Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 15th of October, Jobseeker numbers are in, and it's not looking good. The number of people on the benefit has risen by 12% since last year, Employment Specialist Jennifer Mills joining the show to dig into the numbers.  There are calls to change the way Pharmac makes funding decisions. Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand has commissioned a new report which found the drug buying agency should be looking at benefit as well as cost.  China is conduction military drills with ships and aircrafts, completely surrounding the island nation of Taiwan. Robert Patman talks to Ryan about the reasons behind the escalating tensions.  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.

We're all living much longer, aren't we? At what cost? That's my question for you this morning. A report out over the weekend found human life expectancy has just about peaked globally. It's lights out. Goodbye.   New Zealand men, you'll make 80, women, you'll make 83, which is great, longer life. Everyone wants one right now. We're told that we also have a health system in crisis. People waiting in waiting rooms, they can't afford to see a GP. Over the weekend, I read about a family man, a carpenter from Westport who was sent home, hours later he was dead. In Rotorua a month ago, remember a man died in the waiting room at the emergency department while waiting. So we don't have enough resources for health or we're not optimising the resources that we do have to meet the needs and we're being overwhelmed by them. We have a huge aging population, the number of people 65 and over which was around 700,000 a few years back, that will quadruple by mid-2024. The number of people 90 over 31,000 that will quadruple in 20 years. So, we'll have 125,000 90 plus year olds in New Zealand. Now, if you're a doctor, you've got two people, both as sick as each other, one's 40 one's 90. One might die if you treat the other first. What do you do? Serious question? I mean, to me, the obvious answer is one person has had 90 years on this planet. You treat the young one first, don't you, because the older ones had more life to live. Am I saying let's stop treating patients based on need and discriminate against the elderly? No, because I love my grandmother. We have to do it on who's sickest, who's closer to death, all that sort of stuff. But I am curious, for those who work in healthcare, is there a touch of bias on who you might treat first? I know you've got the Hippocratic Oath, et cetera, but if you're presented with a situation like that, how do you respond to it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King Charles III is bringing two doctors and a supply of his blood on his tour of Australia and Samoa starting later this week. The King has been dealing with cancer since February. It will be his first visit to Australia as King - New Zealand was believed to be dropped from the itinerary on medical advice. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge the King is taking a pause on his chemotherapy treatment during the trip. “We believe that there are no evening engagements, he has days off during his tour which is more than a week.” Grey says the King was gutted not to also visit New Zealand, but his clinicians thought it was a bridge too far. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Statistics show there's been more gun crime in Auckland this year than the last. RNZ reports there were 879 gun crime offences across Auckland in the first six months of the year - 28 more than the same time last year. Just 18 of those were committed by people with a firearms licence. Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime Chair Sunny Kaushal told Ryan Bridge New Zealand is fast becoming a violent society. “It’s crucial that the decisions around firearms policy are shared by those who deal with the gun violence directly. That’s the Police and affected communities, not just policymakers in Wellington.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gates are opening for foreign investors looking at New Zealand companies and property. The Government's reforming the Overseas Investment Act - allowing any investment that doesn't threaten our interests. Federated Farmers Meat and Wool Chair Toby Williams says he supports the change. He told Ryan Bridge overseas buyers are interested in large farms - that Kiwi farmers can't afford to begin with. Williams says foreign owners wouldn't be interested in those that first farm buyers would be after  - so he wants to see some rules around the levels of investment. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By Christopher Reive in Barcelona In the days before the America’s Cup match in Barcelona, Team New Zealand starboard helmsman Peter Burling made it clear the team would take necessary risks to defend the Auld Mug. “When you get to the top level of any sport, you see people really getting punished for mistakes. In saying that, you can’t be afraid to take risks either,” he said. “You don’t want to come through it with a conservative mindset, that’s for sure, and we definitely will not be doing that. But we can fully expect if one of us makes a mistake, the other one will punish them.” In the third race of the Cup match against Ineos Britannia this morning, an aggressive move in the pre-start to draw a penalty against the Brits set the Kiwi crew up for a 52s win to take a 3-0 lead in the first-to-seven series. It was the only race of the day, with light winds seeing race management bring a halt to the day’s action, with race four postponed to tomorrow; initially scheduled as a reserve day. The two teams came into close quarters moments before the race proper began, to the point where their foils were overlapping. Both teams launched a protest with the umpires for the other not keeping clear. It was the Kiwis who were judged to be the fouled boat, with Ineos Britannia having to fall 75m behind Team NZ off the starting line. That allowed the defenders to choose their side of the course and dictate the race. “We tried it yesterday and they just got past us. It was a little bit uncomfortable with how close the boats got,” Burling said after the race “It’ll be interesting to see. The umpires obviously ruled we were clear there, so great to get a penalty and control the race from there.” Emirates Team New Zealand extended their lead in the America's Cup match. Photo / Ricardo Pinto, America's Cup The pre-start battle was among the biggest areas of interest coming into the Cup match, but through the opening three races, it has been the Kiwis coming away better from the starting line. In the third race of the series, Team NZ were able to control the course and make life tough for the Brits with their match-racing tactics and making them sail in dirty air. A mid-race comment from Ineos Britannia port helmsman Dylan Fletcher summed up the situation for his team: “I don’t think there’s anything else we can do, lads.” While the two boats were almost identical in their average speeds both upwind and downwind, the Kiwis had a slightly better average VMG, sailing about 800m less than the Brits. Racing is set to resume at 1.10am tomorrow (NZ time) with a one-race schedule. America’s Cup match results Emirates Team New Zealand beat Ineos Britannia by 41s. Emirates Team New Zealand beat Ineos Britannia by 27s. Emirates Team New Zealand beat Ineos Britannia by 52s Emirates Team New Zealand lead the America’s Cup first-to-seven series 3-0. Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday the 14th of October. Changes could be on the way to make foreign investment easier in New Zealand - how could it impact our rural sector? Gun crime is on the rise in our biggest city, and most of it is from unlicensed firearms holders. Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group for victims of retail crime Sunny Kaushal joins the show. New Zealand is up 3 - 0 in the America's Cup - can we make it to 7 wins without a loss? Andrew Alderson has you weekend sport wrap. 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.

Sunday marks the start of a big week ahead for Emirates Team New Zealand as they face Ineos Britannia in the race to retain the America’s Cup.  The first team to win seven races will take the Cup, the first two races taking place Sunday morning if weather permits.  Richard Gladwell, Editor for Sail World NZ, told Ryan Bridge that it’s always the defender's to lose, and Team New Zealand would have to screw something up to lose the Cup.  He said that they’ve had three months of development on top of Ineos Britannia, and they can certainly do a lot in there.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour says the current state of Government books shows it went too hard and too fast with public service cuts.   Treasury documents show the Crown's deficit has grown $3.4 billion dollars in the year to June, to $12.9 billion.   Spending is outpacing income, despite revenue increasing by $14 billion.  Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds told Ryan Bridge the Government could have kept public sector jobs if it ditched tax cuts.   She says public funding flows through the economy to help during a cost of living crisis.   Edmonds says the Government's decisions have made the annual deficit worse than at the height of COVID.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Florida residents are being warned not to visit areas hit by Hurricane Milton as clean up and rescue operations continue.   There's still flooding in many areas, and NBC is reporting there have been 10 deaths in various parts of the state.   More than three million properties remain without power.   US correspondent Mitch McCann in St Augustine, Florida, told Ryan Bridge that in many parts of Florida, it wasn’t as bad as it was forecast to be.  Some areas have been hit very badly, such as St Petersburg, where a baseball stadium had its roof ripped off, and a crane toppled into and destroyed a building just a few streets over.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If these new TradeMe numbers are to be believed, and I have no reason not to believe them, then the biggest problem that we have with property and getting a foot on the ladder is not price.  We're not too poor, we're too fussy.  So TradeMe has done a survey; 44% of buyers were willing to compromise on the size of a section. Only 40% on the size of the property. Only 40% on the size of the garden. Only 33% on the condition of the property, and 28% on the location.  If you flip those numbers, around 55% of people won't compromise on section size. I'll have the section size I like and nothing else.  60% - no compromise on the size of the property. 60% - none on the garden. 67% - it must be new or near new and 72% won't travel or leave their favourite suburb.  I mean, hard to please much?  I bought a house with holes in the floor and the walls, there were plants growing from the ground up into my bathroom.  The shower pooled; I had to use a bucket to empty the shower every morning.  This carried on for two years.  The shower was so small and the showerhead was fixed, so I had to duck every time I got in the shower, and it would only get me from my nipples down. I had very clean nipples and very filthy hair.  Anyway, the point of the story is I lived like that for two years. I fixed it up, on you go.  Things are okay, but you have to compromise. Property is not a perfectionist game, is it?  It's about compromise and it's about trade-offs. Like any good negotiation, surely everything must be on the table. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 11th of October, the Government's books have sunk further into the red in the year to June, with the deficit $1.8 billion worse than forecast in the budget. Labour Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds joins the show to discuss.  Hurricane Milton has hit Florida, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. US Correspondent Mitch McCann is on the ground in St. Augustine with the latest.  The America's Cup final gets underway this weekend with Emirates Team New Zealand facing Ineos Britannia. Richard Gladwell talks to Ryan ahead of the race.  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.

The air quality in New Zealand has increased across the country, but some areas are still dealing with high levels of pollution.  The Our Air 2024 report shows the level of key pollutants —largely produced by transport and home heating— has reduced across most monitoring sites.   However, it also says air quality isn't good everywhere, and in some urban areas the pollution is above national standards and international guidelines.   Director of the Air Quality Collective, Dr Guy Coulson told Ryan Bridge that we’re headed in the right direction, improvement is just happening rather slowly.   He said that an estimated 3000 adults die each year from air pollution.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Northland's power network is being zapped into action in the wake of the pylon collapse outage.  In June, a contractor unfastened three legs of a pylon at once, putting around 88,000 homes and businesses out of power.  Northland MP Grant McCallum revealed a regional energy package, with Transpower and contractor Omexom putting one million dollars towards it.  McCallum told Ryan Bridge that it's not enough to make up for the financial damages, but it is something.  He said that it’s a goodwill payment and an acknowledgement that they did actually cause some harm to the people of Northland.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I know, I know we're celebrating this morning, the OCR, the money back in your pockets that's coming, inflation coming down.  But MBIE has warned the government that electricity prices are likely to rise significantly over the next two years – this is a story from BusinessDesk.  See, we have all seen the spot prices market increase, skyrocket even, but we haven't felt that at home because our gentailors, the guys that we get it off, insulate us by hedging.  However, getting power to us is expensive and we've just been talking to Grant McCullum from Northland about this exact point.  40% of our bill is distribution and transmission.  Forget your weather, whether the wind blows, you know, the sun shines the rainfalls, whatever. Just getting it to us costs almost half of our total.  And that job is done by essentially monopolies: the distributors, the lines, companies, Transpower.  So the Commerce Commission regulates their profits, we would expect them to do.  The contracts last five years, the next contract up for renewal in March.  Your household bill for electricity could go up $15 per month or $180 per year, for some households that will be $20 per month, $240 per year.  MBIE say there is a serious risk that some homes won't be able to afford heating.  And we know what happens when people can't heat their homes, the hospitals fill up, industry and business feel the squeeze, and our thin growth forecasts could also be squeezed by something like this.  So what's the moral of the story? Well, basically, go and buy yourself a nice warm jumper, get a hot water bottle. And if you are single and living alone, you have until April to find someone to cuddle at night. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An OCR cut could be behind an incoming boost in property market activity.  The Reserve Bank's cut the Official Cash Rate by 50-basis points to 4.75%.   Banks have lowered home rates in response to the cut.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis is celebrating the move as fantastic news and sees it as a sign inflation is under control.  LJ Hooker's Campbell Dunoon told Ryan Bridge this year's market has been cautionary  He says the stock has been there, and this will give buyers a nudge to participate.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are urging people in the path of Hurricane Milton to follow advice and evacuate.   The Category 4 Hurricane is expected to hit overnight in the state.   The core of the storm is expected to pass over west-central Florida, and storm surges of three to four and a half metres are possible.   Outer bands of the Hurricane are already impacting some areas.   US correspondent Sally Patterson told Ryan Bridge it will bring winds of up to 233 kilometres per hour.   She says it's expected to weaken before it makes landfall, but still could be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for the area.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 10th of October, the Reserve Bank has dropped the Official Cash Rate to 4.75% - what does it mean for the property market and your mortgage rates?  Transpower has released a new resilience plan for Northland's power grid following the transmission tower collapse in June - will it make a difference? Northland MP Grant McCallum joins the show to discuss.  Our air is slowly getting cleaner, but the pollutants in it are worse for our health than previously thought. Dr Guy Coulson talks to Ryan about the potential impacts of unhealthy air.  Hurricane Milton is closing in on Florida's west coast, with tornados making landfall ahead of its arrival. We're live to the United States for the latest.  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.

The main suspect in the Madeleine McCann case has been cleared of separate rape charges.   47-year-old Christian Brückner was acquitted of five offences of sexual abuse in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.   German investigators identified Brückner in 2020 as a suspect in the disappearance of McCann from Portugal in 2007.   But UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge the judge found the witnesses weren't reliable enough to convict him of the rape charge.  He said there’s crossover in some of the witnesses in the sexual abuse case and the McCann case, which means that they’re likely to be seen as unreliable in both cases.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More interest rate cuts are on the horizon.  The Reserve Bank expected to cut the Official Cash Rate again this afternoon.  ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner is tipping a 50 basis point cut to 4.75%,.   She says it's what the market and most economists are predicting, and it’s become the default.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The marine life around Samoa is likely in danger in the wake of Manawanui sinking.  The $100 million naval ship struck a reef off the south coast of Upolu on Saturday, before sinking Sunday morning.   About 950 tonnes of oil is onboard.   Diesel leaked out of the vessel when it capsized and has coated the surface of the water.   Waikato University ecology expert Nick Ling told Ryan Bridge much of the material released would have evaporated, leaving behind these heavier components we can see.   He says marine animals interacting with the surface —like turtles coming to the surface to breathe— will have to interact with it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health New Zealand's pointed to nursing recruitment to explain its ballooning deficit, but health experts aren't buying it.   Newly released documents show the agency went from expecting a half a billion dollar surplus to a $1.4 billion deficit in April.   That's now expected to blow out to $1.76 billion.   Patient Voice Aotearoa chair Malcolm Mulholland told Ryan Bridge there's no way we have too many nurses in New Zealand.   He says everywhere he goes in the community, people are saying we need more nurses and doctors.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Complaints, backlash, outrage, divisive, sad, there's been strong reaction to the Tui billboards poking fun at old Polkinghorne – who’s not guilty of killing his wife, by the way.  The billboards read, if you haven't seen them: "Back to being a respectable meth smoking, sex worker loving doctor then. Yeah right.”  It's quite good. It's not breaking any rules, and I say good on them for getting back to this.  We need good humour to cut through the crap that seems to proliferate our society at the moment.  Kiwis are straight talkers, we love taking the micky out of people, we're not mean generally.  I think we've lost our ability to laugh together and these billboards, while pitched by some as divisive, I think will actually do the opposite. They should bring us closer together.  I was heartened to hear the DB Marketing Director's statement which he gave to the papers. He said: “While we haven't set out to offend anyone, we are happy to push the boundaries and say the things that we've all been thinking.”  Great. We need to talk about how we really feel because when we share it, especially with humour, we connect with one another as a society. We grow closer together and we are less divided.  Long may the Tui billboards last. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 9th of October, it's OCR day, and all of our big banks are forecasting a 50 basis points drop, bringing the rate down to 4.75%. ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner talks to Ryan about what to expect at today's announcement, and where to from here for the economy.  Te Whatu Ora has released over 400 pages of financial documents, laying out exactly the situation the agency is currently in. It comes as the lower South Island is voicing its concerns about regional health. Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair Malcolm Mulholland joins the show.  A big cleanup is getting underway off the coast of Samoa following the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui. What could he potential environmental impacts be, and is it similar to the Rena disaster? Waikato University's Nick Ling analyses the situation.  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.

A media commentator says TVNZ appears to be doubling down on what it's good at.   The state broadcaster's latest business proposal will see its website shut down in February while more investment will be put towards news on its streaming platform TVNZ+.   The company is hoping to save $30 million.   Spinoff founder Duncan Grieve told Ryan Bridge it could work, but it’s not guaranteed by any means.   He said that individual clips from the news can already be accessed from the TVNZ+ homepage, and it’s clearly where they’ll be focusing their energy in terms of digitising their news offering.   The plan will go through two weeks of consultation before a final decision is made.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a tale of two islands when it comes to the economy.   The Westpac Regional Roundup shows many businesses and households are suffering from the slow economy.   Westpac Senior Economist Satish Ranchhod says feedback from the North Island was more downbeat, with Wellington being the worst off because of a shrinking public service.   He says there was a rosier picture in the South Island.   Ranchhod told Ryan Bridge they’ve got a mix of tourism and agriculture among other industries helping to support a positive sentiment in the South.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation is still the dominant force in global politics, no doubt about it.  We've got the United States election next month, the Aussies are going to the polls by midway through next year, so are the Canadians, we just had the UK, we've just had France, and inflation rules the roost.  Bad news for ol' Albanese in Australia. There's a new poll out this morning that has him neck and neck with Dutton and the coalition.  But here's the really bad part: 44% of Aussies think the economy will worsen in the next six months.  What's more, Dutton and the coalition are favoured on the economy 38% to 26%. And more people blame the Government for causing inflation, rather than global issues.  So he has an uphill battle, doesn't he?  For New Zealand, inflation should be a distant memory by the time we hit 2026 in our next election – it's expected to be inside the target range by Christmas.  GDP should have picked up, unemployment should have fallen, tourism, agriculture, we've already heard this morning are showing promising signs, but there's always a defining issue in a political campaign, isn't there?  What will ours be in 2026?  A smart government will always try to define what that issue is ahead of time and try to control the narrative, control the language around it, control the debate.  I think the biggest risk for the National Party at this point, this far out I know it is a bit far for predictions, crystal ball gazing, but I think at this stage is probably public service cuts, you know, Dunedin Hospital, public transport, health education, et cetera.  The reality is probably most of us will give them another go, but it wouldn't hurt them to keep an eye on what comes next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of Ngati Toa agrees a robust debate is needed on the Treaty of Waitangi.  Helmut Modlik will debate ACT leader David Seymour tonight, two months after Modlik called him out.  A draft of Seymour's Treaty Principles Bill will be ready for public release and discussion next month, but National says it will support the bill no further than the first reading only.  Modlik told Ryan Bridge the country needs a national conversation about the treaty, which is why he agreed to debate Seymour.  He says the country was only getting curated sound bite versions of one position.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 8th of October, Ngati Toa's Helmut Modlik is set to face David Seymour in a much anticipated debate on the Treaty of Waitangi. Modlik speaks to Ryan ahead of the debate.  A mixed bag in Westpac's Regional Roundup, but things are looking good heading towards the New Year and Wednesday's OCR decision. Westpac Senior Economist Satish Ranchhod joins the show.  TVNZ has proposed closing the 1News website from early next year as the state broadcaster tries to find $30 million in savings. Media Commentator and Spinoff Founder Duncan Grieve speaks to Ryan.  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.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the French President's demands for a halt on arms deliveries to Israel for use in Gaza is a "disgrace". He says "Israel will win with or without their support".  UK and Europe correspondent Gavin Grey says it came as a surprise since France is known to be a supporter of Israel.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why? It's the question we all want answered this morning. But what we'll get is a bunch of speculation. The first most important question has been answered. Is the crew safe? Yes. Thankfully. And by the sounds of it, it's thanks in large part to help from others, the decision to abandon ship and a dose of good luck. Some of the crew spent five hours in life rafts battling the conditions to make it to shore. One capsized before getting there. But we have so many questions. How come? We've just lost our first Navy vessel since WWII worth $100 million. Up in smoke. Why did the Manawanui hit a reef? Was it human error? Was it mechanical failure? What happened on the bridge in the moments leading up to the collision? Where was the officer of the watch? Were there no alarms sounding? Was it the weather? Why was it surveying so close to a known reef at night? Why did it catch fire? We so far have zero answers. We know the sea was rough and the wind was strong, but that's about it. The Navy and the Minister both say wait for a Court of Inquiry. But is that good enough? Surely they have some idea of what went wrong by now. What's the harm in the public knowing what they know? Can we not handle the truth? We've been here before. Remember the Interislander grounding? There were crickets till New Zealand First started tweeting. We learnt from the Northland pylon debacle that officials pretty much know straight away what went wrong, but we wait for inquiries and reports and courts to tell us the truth months later. This is more media management than investigation integrity. The problem with this strategy is the void gets filled with a bunch of speculation rather than facts, at least as established thus far. And a little bit of accurate info is surely better than a whole bunch of the opposite.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief the Government's fast-track list will reap more benefits than environmental problems. The Government's listed 149 projects for its Fast Track Approvals Bill - including nine mining projects. The Bill still needs to go before the Environment Committee, then each project will be assessed by an expert panel. Straterra chief executive Josie Vidal told Ryan Bridge the previous system fixated on the environment — but now it considers the economic effects as well. She says New Zealand needs to rely on science, technology and facts — not emotion. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cameron Munster has vehemently denied biting Penrith’s Paul Alamoti as the Melbourne five-eighth nervously awaits the outcome of the NRL’s match review committee. Munster will find out on Monday morning if he has been charged by the NRL after he was accused of biting Alamoti in the final 10 minutes of the Storm’s 14-6 grand final defeat on Sunday. The Melbourne five-eighth was tackled by Alamoti as he attempted to lead his team upfield and the Penrith centre’s arm came across Munster’s face. Replays were unclear if Munster bit down on Alamoti’s arm. Referee Ashley Klein initially let play continue before halting the game and placing Munster on report. “It can’t be certain, it’s on report,” Klein said. “They [the match review committee] will deal with it later ... I just saw saliva.” On the field, Munster was insistent he did not bite Alamoti and told reporters after the match “there was nothing in it”. “I spoke to Ash about the allegation and he pretty much just told me that if someone alleges a certain thing, they have to put a report and it’s up to the judiciary,” Munster said. “But honestly there’s nothing in it ... So I’m very confident I’ll get off.” Munster was wearing a mouthguard during the game and said after years of pushing the boundaries, he was a reformed character. “He [Alamoti] said he felt pressure and I said I didn’t bite him. That’s footy … I’ve got nothing to worry about,” Munster said. “I’ve done a lot of silly things in the game and put my hand up for it. But I can put my hand on my heart there’s definitely nothing. “I put my hand up with certain things that I definitely do in games and I’m a very honest person. “I can definitely put my hand on my heart with everything I’ve spoken about and [say] there was no malice or even trying to bite. “So I’m pretty disappointed, I’m trying to get that all of those grubby little incidents out of my game that I’ve obviously done in the previous years.” Regardless of his belief that he is innocent, Munster’s fate is now at the mercy of the MRC. St George Illawarra’s Kyle Flanagan received a five-match ban for biting earlier this season. Alamoti, meanwhile, declined to expand on his on-field claim as he savoured his maiden NRL premiership. “Whatever happens on the field, stays on the field, we’ll leave it at that,” Alamoti said. “I’ve just won a premiership so that is the last thing on my mind, I’m worried about partying.” - by George Clarke, AAPSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A search for answers over the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui - off Samoa's southern coast. The $100 million naval ship was running a survey off the area when it hit a reef on Saturday night. All 75 people onboard were rescued - it caught fire and sank yesterday morning Former Defence Minister Ron Mark told Ryan Bridge he's gutted as his team fought hard to bring the refurbished ship from Norway in 2019. He expects the Court of Inquiry to be very quick. “They’ll want to ascertain exactly how and why the ship ended up in peril and sinking the way it did.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday 7 October. 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.

The British government announced it will hand sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, in a settlement that ends decades of disputes over Britain’s last African colony, while maintaining a key US-British military base in the archipelago. Europe correspondent Vincent McAviney says the UK keeping its military base for another 99 years marks a landmark deal for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's new government. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's several possible reasons behind a rise in the number of homes empty on Census night.  The latest data shows just more than 110 thousand homes were empty, up from just under 100 thousand in 2018.  Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says part of that could be due to Cyclone Gabrielle flood levels, and high levels of construction.   He told Ryan Bridge that some of the biggest areas with the largest increase in “ghost homes” were Auckland, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flooding and landslips are keeping officials busy in Otago.   The area is in a State of Emergency due to heavy rain, with downpours expected to continue into the afternoon.  Fire and Emergency NZ have responded to 31 calls between 6pm last night and 5.30am, with around 70 people evacuating to welfare centres.  Dunedin Civil Defence Manager Scott MacLean told Ryan Bridge their advice is for people to stay home and stay safe.  He said that people should avoid going out driving unless they absolutely have to, as it causes problems for emergency responders.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kudos to Qantas for introducing a wellbeing zone on the cattle class of the aircraft.  Airlines are cramming us in like sardines, anyone who's travelled will know this.  They serve you booze, you recline your seat, the planes dry you out and then as a natural consequence, people go nuts.  Unruly passengers ripping open the emergency doors, running up and down the aisles screaming like mad people.  Globally, physical assaults on aircrafts are up 60% post-pandemic. Air New Zealand alone deals with 200 reports a month of abusive behaviour.  People are responsible for their behaviour, yes, but the airlines are responsible for the environment which you travel in. The world is full of nutty people, and you have to cater for nutty people on aircraft, don't you?  So good on Qantas. From 2026 they will have a dedicated wellbeing area at the front of economy, they've got sculpted wall, integrated handles for exercise, stabilising you in doing some squats or whatever you want to do.  They've got a cabinet of healthy snacks, fruit juices, smoothies, self-service.  Now, here's the kicker - It's for their 20-hour flights. Would you do it?  Would you do it, even if there's fruit smoothies and integrated handles for stretching and exercise?  The answer for me is a resounding no, but at least they're trying something. Others should follow suit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is confident their support of frontline Police is coming to fruition.  Recruitment numbers have soared in the past year, with almost 1,400 applicants in July – the highest since 2014.  It's seen around five and a half thousand applicants in the first eight months of the year, more than double across the same period last year.  Associate Police Minister Casey Costello told Ryan Bridge it's encouraging, but there's still some work to do.  She says their attrition rate is still low at 4.8%, while other public sectors have rates of up to 54%.  Costello also assures that the surge in recruits won't compromise the quality of the training, as nothing will change in their approach.  She says they’ve totally committed to ensuring the same standards are maintained.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health New Zealand is expecting its financial deficit for the past financial year to be near a billion dollars.   The agency's released its report for the June quarter.   Earlier in quarter three, a $299 million surplus was forecast - but the preliminary financial result for the year to the end of June is a $934 million deficit.  Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director Sarah Dalton told Ryan Bridge services and departments are going to be dealing with significant cuts.   She says some of it will impact staffing levels, and some the ability to implement digital solutions that'll make staff and systems more efficient.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 4th of October, Dunedin has declared a state of emergency following significant rainfall overnight and surface flooding. Civil Defence Controller Scott Maclean has the latest.  Police recruitment wings will be expanded from next year following record applications to join the force. Associate Police Minister Casey Costello speaks to Ryan.  Health New Zealand has gone from a forecast surplus to a nearly $1 billion deficit. What's gone wrong? The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists are on the show to discuss.  Ghost houses - more than 100,000 empty houses found in 2023 census data; do we need a tax on them?  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.

Mood of the boardroom survey, more than 100 of our top business leaders have had their say on the government, its ministers and the economy today. CEOs ranked the performance of the Cabinet Ministers with ‘1’ being not impressive and ‘5’ - very impressive. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon scored with 3.73 whilst keeping his cabinet focused on delivery and education, Minister Erica Stanford was top of the class for Minister Performance resulting with a score of 4.01. Simeon Brown, Nicola Willis and Chris Bishop came closely behind Stanford, Brown resulted with a score of 3.89, Willis and Bishop tied on 3.88. Managing editor for NZME Duncan Bridgeman says that after a year of having a new government, he believes there's some uncertainty around the delivery that Christopher Luxon and his team can pull through when coming down to economic growth with the business community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) are on strike Tuesday against the nation’s East and Gulf Coast ports. They are demanding a $5/hour increase in pay every year for the next six years. Mitch McCann, US Correspondent says that New Zealand exporters are likely to be affected by congestion and delays. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade at home advises exporters to stay in contact with the freight companies to see what options are available for them. McCann told Ryan Bridge while the strike continues, they're also advised to keep in touch with the US customers to inform them about potential delays in the coming weeks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The real proof will be in the pudding – if smoking rates come down, does it matter how she did it?  If it was a non-tobacco company getting a tax cut to provide a product that was less harmful than ciggies would there be outrage?  Or are we blinded by the fact it's a multinational whose legacy has been peddling cigarettes that clouds our judgement?  Are we being rational about this?  Isn't the ultimate goal to reduce smoking rates?  Are the ‘try anything, do it differently’ policies she's pushing going to bring smoking rates down?  Time will tell.  She should have been more on to it and open about the advice she had received on heat not burn products, sure. It's being released this week, we're told.  But calling for her to resign and labelling her as corrupt and in the hands of the tobacco lobby are a bit much.  Costello's own father died of smoking related respiratory disease. She's a Māori woman herself.  Can you imagine if the shoe was on the other foot and National was accusing a Māori wahine toa minister, who's dad had died of cancer, of being in the pocket of big tobacco and actively trying to cause genocide on her own people, what the reaction would be form the left?  If the argument is that she should be more open and transparent, half of Labour's last cabinet should have resigned in their first term too,  So far, no smoking gun. Let's see what she's achieved once the smoke clears. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 3rd of October, Air NZ has made more cuts to regional flights, and we still don't have a plan for an Interislander replacement. Do we have a transport problem in New Zealand? Former Transport Minister Maurice Williamson joins the show to discuss.  The PPTA are now allowing charter school teachers to join the union in what David Seymour has called a "come to Jesus moment".  The New Zealand Herald's Mood of the Boardroom survey for 2024 is out - what do business leaders have to say about the government? NZME's Managing Editor of Business Duncan Bridgeman speaks to Ryan.  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.

Iran has sent up to 350 missiles and drones into Israel, setting off the sound of explosions and sirens. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says the US Navy destroyers stationed in the Mediterranean Sea intercepted Iranian missiles. He says it was a significant escalation from Iran and it was equally important they could step up to defend Israel. Habib Baar, Journalist and founder of Beirutreport.com speaks to Heather du Plessis-Allan saying he believes Israel has no incentive to stop as they have the full backing of the Western allies of the United States. Israel says nobody was killed because the iron dome worked. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tensions in the Middle East are on a knife's edge in the aftermath of Iran's barrage of missiles on Israel.  The Israeli defence force says there's been no reports of casualties and most of the around 180 projectiles were intercepted.  Iran has confirmed the attack and says it's targeting Israel in response to deaths of Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah.  Reuters Bureau Chief for Israel and Palestine James Mackenzie told Ryan Bridge it’s a big deal despite there having been an attack from Iran back in April.  He said that the first time there was limited damage and a sort of tacit agreement to let it slide, but with it happening again, the stakes are definitely raised.  They’ve already seen a really sharp uptick in essentially the beginning of a war in Israel.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new Bio-Refinery at the Marsden Point Energy Precinct is being proposed. Channel Infrastructure NZ Limited announces it has entered into a conditional project development agreement with Seadra Energy Inc, who is partnering with the likes of  Qantas, Renova Inc, Kent Plc, and ANZ. It would utilize some of the decommissioned oil refinery assets which would be refurbished and reconfigured- taking up approximately 18-20 hectares of land on the site. Brian Cox, Bioenergy Association Chief executive shares his thoughts with Ryan Bridge. “The aspect is we could use the natural resources that New Zealand is rich for. The biggest part is biomass from trees,” says Cox. He states that it could be processed to be used as either fuel or plastic. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JD Vance and Tim Walz are set to do battle for what looks to be the final debate of this US presidential election.  The vice-presidential candidates will meet for their only debate in New York today, which gets underway at 2pm NZ time.  US political commentator Danielle McLaughlin says the buzz could reach the levels of Joe Biden vs Sarah Palin in 2008.  She told Ryan Bridge vice-presidential picks are normally safe, but Walz and especially Vance are really out of the mainstream.  McLaughlin says Vance has been attacking cat ladies and Taylor Swift and has repeatedly spread crazy rumours about Haitian immigrants eating pets in the mid-west.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.