Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

I'm getting really angry reading these stories about violence in New Zealand, and I don't think that harsher sentences are going to stop them.  I don't think that the gang patch ban is going to stop them, I don't think that wraparound services are going to stop them either.  I'm talking here about Palmerston North's emergency Department yesterday, daylight doctors are at work, nurses are...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 31st of October, a Ministry of Social Development report has highlighted how long young people spend on the benefit. It found people spend an average of 13 years on the benefit - 26% higher than estimates from eight years ago. Labour's Carmel Sepuloni joins the show to discuss.  Could wood residue be used to make aviation fu...

There's hopes rural communities will be considered before changes are made to NZ Post's services.   Options include dropping to delivering two days a week in urban areas, instead of three, and going from five times a week in rural areas down to three.  Additionally, postal outlets will be reduced from 880 to 500.  Rural Women CEO Marie Fitzpatrick says postal services are essential...

The Education Review Office has found the system for addressing school absence is failing, with chronic absence doubling in the last decade.   In Term 2 this year, one in ten students was chronically absent, with more than 80 thousand missing more than three weeks of the term.   Since 2015, chronic absence has doubled in secondary schools and almost tripled in primary schools.   Tup...

The UK teenager accused of killing three young girls at a children's dance event will appear in court tomorrow, now on a terrorism charge.  England's Merseyside Police yesterday announced they'd discovered a bio-toxin and al Qaeda documents in the 18 year old's home following the July mass-stabbing.  UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge it's a shock twist in the devastating case....

There’s assurance the Government's proposed building consents scheme, allowing tradespeople to self-certify, is safe.  Businesses with a track record of delivering bigger projects will be able to access streamlined consenting.  Qualified tradespeople will be able to forego inspections for low risk builds through the opt in 'self-certification scheme'.  Master Plumbers Chief Executiv...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 30th October, there are more changes to our building and construction sector. The Government wants to allow builders and plumbers to self-certify their work to cut back on council inspections. Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace joins the show to discuss.  The Education Review Office has found chronic absence in ou...

Newstalk ZB Sports Reporter Andrew Alderson joined Ryan Bridge to wrap the weekend's sporting events. On today's agenda:  The Black Caps claimed a history-making win over India, beating the hosts on their home turf. The Silver Ferns claimed the Constellation Cup, beating Australia 61-43 in the third test of the series. Liam Lawson's behaviour at the Mexico Grand Prix has raised a few eyebrows...

The iconic Kiwi corner dairy is believed to be becoming a rarer sight.  The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment notes there are more than 1,700 businesses currently registered as dairies or superettes, less than Retail NZ's 2018 count of around 4,000. Communications Manager Ann-Marie Johnson told Ryan Bridge a number of dairies have closed, but people's shopping habits have chang...

An Australian woman's been found alive, after going missing in New South Wales' Snowy Mountains for nearly two weeks.  A multi-agency search started for Lovisa Sjoberg when authorities discovered her hire car had not moved for six days.  The 48-year-old was found injured and dehydrated by officials on Sunday.  Australian Correspondent, Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge it was also found...

The Government's received advice on how Kiwibank can better compete with the large Australian-owned banks.   It's in response to the Commerce Commission market study on personal banking.   Documents released under the Official Information Act show Treasury wants to look at exploring use of private capital, including an Initial Public Offering.  Massey University banking expert David...

The road toll is sitting at zero for the long weekend.  Six people died last Labour Weekend, which is a tragedy.  The road toll is the lowest Labour Weekend toll since 2013, when we had one death on the roads.  Why do we think this has happened this particular weekend?  Is it the Road to Zero that the previous government introduced?  Is it the fact we've had some road upgr...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 29th of October, Treasury has put three options on the table to raise Kiwibank's capital and make it a stronger competitor against the big banks. Massey University Banking Expert David Tripe talks through the options with Ryan.  They're a Kiwi staple, but the number of dairies across the country could be on the decline. Busin...

Here we go again, everybody. They’re planning to build yet more houses on land that we know is partial to flooding.  This time, it's the Coalition Government, with three housing projects on its fast-track list in Auckland and Canterbury.  In 2022 it was Labour, they had 700 homes on their fast-track list that were prone to flooding.  You might think, well, if you want to go and buil...

There's fresh information for prostate cancer patients and their doctors to consider when making treatment decisions.  A UK study has found those treated with a highly targeted type of radiotherapy appear to have fewer problems with two major side effects, compared with those who have surgery.  Auckland Radiation Oncologist Associate Professor Giuseppe Sasso says the treatment is also mo...

The issue of the Manawanui sinking is hanging over the Prime Minister as he attends the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa. Christopher Luxon met UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last night, and will meet with King Charles and other leaders today. He says it's too early to talk about whether Samoa will get any financial compensation for the Manawanui.  But Political Editor Ja...

The Government's meeting with Police and transport officials today over Wednesday's fatal stabbing in Auckland.  Police are expected to lay charges against a 37-year-old man who handed himself in to North Shore Police Station yesterday afternoon.  It came after a woman was fatally stabbed on a bus in Onehunga on Wednesday in a seemingly random attack.  Transport Minister Simeon Brow...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 25th of October, there are concerns about safety on public transport following the fatal stabbing of a woman on a bus in Onehunga. Transport Minister Simeon Brown joins the show to discuss the situation.  A new UK prostate cancer trial is looking good for patients - it aims to reduce side effects and treat the cancer in a more...

Donald Trump is coming under fire for alleged comments he made about Adolf Hitler.   In an interview with the New York Times, Trump's former Chief of Staff, John F. Kelly claims the former president said that Hitler did some good things.   US correspondent Sally Patterson told Ryan Bridge the Republican presidential nominee allegedly praised Hitler on other things.   She says that i...

The primary teachers’ union says there are other matters which should come before improvements to the measuring of student performance.   An Auditor-General report says there's a gap in the Ministry of Education's information on student performance before NCEA level.   It recommends better collection of progress reports on primary and intermediate students.  New Zealand Education In...

An ambulance union says the Government's made the right call in increasing funding by 6% for Hato Hone St John.  It's putting an additional $21 million into the ambulance service, increasing the overall funding to nearly $357 million.  Ambulance Association Secretary Mark Quin told Ryan Bridge that it hasn’t resolved the issues of pay parity, but it’s more than they were offered previous...

A bit of life is coming back into the property market, but investors think the best is yet to come.   The CoreLogic October Housing report has found almost a quarter of the properties bought were by people who own multiple properties.   The Property Investors Federation says there should be a pickup mid next year as mortgage rates continue to fall.   Advocacy Director Matt Ball told...

Yesterday, a driver and fellow passengers all witnessed a stabbing take place, and the person died.  This is 2:30 in the afternoon on a bus in suburban Auckland, and someone is allegedly stabbed to death.  There's been beatings of passengers and drivers, I don't have to explain this, you've seen the headlines. The problem of driver safety seems to only be getting worse.  I was walki...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 24th of October, the Auditor General has told the Ministry of Education to get a better handle on inequality in our school children. NZEI President Mark Potter reacts to the report.  Property investors could be the ones to watch in the new year as interest rates continue to drop. Matt Ball from the Property Investors Federat...

Retailers appear hopeful their sales numbers will turn around.  Retail NZ's quarterly survey finds 65% of retailers feel confident or very confident their business will survive the next 12 months.  It finds 57% expect to meet or exceed their targets for the final quarter, even after 70% failed to meet their last sales targets.  General Manager of Normanby Fine Wines, Liz Wheadon tol...