Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

A Wellington City Councillor hopes a Crown Observer will help the city put more support towards water infrastructure.  Preparations are under way for a Crown Observer, announced by Local Government Minister Simeon Brown in a bid to help the council's 10 Year Budget.  The city's seeking cuts after reversing plans to sell its airport shares.  Wellington City Councillor Tony Randle tol...

Nothing is ever good enough for some people, is it?  You've got a centre-right government committing hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money to feed kids in schools, and they've managed to free up $130 million in savings in the process, and still, it's not good enough for some.  The Health Coalition Aotearoa, they're not happy, some dieticians say it's not nutritious enough.&nb...

A principal's sceptical about the Government's ambitious school lunch budget.  The Government says it's saving $130 million a year by reducing the cost per meal from $8 to $3.  Schools preparing meals internally will get $4 a student to keep hiring people to prepare food.  Greymouth High School principal Samantha Mortimer told Ryan Bridge that hungry children will eat anything, but...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 23rd of October, a Crown Observer is set to step in at Wellington City Council following mismanaged finances and big changes proposed for the city's Long Term plan. Councillor Tony Randle speaks to Ryan about what it means.  David Seymour has unveiled the Government’s new school lunch programme, with meals coming in at just...

Labour's calling on the Māori Development Minister to keep the Ihumātao deal as it stands. Documents seen by Newstalk ZB show that Tama Potaka is considering dissolving the committee dealing with the land. It was bought in 2020 with a promise to put Māori housing in the area, putting an end to ongoing protests. Māori Development Minister under Labour, Willie Jackson, told Ryan Bridge the Governmen...

A criminal defence lawyer believes locking people up for longer won't necessarily make communities safer. Thousands more offenders are likely to be captured under the Three Strikes rule, following changes by Cabinet to toughen up the new regime. It's lowering the threshold for a first strike warning from 24 months imprisonment to 12 months. Roderick Mulgan told Ryan Bridge offending is complicated...

A Three Strikes update for you this morning: the Government's basically lowering the threshold you have to meet in order to be hit with the new Three Strikes law.  Originally for the law to kick in, for you to get a strike, you had to commit a crime with a prison sentence of 24 months or more, and it was the same for each of the Three Strikes.  Now, it's being lowered to just 12 months f...

An upgrade to a key Hawke's Bay road is expected to bolster the region.   The Hawke's Bay Expressway, which carries 29,000 vehicles a day, is being widened from two lanes to four.   The Government says starting work on the Road of National Significance early will bring construction forward 12-to-15 months.   Employers and Manufacturers Association Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald told...

Australian politicians from both sides have denounced Independent indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe's expletive-laden outburst at King Charles' reception in Canberra.   Thorpe, a Senator for Victoria, began yelling as the King's speech ended and claimed he'd committed genocide against her people.   She says the King destroyed her land, and the country wants a treaty.   Australia corre...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday 22nd of October, the Government is toughening the three strikes law to catch more offenders. Criminal Defence Lawyer Roderick Mulgan speaks to Ryan about what it means.  Tama Potaka has warned the group tasked with deciding the future of Ihumatao to come up with a solution or be shown the door. Labour's Willie Jackson was the...

Couple of stories in the news today, one of them and I'll just read you the first line from this story. "Ministry of Social Development officials warned their minister that using payment cards as a sanction for beneficiaries can be stigmatising and open to exploitation." What? So either the poor things will stigmatise them, will tarnish their good reputations or those bludgers that will just explo...

New Zealand have held their nerve to record one of their best wins in almost 95 years of test cricket. The loss of their skipper from the second ball of the fifth day didn’t worry the tourists, nor the probing of a fearsome Indian attack buoyed by a frenzied atmosphere in Bengaluru. Instead, two players with a combined 25 tests’ experience coolly and methodically worked their way towards a 107-run...

The meat processing sector is being encouraged to evolve to ensure it captures future demand. Alliance Group's confirmed Timaru's Smithfield meatworks will shut by the year's end due to declining sheep numbers – cutting up to 600 positions. BusinessDesk reports rival Silver Fern Farms wants to be constructively involved as Alliance works through a capital raise. Chief Executive Dan Boulton told Ry...

The voice of the America's Cup says returning the event to New Zealand shores will deliver more than just sailing. Previous editions have all been held in Auckland, but Mayor Wayne Brown says the hosting decision is in the hands of Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton. Brown says he'd welcome it back, but has concerns over its cost. Sailing commentator Peter Montgomery told Ryan Bridge people aren't...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday the 21st of October. Team New Zealand have made history in Barcelona, winning the America's Cup for the third time in a row. But where to now for the auld mug? Sailing Commentator Peter Montgomery speaks to Ryan about the win. A huge loss for Timaru with the Alliance Smithfield meatworks set to close by the end of the year - will S...

Pilot shortages in the aviation sector has some sounding the alarm, concerned that flights could be grounded in four years.  There are calls for the Government to intervene, to encourage more young people to pursue the profession.  Ardmore Flying School Chief Executive Irene King told Ryan Bridge the financial strains are to blame, with their income not keeping up with costs.  She s...

Judith Collins says race shouldn't be a factor in prosecution decisions.  Solicitor-General Una Jagose KC has been under fire after advising prosecutors to "think carefully about particular decisions... where a person is Māori".  Collins —in her capacity as Attorney-General— is refusing to endorse the directive.  She told Ryan Bridge all prosecution decisions should be carefully tho...

Green Party delegates have voted to ask Speaker Gerry Brownlee to remove the now independent Darleen Tana from parliament.   It's now down to Brownlee to decide if Tana's resignation from the party —but not Parliament— affects the proportionality of the House.   Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls told Ryan Bridge the party was previously against the legislation even being in place....

The family of former One Direction star Liam Payne have broken their silence following his death.   The 31-year-old has died after a fall at a hotel in Buenos Aires.  He's famous for his role in One Direction, the boy band being one of the bestselling groups of all time between their formation in 2010 and their indefinite hiatus in 2016.   UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Ryan...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 18th of October, the Green Party has voted to invoke the waka jumping legislation against former party, now independent, MP Darleen Tana. Political Editor Jason Walls has the latest on what comes next.  The NATO Defence Ministers meeting is underway in Brussels amid ongoing global tension, and Defence Minister Judith Collins s...

Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup lead has been halved.  Ineos Britannia claimed the wins for races five and six, leaving the score at 4-2.  ZB Sport Journalist Adam Cooper told Ryan Bridge that it’s more exciting than it is concerning for Team NZ.  He said that the wins were the result of two mistakes from the Kiwis, and although people are fearful of a shock loss, at the most part...

Inflation is expected to keep easing in the months to come.  Overall inflation is back within the target range at 2.2% due to falling prices for imports like petrol and diesel.  Domestically-driven non-tradeable inflation remains much higher at 4.9%, due to a sharp rise in rents, council rates and insurance premiums.  ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Ryan Bridge that inflation...

A timely reminder, an important one too, for me last night. I'm in Wellington, flew into the schmozzle storm yesterday for an event.  It's easily one of the most beautiful cities in New Zealand, is it not? Can we all agree on that? With the hills jutting out of the harbour, all of the bush surrounding it.  It is stunning and the weather was good, so that helped.  It was absolutely b...

The Minister in charge says ACC needs to lift its game.   The government agency has reported a $7.2 billion deficit, just a year after posting an almost $1 billion surplus.   It says the cost of services and compensation rose 16% over the year.   It's proposing to hike levies for vehicle owners, workers, and business owners.   Minister Matt Doocey told Ryan Bridge he doesn't ex...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 17th of October, ACC has recorded a $7.2 billion dollar deficit just a year after a $911 million surplus. How has it become this bad, and what does it mean for the levies we all pay? ACC Minister Matt Doocey discusses.  Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau is set to meet with the local government Minister today following the threat...