Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 26th of July, the Olympics opening ceremony is just about here - Ryan speaks to kiwi tennis star Erin Routliffe.   Beef and Lamb are up in arms about our water sediment targets - what's the solution?   Opposition parties have united against the early childhood sector review - Ryan speaks to Associate Education Minister David Seymou...

Kiwi Esports athletes will be heading to Saudi Arabia next year to compete in the first-ever Olympic Esports games.   The International Olympic Committee voted unanimously for Saudi Arabia to host the Games in 2025 reflecting the growth in popularity of competitive gaming.   The decision comes as Riyadh hosts the Esports World Cup – a two-month event drawing 2,500 gamers competing for NZ$100 milli...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 25th of July, the abuse in care Royal Commission report is out - what action will the government take on the 138 recommendations? A call for an end to raised crossings in Wellington - Transporting New Zealand speaks to Ryan. The Kiwi E-Sports team are heading to Saudi Arabia next year for the first Olympic competition. They're cu...

Shock horror and online hate this week for that American who came here, the reality TV show contestant, who came here and murdered one of our native birds and then ate it.   It was a Weka that he killed and ate.   I have a confession for you: I too have killed and eaten a Weka.   Yes.   But it was buff wicker on the Chatham Islands, and you're allowed to. It's the only place you can do it in New Z...

The Government is preparing its response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care report after its release yesterday.   It found about 200,000 were abused from the 655,000 in care between 1950 and 2019.   There are 138 recommendations which include looking at allowing compensation claims through court, and an apology from the Government and religious organisations.   Newstalk ZB Political Editor...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken to the US Congress in Washington DC, amid waning support for Israel in its war in Gaza. Netanyahu was invited to speak by US House Speaker Mike Johnson, where he will also meet with President Joe Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump. But US correspondent Mitch McCann says at least 30 Democratic lawmakers didn't...

Transport organisations are raising concerns about proposed raised crossings on Wellington's Thorndon Quay.   Wellington City Council is planning five raised signalised crossings along a 1.7 kilometre stretch of the central city road.   Freight lobby group Transporting New Zealand has joined forces with Fire and Emergency, the AA, New Zealand Heavy Haulage, and the Bus and Coach Association in cal...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday the 24th of July. The abuse in state care Royal Commission report is out today, Ryan speaks with a survivor. The Commerce Commission says Kiwis are paying to much is card payment surcharges - what does Retail NZ want to see change? Northland's four lane highway is set to be fast tracked by the Government. Northchamber speaks to...

An Islamic preacher in the UK has been found guilty of directing and supporting terror group al-Muhajiroun. The group has been linked to different acts of terror in the UK, including attacks on Westminster and London Bridges in 2017, which killed five and eight people respectively, and an attack at London's Fishmongers' Hall in 2019. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says preacher Anjem Choudary now fac...

Excitement in Northland, as the Transport Minister gives the green light to a prioritised regional expressway. Simeon Brown's agreed to accelerate delivery — letting NZTA move at pace on the route between Auckland and Whangarei. Locals have been growing irritated following repetitive road closures on the Brynderwyns. Northland Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Darryn Fisher told Ryan Bridge the...

The press conference yesterday for Health New Zealand - Boy, Oh boy, what a doozy. So they've appointed Lester Levy as the commissioner, the CEO Margie Apa was there alongside him. She's been in the job two years, that's how long the organisation's been set up for. They're overspending $130 million a month. We know that — that can be nothing more than mismanagement if you take Levy's word for it....

The head of Retail NZ has stopped short of saying consumers are being ripped off by fees for PayWave and online card payments. The Commerce Commission's consulting on fee capping regulation that could save Kiwis $250 million a year. Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young told Ryan Bridge fees passed to consumers are not always as accurately reflected as they could be, but that's not necessarily t...

The final report into the inquiry in abuse in care and faith-based institutions will be tabled in Parliament later today. A Royal Commission of Inquiry has been conducting hearings for almost six years - about people's experiences in the system from 1950 to 1999. The Prime Minister is due to make a formal public apology in November. Abuse in care survivor Karl Tauri told Ryan Bridge the most impor...

An election analyst says Kamala Harris' nomination is probably a done deal.   The process will be formally open for challengers, and none of the delegates at the Democratic National Convention are required to vote for her.   Election analyst Henry Olsen told Ryan Bridge it's likely any possible contenders would be feeling it's not worth taking on Kamala Harris.   He says some could privately think...

Maritime experts are still cautious after a report into KiwiRail.   Interislander ferries have been deemed safe and well maintained, and will stick around for years to come.   Aratere ran aground last month when the autopilot was mistakenly turned on according to a leaked document.        Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Carl Findlay says workers are still anxious because of histor...

Some health workers say they want the priority to be the workforce rather than the budget.   The Health New Zealand board has been sacked and replaced with a commissioner - Lester Levy.   Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the agency is overspending by $130 million a month.   Resident Doctors' Association National Secretary Deborah Powell told Ryan Bridge it is underfunded.   She says the money th...

In the Herald this morning, the boss of traffic management firm Traffix laid into the Transport Minister, saying he and Wayne Brown don't understand how the industry works.   He says they don't charge per road cone for work, but rather per worker and truck.   He says the public's abusing his staff on site because of misinformation being spread.   The problem here is an independent report, which we...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 23rd of July, Joe Biden is no longer seeking re-election and has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the top job. U.S. election analyst Henry Olsen joins Ryan from the States to provide his thoughts.   Health NZ's board has been scrapped by the Government, replaced by a commissioner for the next year. Ryan speaks to the Resi...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday the 22nd of July, the fallout continues from the global CrowdStrike IT outage. Ryan speaks to a tech expert on the continued fallout.  Tauranga has elected it's first council after four years of commissioners. The local Business Chamber talks to Ryan about what they want to see. Andrew Alderson wraps the weekend's sport stories - i...

An IT expert believes there'll be a flurry of lawsuits on the back of Friday's global IT outage.   Microsoft estimated 8.5 million computers were disabled with a blue screen of death, and experts predict it'll be weeks before all systems fully recover.   It is believed the outage was triggered by an update from global cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.   IT expert Danu Abeysuirya told Ryan Bridge...

German police have reportedly foiled a planned terror attack just hours before last week's UEFA Euro 2024 final in Berlin. Three suspects were reportedly detained during a series of raids of addresses in nearby Potsdam, after they were taking pictures of a fanzone and a church. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says the suspects were known ISIS supporters. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

Oscar Piastri has become the fifth Australian to win a Formula 1 race, after his victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix. But the triumph didn't come without controversy, with McLaren teammate Lando Norris forced to give the victory to his teammate. Newstalk ZB sports reader Andrew Alderson joined Ryan Bridge to discuss further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamish Kerr - you might recall the name.   He's a high jumper, winning gold at the Commonwealth Games, but so far no Olympic medal.   He's apparently looking very good for Paris - the opening ceremony kicks off this Saturday morning.   I'm getting quite excited about it.   So Kerr is peaking at just the right time - he's just taken out the men’s high jump title at the London Diamond League Athleti...

Concern in Tauranga about the city election's low voter turnout.   Olympic rower Mahe Drysdale has an almost 6000 vote lead in the mayoral race, with just the specials left to count.   Voter turnout's shaping up to be one of the city's lowest in a decade, with around 30 percent of residents casting their vote.   Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive Matt Cowley told Ryan Bridge the process is...

European leaders met in Britain for the 4th meeting of the European political community. The meeting hopes to unite Europe in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war, beyond just the nations in the EU and NATO. UK correspondent Vincent McAviney told Ryan Bridge that newly elected UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, used this is as a chance to reset the country's relationship with the EU. He says this...