Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

People appear to be getting a better handle on their financial situations.   The latest Centrix figures for July show overall the number of people behind on their payments fell month-on-month by nine thousand to 456 thousand.   Chief Operating Officer Monika Lacey says there's also positive signs when it comes to those who are several months behind.   She says that number is decreasing too, which...

A tiger handler remains in hospital after being attacked by a tiger at Dreamworld on Australia's Gold Coast.   Investigations are underway after the trained handler was set upon by one of the theme park's nine Sumatran and Bengal tigers yesterday morning.   It follows a fatal tiger attack on a keeper at Hamilton Zoo in 2015.   Correspondent Lesley Yeomans told Ryan Bridge the attack seemed to come...

The country could be driving towards a need for cross party agreement on transport.   The Government's National Land Transport Plan will see almost $33 billion pumped into roading, public transport, and maintenance.   Employers and Manufacturers Association head of advocacy Alan McDonald told Ryan Bridge there should be a broad agreement on what the main priorities are.   He says that's critical i...

Health New Zealand is the country's largest organisation by far, it employs more than 80,000 people.   Roughly the same number of teachers are employed by state schools in our education system, and these numbers dwarf any private enterprise that's currently operating here.   Fletcher buildings has about 18,000 staff, Woolworths about 18,000, Fonterra about 16,000, the Warehouse in New Zealand, Kma...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 3rd September 2024, the Government has allocated $32.9 billion dollars in transport funding over the next 3 years. How could it improve our roading network and the economy? Alan McDonald from the Employers and Manufacturers Association speaks to Ryan.   Nine out of ten general practices say they are looking at raising their prices...

As we squabble over toast for new mums in hospitals and funding for street dance performers in Auckland, we are penny pinching a lot lately, aren't we? We're bickering about all sorts of things, should nurses be getting the free toast in the smoko room if they're doing a night shift? The insignificance of all of these debates is being laid bare this morning. There's an article in the Herald, it's...

Officials are being told to take a clear look at the financial impact of our ageing population. Outgoing Treasury boss Dr Caralee McLiesh [Cara lee Mick Leesh] has made it clear there's a need for a Capital Gains Tax and superannuation changes, as her five-year term comes to an end. She says with an ageing population, an increasing share of government transfers are going to the wealthy. Independen...

The final moments of the deadly sinking of the superyacht Bayesian have been revealed by crew members. New Zealand-born captain James Cutfield is being investigated for possible manslaughter, after seven people died in the disaster. Ship engineer, Tim Parker Eaton, and watchman Matthew Griffiths are also under investigation. Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge everyone was thrown into...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday the 2nd if September 2024. The outgoing Treasury Chief Executive has called for a capital gains tax and rise to the retirement age to stop future budget deficits. Could it work? Tax expert Geof Nightingale joins the show. Lambing season is underway and our red meat exports are down 2% from last year. What does it mean for the indus...

It’s a big weekend for the All Blacks as they’re set to face South Africa at one of the toughest rugby venues.   They’re playing the Springboks in the Rugby Championship early Sunday morning.   Former Springbok and Rugby Commentator Kevin Putt told Ryan Bridge that the All Blacks will be walking into a really confrontational, hostile place, but that’s the reason they play the game.   He said there...

Roading advocates say a sudden shift to widespread user charges would be relatively straightforward.  Petrol cars could be hit with road user charges from 2027 under the Government's Revenue Action Plan.   It's also exploring tolling for all new roads, including the Roads of National Significance.   Auckland's Rodney Local Board member and roading campaigner Geoff Upson told Ryan Bridge it's a tri...

Hawke's Bay Regional Council is rethinking its policies after facing backlash for allowing patched gang members into a meeting.   Images were posted online with the patched members after the council voted to retain Māori wards.   Ministers David Seymour and Simeon Brown are frustrated it isn't the forcing the new patch ban.   The council's chair, Hinewai Ormsby, told Ryan Bridge it was the first t...

I've got an amazing wonder drug to tell you about New Zealand, and it saved me in the last couple of weeks.   People are talking about it from top of the country to the bottom and it's not Ozempic.   No, I'm not taking Ozempic, though, I wouldn't mind trying it. I think a lot of people are curious.   David Seymour made this drug a priority. Yes, I'm talking about pseudoephedrine.   I felt sick, I...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 29th of August, the Government says all vehicles could face road user charges as soon as 2027 to help pay for more transport infrastructure. Rodney Local Board Member and Road Safety Campaigner Geoff Upson joins the show.   Hawke's Bay Regional Council are under fire for letting patched gang members attend their vote on Māori wards...

Kamala Harris has finally agreed to her first interview.   The Democratic nominee has agreed to an interview on CNN alongside her running mate Tim Walz.   The interview is set to air at 9pm eastern time, or 1pm Friday afternoon in New Zealand.   US Correspondent Mitch McCann told Ryan Bridge that Donald Trump has released a press release containing potential questions for Harris to asked.   Some q...

There's optimism from the sector over the prospect of more effective infrastructure development.   The Infrastructure Minister's launching a National Infrastructure Agency from December to manage funding and proposals and facilitate private investment.   Infrastructure New Zealand says the current system is complex, time-consuming and expensive.    Chief Executive Nick Leggett told Ryan Bridge tha...

A reassurance that students failing new NCEA pre-requisite tests will still have options to get their qualifications.   Less than half of the 55 thousand students who passed the tests passed numeracy, with 59% passing reading, and 56% passing writing.   Students must pass all three tests to start receiving NCEA qualifications.   PPTA President Chris Abercrombie told Ryan Bridge there's no real tim...

There are hopes a revamp of emergency service communication will streamline responses.   Five hundred radio towers and 15 thousand units for first responders are being switched out to make way for a new digital, and encrypted, radio communication system.   Politicians and experts say the current analogue system is deteriorating and needs to be replaced.   Next Generation Critical Communications Di...

At the Auckland High Court this morning at 10am, Darleen Tana will be seeking an interim injunction.   It's been sought to stop the Greens from meeting to try and waka jump her, and that meeting is meant to go ahead this weekend. There's also going to be a judicial review.   The saga continues, and we all know why this is happening, don't we?   Because her husband's business is in the hole. The cr...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 29th of August, the Government has a new plan for national infrastructure, could it stop political interference from stopping major projects? Infrastructure NZ's Nick Leggett speaks to Ryan.   The rollout of a new radio network for our emergency services has started. How is the $1.4 billion dollar project tracking? Director of Ne...

BNZ is picking our house prices to rise after the new year.   They forecast an increase of 7% over 2025, following a flat 2024.   Brad Olsen, Infometrics Chief Economist, told Ryan Bridge that while 7% is a little bit higher than what most expect at the moment, everything is quite uncertain.   He said that we’ve got a little bit to get through in 2024 before we get too close to understanding 2025....

There’s another option that could help us fill the gaps in the energy crisis: solid biofuel.   It makes use of forestry slash, burning it to generate heat and electricity as a cheaper alternative to gas.   New Zealand exports around 20 million tonnes of wood per year, and we would only need to divert around 30% of those export logs to decarbonise every industrial gas and coal boiler in the country...

There’s pressure from the Police union to speed up the process to seize gang assets.   In a major win for authorities, the High Court released a decision yesterday ruling the Head Hunters must forfeit $15 million in assets, including its Mount Wellington gang pad.   It follows a decade of investigation and court processes.   Police Association President Chris Cahill told Ryan Bridge it shouldn't t...

Awful for the family to see – this is the people who were filming that tragic fatal accident on the southern motorway.   The news media will cover it, they will film it go out to a story. They will film if the bodies in the accident, they will film the accident aftermath, but they would not show it to the audience.   Here we have social media, everyone's got a camera, it's the new word of mouth. Y...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 28th of August, a win for police in the gang crackdown. A court has ruled they can take assets and property from the Head Hunters worth almost $15 million. Police Association President Chris Cahill speaks to Ryan about what the decision means.   Could solid biofuels be an alternative to gas and help out our struggling energy sup...