  Blackburn Management’s Mike Bl...

There’s a sign of heightened tensions as China deploys warships off the coast of Australia.  Three Chinese warships have been seen sailing around 280 kilometres off Sydney, in the Tasman Sea.  Defence Minister Judith Collins says the Chinese Government hasn't told us what they're doing there.  Foreign policy analyst Geoffrey Miller told Andrew Dickens it's significant, and tensions...

There has been no change to child poverty in the last year. That's according to data released yesterday by stats NZ which shows 17.7% of all children are in poverty.  That's based on household income after housing costs have been paid.  Save the Children NZ's Advocacy and Research Director Jacqui Southey says we need to start looking at how we can build more affordable homes and lifting...

On the Early Edition with Full Show Podcast for Friday 22nd of Feburary 2025, There has been no change to child poverty in the last year, Save the Children Advocacy and Research Director Jacqui Southey tells Andrew Dickens how the Government can change that.  A new QV CostBuilder study shows that there has been a huge increase to building costs over the past four years. The New Zealand Defenc...

Can we get Parliament back to work? At a time when the Prime Minister is urging us to work work work for growth growth growth, Parliament is playing around with unproductive publicity stunts.   Winston is still banging on about using Aotearoa in the house. 10 minutes debating time was spent on the topic.   There is no bill on the floor asking for a name change. We know the sorts of peopl...

The Foreign Minister says New Zealand is officially resetting its relationship with the Cook Islands.   Tensions have continued to escalate between our Governments as the Cooks inked in a new partnership with China.   In a speech yesterday, Winston Peters has reiterated his concerns New Zealand was in the dark about this agreement, and is yet to see key details.  Newstalk ZB Politic...

There's frustration about rubbish dumping along the Desert Road detour.   State Highway 1 between Tūrangi and Waiōuru closed in mid-January for about two months of roadworks.  The detour, which runs through State Highways 41, 47, 4, and 49 has seen a noticeable rise in rubbish.   Ruapehu District Councillor David Nottage has been picking up the rubbish himself.  He told Andrew...

Banks could soon be competing a bit harder for our business.  The Reserve Bank's signalling yesterday's double cut to the OCR will be followed by at least two more single cuts at the next reviews in April and May.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Andrew Dickens that's going to drive banks' rates down.  She says mortgage-holders and small businesses should be expecting to see the...

Tensions are rising between the US and Ukrainian presidents.  In a post on social media network Truth Social, Donald Trump has labelled Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator without elections, who's duped the US into spending billions of dollars in defence against Russia.   It comes hours after Zelensky accused him of repeating Russian disinformation.  US correspondent Mitch McCann told And...

On the Early Edition with Full Show Podcast for Thursday 20th of Feburary 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis reacts to the Reserve Bank cutting the OCR by 50 basis points.  Roadside dumping is an increasing problem along the Desert road detour Ruapehu District Councillor David Nottage tells Andrew Dickens, it's disgraceful. Winston Peters delivered a speech calling to 'reset' our relationsh...

So yesterday I outlined the reasons why the Reserve Bank might not cut interest rates.   I got that wrong.   They chopped the rate by the expected half a percent with immediate relief for mortgage holders.   What we try to do with the Reserve Bank is read behind the lines and figure out what they freely mean for our day-to-day life.  This is what I think they’re saying, times h...

New medical tests have shown further complications in the condition of Pope Francis.  They reveal the 88-year-old pontiff has developed bilateral pneumonia.  The Vatican says laboratory tests, chest X-ray, and the Holy Father's clinical condition continue to present a complex picture.  Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Andrew Dickens that he’s being described as in stable conditi...

Economists are very confident in a 50-point cut to the Official Cash Rate today.  The Reserve Bank is expected to drop the OCR from its current 4.25% to 3.75% at 2pm.  That would follow a 50-basis point cut at the bank's last meeting in November.  ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Andrew Dickens the data has fallen in line with the Reserve Bank’s forecasts. He says it’s reason...