Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Police in the Netherlands fear an explosion at a block of flats which has left 5 dead and 4 injured in the Hague, may have been started deliberately. UK authorities urged people to stay at home over the weekend after a vicious stormswept the country. 150 km/h were recorded on Saturday and again early Sunday morning. UK and Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey joins Early Edition. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Devin Conway has gone from developing into one of the best players in the world, to looking completely shot of confidence, Elliott Smith says.  Liam Lawson's contract has come to an end, has he done enough to secure his place?  Elliott Smith joins Early Edition to discuss.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Green Party says the National government is not on track to achieving current emissions targets.  Green Party MP Steve Abel joins Early Edition to talk about the party's emissions reduction plan.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast for Monday 9th December 2024. Big developments in Syria have seen rebel forces take over the capital. Otago University Middle East Expert Dr Leon Goldsmith joins the show. The Greens have released their emissions reduction plan - will it ever be put in place? Party MP Steve Abel has the details. Not a great day for Liam Lawson on the race track as a decision on his furure looms and Tom Blundell hits a ton despite the Black Caps loosing - Elliott Smith has your weekend sport wrap. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cabinet today, and the promise this week is that we're going to get a ferry plan.  Apparently there might be an announcement on Wednesday.  It's been a year since Nicola Willis pulled the plug on the Kiwirail's ferry plan and it wasn't because the ferries were so expensive, in fact, these ferries were a really good deal. It was because of the cost of the port side developments.  And I think this is something that gets lost in the whole debate when we talk about it.  The ships weren't the problem. The misconception is that the cost was blowing out because the ferries were bigger than our previous fleet.  So the biggest factor in the cost blowout was the relocation and the rebuilding of both the Kiwirail and Bluebridge ferries to get them out of an earthquake zone.  There was also the need for the new port to have considerable earthquake strengthening.  Look where the Wellington port is and how far away it is from the main fault line. You need to earthquake strengthen this. Our ports at the moment fall down, and they did last what time during Kaikoura.  So there's a need for a considerable earthquake strengthening. Kiwirail also wanted a gold plated ferry terminal which would last long term so that you walk into it and it's like, wow, this is amazing.  And then finally on top of that, the ports needed to be a bit longer.  So, from what I've heard so far, it seems as though the government will pick up some second-hand boats which actually have more life after them than before them, but that's what happens when you pick up a second-hand boat.  But that's not really an issue unless of course, unless they start falling apart as soon as we get them.  So when we look at this plan that comes out this week, we need to be looking at the port rather than the boats.  Will it be relocated? Will it be strong enough to bear up to the inevitable earthquake? Will the terminal be comfy or will the terminal be a chilly shed? And how much do you want to spend on this? Kiwirail was arrogant thinking that the government would provide them with their billions on their say so a blank check. The government wasn't wrong to say tally ho. But the government now has to prove that their plan is not just a second hand option that will continue to provide headaches in the years to come, because the indisputable fact is we are a country that's mostly spread over two islands with 26 miles of very treacherous water between them.  And so the infrastructure that connects the two of us together is absolutely 100% critical.  So let's see what this plan is coming out on Wednesday, we hope. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Black Caps coach Mike Hesson is confident with New Zealand's decision to go with a four-prong pace attack in this morning's second cricket test against England in Wellington.  The hosts have left frontline spinner Mitchell Santner out of the starting eleven after assessing the Basin Reserve pitch.  ZB Cricket Correspondent Andrew Alderson joined Ryan Bridge to preview the first day of the test.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A better end to the year than expected for the dairy sector.  Fonterra has raised its forecast Farmgate Milk Price's midpoint for the second time in less than a month.  It's up 50 cents to $10 dollars, citing strong demand from China and south-east Asia.  Forsyth Barr Senior Analyst Matt Montgomerie told Ryan Bridge that demand from China has been sluggish for some time, so it’s pleasing to see they’re returning in some way.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French President Emmanuel Macron is due to address his nation this morning following yesterday's ousting of Prime Minister Michel Barnier.  Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Ryan Bridge that Macron's future is increasingly uncertain.  He says Macron doesn't have a Prime Minister or a government and can't hold fresh elections until the middle of next year.  Barnier is staying on as acting PM, including for this weekend's reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a warning from the Police Association that the wait for more cops will hurt the force.  The Government wants 500 more cops by the end of next year.  But new commissioner Richard Chambers says to ensure proper training, June 2026 is more likely.  Association President Chris Cahill told Ryan Bridge the delayed timeline will have an effect.  He says they are already moving staff across different roles, leaving some jobs undone.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 6 December. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So it looks like looks like police will miss the deadline of adding 500 extra sworn officers by 2026. What we were promised should take two years. Now the new Police Commissioner, when fronting scrutiny week in parliament, he said it will take 2.5 years.  So an extra six months - will anyone really care? Probably not. Should we care?  When there are more bad guys out there doing bad things, we should always care about how many good guys and girls we have out there countering that.  But on this particular point of missing a target by 180 odd days, not really. Why? One - the target was always described as highly ambitious and that should be a clue from a politician.  Two - they may still make the deadline. That has not been discounted at this point and they are working hard to do that.  Three - it was only a target because it was included in the coalition agreement with New Zealand First.  And clearly, if you follow the public comments of Mark Mitchell through the past year, even National has been sceptical about the timing of it.  Most importantly, not hitting 500 by November next year doesn't mean that we'll have zero extra cops on the beat by that date. It means we'll probably have a few hundred extra with more coming in mid 2026.  The most reassuring thing about this whole debacle were the words from the new Commissioner Richard Chambers who said we are not going to compromise.  So if it takes us a little bit of time to produce the best quality offices, then we'll take that.  And he's right, because we need 500 good cops. 500 great cops. 500 excellent cops, well trained and well resourced.  Not 500 average cops. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Green Party's concerned beneficiaries will be slapped with massive debt due to the Ministry of Social Development's mistakes.  MSD's revealed nearly 1-in-4 benefit entitlements aren't being processed correctly.  It's cited complexity of cases, systems challenges and weakness within its internal capability, and says accuracy's been declining for three or four years.   Greens Social Development spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March told Ryan Bridge MSD hasn't confirmed it won't order thousands of dollars from those it's overpaid.   He says that would push people further down the poverty line and into more hardship as they try to repay it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The manhunt continues for a gunman after a top US executive was fatally shot in the back in New York's Manhattan.   The victim is 50 year old UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson.   Police say it was a brazen, targeted attack carried out by someone who was proficient with firearms.   US Correspondent Kate Fisher told Ryan Bridge that authorities are telling people not to panic.   She says Mayor Eric Adams is assuring people they're safe to go about their business.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More international students are keen on studying in New Zealand.  Data shows the number of international students has grown by 6% since last year.  Universities are still at a pre-pandemic capacity, despite the growth in the sector this year.  Education New Zealand General Manager Geoff Bilbrough told Ryan Bridge that countries like Canada and Australia putting caps on foreign students will benefit our sector.  He says some of the interest in New Zealand is at the expense of Australia.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday the 5th of December. Nearly one in four beneficaries are being paid incorrectly when the target is 95% correct payment. What is the Ministry for Social Development doing wrong and how can it be fixed? Green Party Social Development Spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March joins the show. The government is looking at advice on our biogenic methane as they look to set new targets next year. Associate Minister for Agriculture Andrew Hoggard speaks to Ryan about what it means for the sector. More international students are attending our universities, but how do the numbers compare to pre-covid levels? Education NZ's Geoff Bilbrough has the details.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A  government appointed scientific panel has found that by reducing our methane emissions to 24% by 2050 we would meet the goal of not seeing additional warming above 2017 levels. But the climate change commission has warned there's no evidence to support changing the existing target of up to 47 percent.  Associate Minister for Agriculture Andrew Hoggard says the government will work with the sector when looking at any changes to local regulations and targets. "New Zealand farmers are some of the world’s most carbon efficient food producers. We can meet our obligations through innovation and technology,” The government is now going over the panel's advice to decide on a new target next year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That's basically the question you've got to ask yourself after the latest wool snub. This time it was Kāinga Ora saying no to Kiwi made woollen carpet for state houses, and yes to synthetic imported stuff.  Why? It's cheaper. We've been here before, you'll remember the school classrooms - same story. It's happened again despite the coalition agreement deal with New Zealand First ensuring wool carped is used where practical - and that might be the caveat that Kāinga Ora is using here to get out of wool, the deal says that the local product has to be used in government procurement and in government buildings.  But Kāinga Ora, like a good kid in class, has been listening to the government's main lecture which is cut costs.  Wool is 30% more expensive on average than the nylon equivalent.  But the industry says a deal with Kāinga Ora could revitalise a flailing product and its fortune.  So we have a clash of competing priorities, cost versus localism.  The answer to the question posed at the start of this is another question - what is the net benefit to New Zealand's economy as a whole of government buying wool carpet when you include the jobs that you would create, including the spending that you would encourage and the increased cost of wool on the taxpayer? That surely is how you find the number that you would base a decision on whether to use a New Zealand made product over a synthetic imported equivalent. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Black Sevu Reece has avoided conviction a second time after damaging a Christchurch property.  The 27-year-old crashed a car into a garage door after being asked to leave a post-Cup Day party last year.  The Crusader's been discharged without conviction after admitting a reduced charge of wilful damage.  In 2018, Reece was granted a discharge for assaulting his then-partner.  Rugby Commentator Tony Johnson told Ryan Bridge that being well-paid to play sport is a privilege.  He says a responsibility comes with that, and twice now, he's fallen below the line.  Johnson says he'll have to stay true to his commitment to stay away from alcohol.  He says it's already cost him one job overseas, so another repeat could have major impacts for Reece in the game.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hopes a shakeup at Auckland Transport will bring more democratic decisions.   The council will now take control of transport policy and planning, as well as road control.   A new Auckland Regional Transport Committee will be created to develop a 30-year transport plan – agreed to by Cabinet and the council.   Howick Local board Chair Damian Light told Ryan Bridge it could mean locations for controversial infrastructure like cycleways and pedestrian crossings are more carefully chosen.  He says it could mean they only end up in areas where people want them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former Health New Zealand chair says a lot of the estimate issues we're seeing carry over from the DHBs.   The health service has reported a $1.1 billion deficit – lower than the $1.76 billion it was initially signalling.   The revised deficit was revealed at yesterday's review of the Ministry of Health, and has prompted backlash from opposition MPs.   Former Chair Rob Campbell told Ryan Bridge that Health New Zealand's trying to pull together figures from the previous system.   He says the main people in control have been the Ministry of Health and Treasury, which haven't had any changes made to them in this respect.  Campbell says that Health New Zealand, the Commissioner, and whoever's involved in its organisation, can't staff-cut and staff-restrict costs to make this better.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 4 December. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's a question for you this morning - How much will ever be enough to spend on health?  The answer is there will never be enough, so you got to make do with what you got.  At least that is what Health New Zealand is trying to do.  At the moment, we spend $30 billion bucks a year, that's just taxpayer money on health. It is middle of the road for the OECD in terms of percentage of GDP comparisons.  According to Health New Zealand we're ahead of the likes of the UK, Canada and Sweden, but we're behind France, Switzerland and Germany.  I mean, really, what does all this mean?  Whether that spending is any good or not is another matter. Ask a hundred people about their experience in the health system and you'll get 100 different answers.  One answer though, that we should be getting a bit more right, is exactly how much we're spending or planning to spend on health because how can you know what you're doing unless you know what you're spending and on what? Health New Zealand revised down its deficit for 24/25 from $1.7 billion to $1.1.  What does that mean? It means as recently as October, they told us they'd need $500 million more dollars to run the health system than they did yesterday.  That's half a billion bucks difference in less than two months.  Why? They thought they'd have to pay more for redundancy payments and making up for holiday pay.  It seems extraordinary, doesn't it, that you could have such a vast difference in such a short space of time?  How does this keep happening?  It comes after the target surplus for this year, $54 million, somehow morphed into a deficit of $700 million. Shane Reti and Ayesha Verrall are predictably fighting over whose fault this is, as you would expect from politicians.  But if we could be a little clearer on the diagnosis, the dollars and the cents being spent, we'd at least be clearer on exactly what it is we're fighting about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a landmark judgement on a more than 20-year court saga surrounding Māori customary rights to the foreshore and seabed.  The Supreme Court's allowing an Attorney-General appeal against a Court of Appeal judgment, made in October last year.    It's rejected the judgment as a narrow interpretation of criteria for customary marine titles, and reaffirmed the role of tikanga Māori in guiding decisions.   Former Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson told Ryan Bridge it's a significant decision that could nullify the need for the Government's amendment bill.  He says it may have been better to wait for the Supreme Court to deliver its decision before proceeding with legislation.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The nurses’ union is confident today's strike won't negatively impact patients.  Bargaining between the Nurses Organisation and Health New Zealand is deadlocked, with workers opposing changes which would see a reduced number of nurses caring for patients.  They say it risks patient safety and are walking off the job at every Te Whatu Ora facility nationwide between 11am and 7pm today.   Nurses Organisation Chief Executive Paul Goulter told Ryan Bridge it's a necessary move.  He says it's what the nurses want, saying they're exasperated by the bargaining process.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More targeted support is on the way for beneficiaries on the jobseeker benefit, but questions have been raised about punishing people who don't move for jobs. Job losses have been a big problem in regional New Zealand this year, with two big mills closing in the Ruapehu District costing over 200 people their jobs. Mayor Weston Kirton told Ryan Bridge there simply aren't any regional jobs around. "We've got only a limited number of opportunities in our district. We do have one or two businesses that, on a seasonal basis, take people and we traditionally have a high unemployment rate in our area anyway," he said.  "To have 230 jobs taken away from us has a huge impact on our economy". An additional 8000 people went on jobseeker support in the last three months, bringing the total to over 200,000 which is pushing the government's target of bringing that down to fewer than 50,000 by 2030. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday the 3rd of December. More people are joining the jobseeker benefit, making the government's target harder to meet. Could jobseekers who don't move for work face punishment, and what are regions that have had big employers close down seeing? Ruapehu District Mayor Weston Kirton joins the show.  The Supreme Court will allow the Attorney General to appeal a decision on the Foreshore and Seabed made last year - what does it mean? Former Treaty Negations Minister Chris Finlayson speaks to Ryan. 36,000 Te Whatu Ora nurses will go on strike for 8 hours today. NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter on what you need to know. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do Americans keep saying nobody is above the law and then repeatedly showing us some blatantly are.  Biden tweeted during the campaign "nobody is above the law". He said it many times, but he was talking about charges against Trump, of course.  But, on principle, he said the same applies to him and his family - Including his son Hunter.  That brings us back here - He's lost the election and quicker than you can say 'get out of jail free', he's flip-flopped and the convictions are wiped clean.  Now Hunter won't face any jail time or have a criminal record for two separate court cases, some of them involving gun charges. Their constitution allows Presidents to pardon pretty much anyone for federal crimes, except themselves for impeachment.  Trump did it on the way out too.  Obama, both Bushes and FDR hit the record with more than 2000 pardons.  At the same time Biden proves his son is in fact above the law you've got the Department of Justice dropping cases against Trump left, right and centre. Why?  Well, they have a policy of not going after sitting Presidents.  So we have DOJ policy and that pesky written constitution to blame and that's fine, it's their country, not mine.  But aren't you glad we don't mix politics with justice here like they do in the States? When we say nobody's above the law we pretty much mean it. I know some will argue we apply the law unevenly and there are cases to be made, but on political grounds?  This department going after person A because their Labour or Act or whatever - It just doesn't work that like here. The Americans do many things well but the separation of powers doesn't appear to be one of them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Caps have got their summer off on the wrong foot, after losing to England by eight wickets in the first test in Christchurch. Their efforts were marred by a string of fielding errors, with multiple dropped catches in the first innings as England's Harry Brook bagged 171. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson's efforts for last points in Qatar have been unsuccessful after finishing 14th in Lusail - as F1 Drivers Champion-elect Max Verstappen takes out the Grand Prix. Newstalk ZB Sport Wellington reader Adam Cooper joined Ryan Bridge. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British broadcaster Gregg Wallace has stepped back from presenting Masterchef as allegations of sexual comments surface. There's been 13 complaints from staff and celebrity guests over almost two decades – which Wallace denies. The 60-year-old's posted videos online defending himself. Europe Correspondent Kay Oliver told Ryan Bridge he's pointing the finger at middle class women of a certain age. “A question to be answered as to why at this stage, if we’re talking about crisis management, he has gone out and put this online so that now millions of people can see this.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cautious optimism from the meat sector as it braces for the impact of a US presidency change. Donald Trump's campaigned on tariffs of up to 20 percent on all imports, with higher tariffs for imports from China. Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dan Boulton says they're still unsure if New Zealand will actually be affected. He told Ryan Bridge the tariffs will focus on nations which have a trade imbalance with the US. “And I think for us, the US is very, very short on beef at the moment, and they’re going to be relying heavily on us over the next few years.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ex-Labour Party high-flyer is confident Chris Hipkins will continue to lead the party. Labour's conference over the weekend came with a vow not to join security conference AUKUS. The party's also spoken about a potential tax shake-up should it come into power at the next election. Former Labour MP Stuart Nash told Ryan Bridge he has no doubt Chris Hipkins will be leader. “If he wants to be the leader, and I assuming he does, because he’s engaged, he’s passionate.” Wairarapa-based list MP Kieran McAnulty has been announced as Labour's 2026 campaign chair. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday the 2nd of December. Labour has held its annual conference, leader Chris Hipkins says the party won't join AUKUS if reelected in 2026 and will rebuild Dunedin Hospital. Former Labour Minister Stuart Nash talks to Ryan. With Trump tariffs possibly coming next year, what is the red meat sector expecting and how are they preparing as demand for kiwi products continues. Silver Fern Farms Chief Executive Dan Boulton joins the show. The Black Caps have lost against England, the Women's Sevens are playing in the final in Dubai and F1 is on in Qatar with Liam Lawson starting in 10th. Adam Cooper has your weekend sport wrap. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Politics is largely about trust.  When you break it down to its most simple terms, it's about trust.  If you see a bloke or a woman on the telly trying to get your vote, you try and work out what sort of person they are? Do they think like me? Are they smart? Are they thick? Can I trust that they'll make a good decision at an important time? It's a magic thing that takes a lifetime to earn in a second to plunder.  And so as the Labour Party faithful filed in for their annual conference gearing up for another year and then probably another term in opposition, voters won't be thinking about anything to do with politics right now because we're mid cycle.  It's way too early. It's like fretting over a birth before you're even pregnant.  But when they do, they will ask whether they can trust Chippy. Like a sugar daddy Santa he was doling out the cash quicker than you could rake it in at the weekend.  A full price new hospital in Dunedin. How much exactly will it cost? Well, we don't know, but we don't care, they're getting it. Same goes with the rail enabled ferries. Hipkins says he'll make it happen. How are you going to pay for all of that is the question when, as we learned last week, our growth outlooks have been downgraded.  Nicola Willis has hinted that we'll probably be looking at, at pushing the surplus even further out into the future, which makes you wonder whether it's ever even going to happen, no matter who's in government, it's that bad.  So how do you spend all that money, commit to spending all that money, commit to reversing all the cuts that National has made as well and then still balance the books.  It's like wizardry and that's where trust comes into it.  After six years, Labour lost the country's trust on many issues because as many people have said they couldn't deliver a pizza or run a bath. They've been quiet on tax for now, but the remit did pass at the election.  So the question is whether Labour should at this point be promising much in the way of anything to anyone when they've lost so much capital on delivery.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retailers across the country are gearing up for an influx of customers keen to get their hands on some Black Friday sales. First Retal Group managing director Chris Wilkinson tells Ryan Bridge that the best deals are the reoccurring ones.   “It’s the likes of the Dysons that drop massively at this time of year.”   Wilkinson added the week ahead and beyond Black Friday make a difference for the sales made leading into Christmas. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s more sanctions from New Zealand for those involved in Russia's war with Ukraine.  Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced sanctions targeting those linked to supplying chemical weapons, ballistic missiles, and drones for Russia.  He says concern is growing about illegal Russian and North Korean naval activity.  Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Ryan Bridge it comes as Russia has launched another major drone attack on Ukraine's power grid and warned of more attacks on the way.  He says that around a million people have been left without power, as Russia aims to make this winter as difficult as possible for Ukraine.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public transport leaders say increasing fares is counter productive.   NZTA's ordering councils take a higher revenue share from users and agree to new targets by December 19.   As an example, the move would mean a Wellington commuter currently spending $10 on buses a day would have to spend $17.  Greater Wellington Regional Council Chair Darran Ponter told Ryan Bridge the amount coming from users has slipped, but there needs to be a compromise.   He says this has a lot to do with the Covid-19 period and operators trying to get people back onto buses.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief an apology is due over some Government measures undertaken during our pandemic response.  Phase One of the Royal Commission Inquiry has delivered 39 recommendations.   It highlights that Government messaging was initially effective but became more challenging as objectives shifted.  It notes some vaccine requirements were too broad and continued too long.  Trust Litigation and Relationship Property Lawyer Lady Deborah Chambers told Ryan Bridge people who lost their jobs due to mandates remain angry.  She says there's a large group of people who remain hurt, which negatively impacts our social cohesion.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Covid phase one report – the verdict is in, and it's pretty much ‘guilty your honour’.   Fine to begin with, and then they as the single podium of truth basically went too far, for too long. Tell us something we don't know.   Trust in our institutions as shot, media took a hammering —and rightly so in some cases— Labour supporters and hysterical scientists and other groups went full militant.   I never spoke about the messages I got from some of them during my interviews, challenging old Jacinda Ardern during that period, especially those outside of Auckland during the lockdown to end all lockdowns. They were threats of beatings on my social media, loads of homophobia, I was killing people with my questions, there was hate, there was vitriol.   Now I'm not complaining about this, this is part of my job. But it just shows how wacko everyone got. Which is not to say the anti-mandate lot were angels either, but what we, the public were fed was a meal from only one of the two menus.   Then there was the MIQ cruelty – you will never get another opportunity to kiss a loved one goodbye. Never. I watched Hipkins in his media stand up yesterday with the usual half mere culpa lines. We can learn lessons from this in the future and the benefit of hindsight is a great thing.   What's the problem with that? Well, there were plenty of people with plenty of advice at the time. He could have listened to but chose not to. Instead, they labelled the protest as a river of filth, we wrote off entire sectors of scientific community in the name of social cohesion. Like a pack of rabid dogs attacking a limp lamb – that's what we were, we turned into that.   Had they listened to Auckland, to the Plan Bers, some economists and experts and other fields, to Lady Deborah Chambers who bravely put her head above the parapet on behalf of the legal fraternity, Simon Bridges basically lost his job over a Facebook post, pointing out many of the problems that turned out to be quite accurate. But now it was all Siouxsie Wiles and Co. crying because we didn't go further and go harder.   And where are we now? Kids not going to school, productivity jabbed in the face, crime out of control. Mental health and anxiety, particularly for kids, also taking a hit to the face. The wait list for critical medical treatments delayed, construction stopped, projects delayed despite the Aussies being faster and looser on both counts. It was the biggest overreach of power, both in real terms and in some cases, legally, this country has potentially ever seen. And only now do they say we might reconsider forcing a barista to get a jab that they don't want.   Don't get me wrong, I got the jab twice, but that was my choice to a large extent. And is this all Labour's fault? No. The bigger culprits, in my mind: media hype, social media pylons, and unwavering support for the party pushing that lockdown agenda. The problem was tunnel vision. It was arrogance, ignorance or both, and now we're all paying a very hefty price tag for it.   There was just one thing missing from yesterday. Any response from the four horsemen of the Apocalypse: Grant Robertson, Jacinda Ardern, Ashley Bloomfield, and Adrian Orr. Where were they? Grant’s on $800,000 at Otago University, Orr's doing victory laps for cutting rates he hiked too high and then flooding the country with cash. And Adern, remember, she said her single biggest driver in politics was to fix child poverty, now living in New York while the cost of living crisis she helped engineer, then deny was existing, hammers some of our poorest, and to use a word they made famous during the Covid catastrophe, our most vulnerable. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 29th of November, the first phase of the Royal Commission into our pandemic response is out, and Lady Deborah Chambers says Labour should apologise. She explained why to Ryan.  Could you be paying more for public transport in the New Year? NZTA wants councils to increase their revenue share, so public transport leaders have written to the Transport Minister requesting a meeting. Greater Wellington Regional Council Chair Daran Ponter wrote the letter and joins the show.  It's Black Friday. Chris Wilkinson explains how retailers have been preparing for the sales.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief the latest covid Royal Commission findings may provide assistance to current legal issues.   The first phase of the Inquiry into the pandemic response is being presented today, but it's unclear when the Government will release it.   Chaired by Professor Tony Blakely, it says mandates caused pain to a substantial minority.   Matthew Hague told Ryan Bridge this won't directly form the basis for further legal challenges.  But he says it may be helpful for ongoing challenges, such as the Supreme Court decision and Employment Court cases.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Water Services Authority says they are expecting further results around arsenic levels in the Waikato River this morning.   An elevated level of arsenic has been detected in the river which supplies drinking water to Hamilton and parts of Auckland.   It says there's no risk to public health and the water is safe to drink.   Authority Head of Operations Steve Taylor told Ryan Bridge that to impact health, people would need to drink at levels above the accepted value for 40 to 50 years.   But he says this is a marginal increase over acceptable value, which they expect to see reduced over coming days.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's playing down expectations of a surplus, ahead of Treasury's opening of the books next month.  The Reserve Bank cut the Official Cash Rate by half a percent, to 4.25 -- warning of slower economic growth.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Ryan Bridge the OCR cut is welcome news, but agrees there is still more to do.  "Of course, we want to see the economy growing faster, that's why we're so focussed on removing red tape, making sure people can get resource consents quicker, and getting infrastructure out the door," she said.  She says forecasts show the economy will grow much faster in 2025, compared to this year.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US economy is just humming along at the moment, isn't it? 2.8% is their lucky number this morning. 2.8% annualised GDP for the September quarter. Better than the Eurozone, better than the UK, and much better than New Zealand.  We're still going backwards. We went balls to the wall with interest rate hikes post Covid and we were the first to do it. Adrian Orr and the Reserve Bank held higher for longer and the hangover is hitting like a 40 ounce of Smirnoff in the morning. It's not pretty, is it? Sure, the rates are coming down and we saw more of that yesterday, but boy, the mess that wrecking ball has left behind. What's interesting about the Americans, even though their consumer confidence is low, as ours is well, they are still going out and using the credit card to buy stuff. In other words, the sentiment there isn't matching the reality, which is what we're seeing in the GDP number they announced this morning, which we should envy. Of course, they're a country that's run on domestic consumption. We run on trade and we haven't been helped by the likes of China and Europe. They're the markets that we must sell to, to make a buck. But there is a question here for Nicola Willis, now that inflation is beat, how much further will you go with the belt tightening? Is a return to surplus at all costs, at any costs worth it? She's repeatedly said not. How much does she mean that? I guess we'll find out when we get the numbers for December on the 17th.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday the 28th of November. The Reserve Bank has cut the official cash rate by 50 basis points to 4.25%. Finance Minister Nicola Willis reacts.  Elevated levels of arsenic have been found in the Waikato river which supplies Auckland and Hamilton's drinking water. The Head of Operations at Water Services Authority Tau Mata Arawai speaks to Ryan about what it means for you. Phase One of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry will be handed to the government today. It says vaccine mandates cause pain to a substantial minority during the pandemic. Matthew Hague is a lawyer who represented a client who didn't want to be vaccinated, he joins the show. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UK’s Tory party is accusing Labour of stealing their ideas around unemployment resolution. Labour MP Liz Kendall says that her party intends on generating new jobs and an employment scheme, while her counterpart Helen Whately said that is her party’s idea repackaged. This comes as youth unemployment is at 14.8%, up 12% from last year. UK Correspondent Kay Oliver told Ryan Bridge that Kendallsaid the scheme her party is designing intends on getting people off benefits, getting them employed and making it easier to find work. She says the Tories are complaining that Labour has had 14 years to come up with their own plans and they think it is quite rich for them to steal what they see as their own unique ideas. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nikki Kaye is being remembered as a strong voice for the Auckland Central electorate. She died on Saturday aged 44 from cancer. Kaye served as Auckland Central MP from 2008 until 2020. She was also a cabinet minister and briefly deputy leader of the National Party. Former Auckland Business Chamber Chief Executive Michael Barnett told Ryan Bridge she took the seat as a young liberal. He says she was quite happy to have a different opinion around transport, where a port should go, or the LGBT community and same sex marriage. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank is widely expected to cut the Official Cash Rate today from 4.75% to 4.25%. It was cut by the same margin in October.   ANZ's already cutting most of its home loan rates ahead of this afternoon's decision.    BNZ Chief Economist Mike Jones told Ryan Bridge he can see some of the logic for a 75 basis point move.   But he says those big moves tend to be reserved for crisis situations, and we're not in one of those.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I paid 40 cents for a paper bag while shopping at my local supermarket the other week.  40 cents.  Remember when they used to cost 10 cents? Back in the day when they swapped them out for plastic bags when they banned those – which used to be free.  40 cents.  And guess what they had printed on the side of this paper bag that you buy to put your groceries in.   They had printed little Christmas trees for goodness sake.  So you chop down trees, you make paper bags and then you print more trees on them – we're supposed to be saving the planet.  This is stupid, it's dumb and it's 40 cents.  It's a lot of money.  It's a lot more than free, which is what we used to get the plastic bags for.  And they're not reusable. You put a 2-litre milk in there, it's wet, it's soggy and it just falls straight through.  It's not a reusable thing.  People are probably over the paper bag thing and used to it by now. Take your own bags is the other thing, but I forgot, so what are you going to do?  But here's the thing with costly environmental policies.   This is stuff like your emissions trading scheme charged on the petrol that you put in your tank, or on farmers, or the ute tax, or the cycleway bills that we are paying for.   The issue with all of this is getting us on board with paying to fix the planet when we're such a small part of it.  Are we really saving all the dolphins, and whales, and turtles in the ocean by paying 40 cents for a paper bag at Countdown?  No, because the oceans still filled with plastic. So what's the point?   Is Xi Jinping still opening coal fired power plants? Yes.  Is Donald Trump about to start drilling hell for leather, for more oil? Yes.  So what are we doing? What difference are we making?  Why should we bother?  They just had the climate change conference in Azerbaijan, the Petro State for goodness sakes, and everyone flew there on an airplane, and I'm paying 40 cents for a paper bag. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 27th of November, 25, 50 or 75 points? All are on the table as the Reserve Bank decides the Official Cash Rate for the final time until February. How will Trump's second term and US President influence their decision? BNZ Chief Economist Mike Jones joins the show.  The Government has found $42 million for more senior doctors and specialist nurses, but what does it mean for ongoing cuts in the health sector? David Wills from the Nurses Society speaks to Ryan.  Former MP Nikki Kaye has died at the age of 44. Michael Barnett talks to Ryan about her life of politics.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Businesses say the new Central Auckland Police base is a positive step towards improving the city's safety.   The new Federal Street station will be close to Aotea Square, making it easier to deploy officers right across the central city.   Police plan to have it open to the public 24/7 by the middle of next year.  Heart of the City's Viv Beck told Ryan Bridge that businesses have been after more police - especially with the City Rail Link opening soon.   She says we want a vibrant, safe, international city, so there needs to be enough police.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.