Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

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 will be helpful in addressing the issues of illegal migration across the continent. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of people on a benefit has reached a new record and could keep rising, despite an uptick in sanctions. June quarter data shows 11.9% of working-age people are receiving a benefit - the highest since December 2020. It's an annual increase of 8.3%. Council of Trade Unions economist Craig Rennie told Ryan Bridge the number of people on Jobseeker will keep rising. He said unemployment is always a bad thing, as the more people working means there are more households with money in their pockets, and poverty starts to fall. Rennie said that unemployment is never a thing you should be aiming for, it’s always something you should be avoiding. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden's under increasing pressure to stand aside as the Democratic presidential candidate as Donald Trump prepares to formally accept the Republican nomination. Sources have told the Associated Press that both Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi have privately called for Biden to step aside. It comes as the US President continues to isolate with Covid. Meanwhile, Marco Rubio's former Chief of Staff Matt Terrill told Ryan Bridge Trump will address the Republican National Convention this afternoon, calling for unity six days after he survived an assassination attempt. He says a big theme for tonight's speech will be about unity not only for the Republican Party, but for the whole country. That speech is expected to start about 2pm. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns tax cuts on heated tobacco will make the product much easier for young people to access. Customs quietly cut 50% from the excise tax at the start of the month. Customs Minister Casey Costello says it's a trial, aiming to give smokers a cheaper alternative. Health Coalition Aotearoa spokesperson Chris Bullen told Ryan Bridge it comes with a risk. He says once the price drops, a new product becomes a lot more accessible for young people with disposable incomes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 19th of July, it's the last day of the Republican National Convention - we cross live to the US and speak to Marco Rubio's former Chief of Staff. The Government has quietly cut the excise tax on heated tobacco products by 50%, Ryan gets the thoughts of Health Coalition Aotearoa’s Chris Bullen. Benefit numbers for the June quarter are in and the number of people on it is on the rise. Craig Rennie from the Council of Trade Unions 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.

Rate cuts could arrive early as next month, banks are predicting. Inflation fell to a 3-year low yesterday, reaching 3.3% in the June Quarter. Although that falls outside of the Reserve Bank’s target band of 1-3%, banks have reacted positively to the move. ANZ have cut their three year home loans rates to 6.35% and the two year rates to 6.49%. ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith told Ryan Bridge they’re predicting two rate cuts before Christmas: a 25 bps cut in October, and another in November. He said that factors such as pricing pressures, external inflation, and pressures in the housing market are beginning to ease, which the Reserve Bank can use as a positive sign that inflation will remain low once rates are cut. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Airport is being urged to be responsible with its charging of airlines. A Commerce Commission draft investigation has found the airport's planned expansion is justified, and some price increases are necessary to fund the investment. However, it found the organisation's targeted returns from airlines is around $200 million over what's reasonable. It found that travellers would most likely bear much of that cost. Board of Airline Representatives Executive Director Cath O’Brien told Ryan Bridge that this is the second period in a row where Auckland Airport has been found to be targeting excess profits. She said that they’re targeting a return of 8.73% on aeronautical caps, against the Commission midpoint of 6.98%. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A US poll finds the attempted assassination of Donald Trump has had little impact on voting intention. A Reuters poll by Ipsos shows of around 1200 voters, 43% are in favour of the Republicans and 41% intend to support the Democrats. Of all voters, 80% agreed the country was spiralling out of control. US correspondent Mitch McCann told Ryan Bridge prominent Democrat Adam Schiff has written a letter asking Joe Biden to step down. He says while the assassination attempt may have taken the spotlight off Biden, the issue of Democrats wanting him to step down isn't going anywhere. On the other side of the divide, Republican vice president hopeful JD Vance is set to deliver his first speech to party faithful. The Republican National Convention continues in Wisconsin after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump over the weekend. McCann told Bridge the theme of the convention tonight is Make America Strong Again, with a focus on foreign policy and border security. He says it follows last night's theme —Make America Safe Again— with a heavy emphasis on migrant crime. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The confirmation Tiwai Point is going to reduce its electricity usage next month isn't proving to be great news for everyone. The aluminium smelter's usage agreements means Meridian Energy can request it scale back production to meet electricity demands. But Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie told Ryan Bridge production shouldn't have to be reduced, and it's a sign the gas market needs to be revitalised. He says the country isn't in great shape, adding with declining gas reserves comes the threat of black outs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you seen the story floating around about the U.S. Secret Service? After the assassination attempt on Trump, the internet's been going nuts. Not just because, how did this happen? What a monumental cock-up. Who's responsible? But also because a number of the agents trying to protect the president were women. According to Time magazine, based on video of the shooting, one of these agents looked frazzled and couldn't get her gun back into its holster. Another apparently frantically shouted "what are we doing? where are we going?" after the shots were fired. Meghan McCain, daughter of former presidential nominee John McCain posted on X: "This is why the notion of men and women being the same is just absurd. You need to be taller than the candidate to protect them with your body. Why do they have these short women guarding trump? (Trump and biden are both over 6 ft) this is embarrassing and dangerous." Some are blaming diversity, equity and inclusion targets which aim to have 30% of the Secret Service agents women. I remember similar angst from some male firefighters a few years back, they didn't trust smaller women to be able to pull them out of a burning building should the need arise. Others say these arguments are sexist and women can do anything etc. Both these arguments have merit. It's a fact that men are generally taller and bigger than women. But that doesn't mean all men are. I can think of many women taller and bigger than me who could frankly beat the crap out of me. If I needed a bodyguard, or saving from a burning building, their sex wouldn't bother me. But if the person is smaller and not as strong, whether it's a Secret Service agent of a firefighter, shouldn't there be minimum standards that apply to ensure safety? I think Meghan McCain has a point. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 18th of July, inflation data is out, and it's much better than expected - banks are now predicting rates cuts as early as August. Ryan speaks to ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith. Tiwai aluminium smelter has been asked to reduce their electricity output to help with hydro levels - do we need to find renewable alternatives? The Commerce Commission says Auckland Airport is charging too much, Ryan speaks to the Airline Representatives group. 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.

Dozens of Indian farmers have been freed from “slave-like” working conditions in Northern Italy. The 33 workers were lured to the country with the promise of jobs and a better future. Allegedly, they were forced to work more than ten hours a day, seven days a week, their tiny wage used to pay off debts to the alleged gangmasters. Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge that when the men were arrested, they had over three quarters of a million AUD on them. He said that the 33 workers are now being looked after by social services and migrant support. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Latest data due out this morning is expected to show inflation is slowing down faster than expected but will it be enough to bring down interest rates? ANZ's Henry Russell and Infometrics' Brad Olsen expect a headline rate of 3.3%, but driven by offshore factors. Russell says a lot of the decline in inflation is being driven by things like food prices, fuel and airfares and Olsen says the Reserve Bank will be more worried about "non-tradable" domestic inflation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s confidence Māori health outcomes won't be impacted by Pharmac focussing on health determinants rather than ethnicity. In a letter of expectations to Pharmac Board Chair Paula Bennett, David Seymour says he doesn't think its commitment to embedding the Treaty of Waitangi is appropriate, and it’s no longer expected. Seymour says the drug-buying agency's burnt a lot of energy doing that over recent years. Patient Voice Aotearoa's Malcolm Mulholland told Ryan Bridge he's okay with that directive. He says there was never any evidence that the Treaty provisions within Pharmac's decision making process led to more Māori accessing medicine. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rolling out of more speed camera signs has support from the AA. Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced more than 100 signs will go up across the country, giving people the opportunity to check their speed and avoid tragic consequences. AA Road Safety Spokesperson Dylan Thomsen told Ryan Bridge it's a positive move. He says they expect to see a reduction in tickets being dished out at high-risk sites, meaning fewer drivers exceeding the speed limit. Thomsen describes it as a long time coming. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 17th of July, the Consumer Price Index is out - most banks are predicting a drop, but what does it mean for you? Ryan finds out. New expectations for our drug buying agency Pharmac, what do patient advocates think of David Seymour's letter? Speed camera warning signs are being put up across the country - are we going to see a reduction in the number of fines issued? 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.

I'm not a huge fan of former PMs sticking their oar into the water of current political debates. Not only are their thoughts rooted in briefings given by officials long ago, but when attacking a sitting Prime Minister, they tend to sound a bit whingy and out-of-touch. This is the case of Helen Clark and Don Brash, who've issued a statement condemning Christopher Luxon for comments he made to the Financial Times on the sidelines of NATO in Washington D.C.. Luxon said a few things: 1. We need to call out China more for spying. 2. He's hoping to sign a deal that would see NZ able to deploy military assets to the Philippines, which has long running and regular disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea. 3. He's keen on our military joining the U.S. and Australia in conducting joint military exercises inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. 4. He spoke about NZ being a "force multiplier" for Australia, the U.S., and other partners. Clark and Brash are tut-tutting this, which comes off the back of the AUKUS debate, and wades into another long-running one - the $38-billion debate. That's what two-way trade between China and New Zealand is worth, remember it was Clark and then Foreign Minister Phil Goff who signed the FTA that got us there. They reckon this tough talk and cosying-up to the US is undermining our "independent foreign policy" and could lead to us being punished by China at the port. China's no bigger a spy-threat to us than other countries, they reckon. Here's the thing though, Luxon hasn't actually changed much in the way of foreign policy yet. Plus, the full Financial Times article also quotes him saying we're pursuing a balanced strategy with China on trade, renewable energy and people-to-people ties. What's more, the current PM is getting more up to date briefings on China's cyber threat than Clark or Brash... And when it comes down to it, most of us would agree we'd side with America and Australia if war returned to the Pacific theatre, wouldn't we? Isn't Luxon just laying out what's realistically bound to happen? In saying all of that, Australia learnt the hard way what poking the bear can do to your exports, so it's an area we should tread carefully, but perhaps some are now better placed than others to walk that tight rope. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s Opposition leader is edging ahead in the polls amid growing economic concerns. A national Resolve poll saw Peter Dutton eclipse Anthony Albanese as preferred Prime Minister for the first time, backed by 36% of voters compared to Albanese’s 35%. Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge support for the Coalition lifted from 36% to 38%, while Labour remains on 28%. She said that it’s the lowest level since Albanese took power at the last election in 2022. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief the Government's new service for young job seekers is a nudge in the right direction. Social Development Minister Louise Upston's announced a new phone case management service for people on the Jobseeker Benefit, due to expand to 4000 people. 18-24-year-olds will receive monthly calls, with benefit sanctions if the person misses the call without good reason. Employment Relations expert Max Whitehead told Ryan Bridge it's important job seekers are held to account. He says it's good having someone there to encourage you not to waste potential job opportunities. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Republican National Convention is beginning in the United States after the attempted assassination of presidential candidate Donald Trump. Trump's expected to pick his running mate today. Meanwhile, a Florida judge has dismissed the criminal case accusing the former president of illegally keeping classified documents after leaving office. FSN correspondent Ira Spitzer told Ryan Bridge there's a sense of excitement in Milwaukee. He says the convention will run into the later hours of the evening and at some point, they expect to hear who the person is. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister is defending the Government's pay increase for police, despite concerns of a mass exodus. An independent arbitrator has ruled in favour of the Government's offer which includes a $1500 lump payment, an at least $5000 backdated wage increase, and increased overtime pay from July next year. However, many cops are unhappy. Mark Mitchell told Ryan Bridge while he understands where they're coming from, the government worked hard to put this together. He says they've had a huge hospital pass and put together what they think is a fair package. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 16th of July, Donald Trump has had his classified documents case dismissed by a judge, we cross live to the US. The Government wins the long running Police pay dispute - Ryan asks Police Minister Mark Mitchell if he's expecting more police to move to Australia as a result. Young people on the job seeker benefit now have to do consultations with MSD over the phone - is this going to get more people off the benefit and into jobs? 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've just adopted a hope, wait, and see approach to policing in this country. This at a time when crime is out of control, people don't feel safe in their own homes and on city streets. 150-thousand retail crimes were reported last year. Despite their best efforts, our cops are struggling to keep up and they've just been delivered a slap in the face by the government. The Police Association has lost its final-offer arbitration over pay increases, meaning the government won. Chris Cahill says he can now only "hope" that officers won't move to Aussie en masse, where pay is way higher and conditions much better. On the face of it, the offer actually looks pretty good. Along with a lump sum and overtime being paid —not to be scoffed at— the increases are actually 4% from July 1, back dated, and a further 4% from 2025. If we believe Adrian Orr and Co's predictions about inflation hitting the target 1-3% later this year, then the increase will actually beat inflation. Sounds alright, right? Not when you consider the crap sandwich they've been dealt the past few years. Under Labour inflation was as out of control, as was crime, running at 6-7%. During that time their annual pay increased only 3.5%. The Police Union says it basically had to suck it up and take the deal because if they went for more it might mean job cuts. So do we want fewer, higher paid cops or more lower paid cops? The reality is we might get the worst of both worlds if they up sticks and cross the ditch, we would have fewer police, and the rest would be feeling underpaid and overworked. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday the 15th of July, Donald Trump is shot in an assassination attempt - Ryan speaks with a presidential historian. An increase in Kainga Ora evictions, but is community-run housing the way forward? The All Blacks narrowly won against England over the weekend. We cross to Auckland where the pubs are already busy ahead of the Euro finals. 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.

Barring any other major, ugly affronts to democracy this U.S. election season, the image of a bloodied former president surrounded by Secret Service agents gripping his fist and pumping it into the air after narrowly avoiding an assassination attempt will be one of the most enduring and iconic. He's reported to be saying fight, fight. fight, with a somewhat understandably angry look on his face. Donald Trump cheated death. Questions are no doubt being asked about how and why this could have happened, as they should. How did 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, wearing grey camouflage clothing, manage to scale the roof of a manufacturing plant just north of the Butler Farm show grounds with his dad's AR 15 rifle? What's interesting, of all the eye witness interviews I watched over the weekend, all felt not surprised, it was only a matter of time. Why? After the shooting Republican senator J.D. Vance. a potential Trump running mate, blamed the Biden campaign for inciting the violence. “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.” Another Trump ally senator, Tim Scott, said on social media - “Let’s be clear: this was an assassination attempt aided and abetted by the radical left and corporate media incessantly calling trump a threat to democracy, fascists, or worse,” At this time, we don't know the shooter's motive, and it should be pointed out that Trump often uses inflammatory language too. Is there a lesson here for our political leaders, for the Chloe's chanting river to the sea? The Māori Party calling Luxon a white supremacist, for David Seymour is doubling down on saying he fantasised about sending Guy Fawkes into the Ministry of Pacific Peoples. The fact is, you don't know what nutbar is out there listening and waiting for a cause big enough to prompt some sort of lone-wolf attack. Here most attacks are pretty minor, a dildo to the face, lamington on the head. John Key was attacked by two men at Waitangi in 2009. So the question is whether the use of extreme political language can raise the temperature and cause violence. Clearly Hitler answers that question. So politicians here on the far left like Chloe and Waititi should take note and lower the tone of some of their attacks. Same with far-right keyboard warriors. But I'd hate to see the day where our pollies can't joke and take the piss and be forthright with their words just because some idiot might be at home with a shotgun harbouring hate. The question for the U.S. now is - does this quell the extreme left and right, or will this bloodshed be answered with more bloodshed? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing debate about what the alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump will do to a politically turbulent America. Trump was hit in the ear by a bullet after a shooter opened fire at a Republican rally in Pennsylvania. Presidential historian Allan Lichtman says the political violence may well have a silver lining, as it did after the shooting of Ronald Reagan in 1981. "Instead of seeking revenge or attacking his political opponents, he formed a campaign for gun control - and for a while, it brought the country together." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The newly-established UK Government is set to unveil at least 35 new bills as part of the first King's speech of its tenure. The raft of bills will likely include promises impacting housing, transport, jobs and clean energy - in line with Keir Starmer's mission for Britain. UK correspondent Gavin Grey says it's likely more will be revealed during Wednesday's announcement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks managed to hold on to their record at Eden Park, largely thanks to Beauden Barrett's performance. The veteran fullback's 125th test match offered a game-changing 29 minutes of tactical kicking as well as setting up the go-ahead try by Mark Tele'a - leading to a 24-17 win over England. ZB sports reporter Andrew Alderson explains further, LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's stronger approach towards unruly Kainga Ora tenants has resulted in more being evicted. Housing Minister Chris Bishop ordered the public housing agency to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework in March this year, and strengthen management of disruptive tenants. Since then, 14 tenancies have been terminated, compared to only 8 last year. Community Housing Aotearoa chief executive Paul Gilberd says there were no consequences for the last six years. "It's a matter of last resort, the numbers are increasing because they were not evicting people at all - that's operating from a very low base. There's a whole lot of other considerations here we need to take into account." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a nail bitingly close match last week, the All Blacks are facing England in their second test of the season. Both squads have been named with almost no changes except Finlay Christie replacing TJ Perenara following his injury. England’s Joe Marler is also out of commission, being replaced with Fin Baxter. They’ll be facing off at a packed out Eden Park on Saturday. ZB Rugby Commentator Elliott Smith told Ryan Bridge that for the All Blacks, last week was more about setting some systems in place and this week is about fine tuning that. He said they got the win last week, and with that up on the board, it’s time to improve. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden's mental capacity hasn't been a consideration for Christopher Luxon in his meeting with the US President. He's had a chance to discuss Indo-Pacific issues with Biden at the NATO summit in Washington DC. The Prime Minister says Biden was sharp and "on top of his brief". He says Biden wanted to discuss US engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, and their interactions were positive and very engaging. NZ Herald Political Editor Claire Trevett told Ryan Bridge that NATO leaders are nervous to comment on Biden’s mental state as Trump is less friendly towards the organisation. She suspects things will get a bit messy once NATO is finished and Bien is no longer being made a fool of in front of world leaders. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever tried to buy a pair of shoes online recently? What about a book? Or even book a haircut? You would have been asked a billion questions. It starts with what day and time you want your haircut. Yep, fine, but then they want your; name, address, birthdate, postal address, how did you hear about us? What shampoo do you use? I didn't ask for all that. At this point I'd rather pull my hair out in clumps than sit here and answer all these stupid, irrelevant questions. I've been trying to get paid this week. I realise this is dangerous ground to be treading, I've only been here a week and the people are great but the processes, again, absurd. You'd think they just want my bank account number, IRD number and tax code. No. Every personal detail under the sun - my sex, title, home address, ethnicity. This sent me into a tailspin, why do you need to the colour of my skin to pay me? It's not a legal requirement, and the stupid drop-down box wasn't working. I tried to select European but wouldn't let me. What the hell do you need to know if I'm Indian for? Are you paying me in Rupees? Would my wages turn up in Dong if I tick Vietnamese? The reason I ask, and this goes for pretty every company on the planet, I just don't trust them. Some Nigerian or Russian hacker will ram-raid their system at some point, and before you know it the world knows I'm an Indian male being paid XYZ. It's totally unnecessary. I did an official calculation and I think I spend roughly 75% of my day filling in useless forms online. I don't sleep anymore, I just fill in forms. And why is this important? Well, thousands of companies have thousands of bits of data about us. They sell it, wax lyrical about online safety, then get hacked and barely apologise. It happens all the time. So, I've come up with an annoyingly named, hyperbolic bill which I'm hoping the government will pick up. The “Excessive Digital Information Collection Protection Bill.” For every question they ask us, we get $5. I want a reject all cookies function like they have in Europe, and I want the ability to sue if my data is stolen. I hate it. I hate that we can't just pick up the phone and get stuff done anymore. Happy Friday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retailers are hopeful, but wary, of the government's latest move to tackle retail crime. It's announced a Ministerial Advisory Group for the victims of the continuing problem. The group will speak with victims, workers and business owners over the next two years - before putting forward proposals to address offending. Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young told Ryan Bridge it's a positive move - but the solutions are pretty clear. Young says that includes more visible police presence on the streets and quick action to apprehend offenders. She says there is worry among retailers this will become a "talk-fest." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday the 12th of July. The Government has a new Ministerial Advisory Group on retail crime, but is it actually going to make a difference? It looks like the Prime Minister has had a "pull aside" meeting with US President Joe Biden. And the All Blacks face England again this weekend, one week on from the nail biting finish in Dunedin, Ryan speaks to Rugby Editor Elliott Smith ahead of the big game. Forms - we fill them out all the time, but Ryan wants to know why companies ask all these unnecessary 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.

Economists' Official Cash Rate expectations have proven correct. It's staying at 5.5% for the eight consecutive time. But the Reserve Bank's tone has softened, and they’re hinting that inflation will return to its 1-3% target by the year's end. ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Ryan Bridge that the Reserve Bank was pretty careful to leave all their options open regarding a rate cut. She said that they see it as tilting the risks a little bit towards earlier cuts, but essentially, it’s going to be the data that decides when the inflation data is released next week. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An activist group is calling the Government's new climate change plan meaningless. Minister Simon Watts has unveiled a five-point strategy for dealing with climate change which focuses on preparedness, clean energy, tech and nature-based solutions, and market support. 350 Aotearoa Co-Director Lisa McLaren told Ryan Bridge the announcement doesn't mean anything when the Government plans on making mining easier. She says the plan is fundamentally inconsistent with the Government's other policies it's released since taking office. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 11th of July the OCR is out and the Reserve Bank's outlook is looking better than expected. A five-point strategy for climate change has been released by the Government, but is there actually a strategy behind it or is it just words? Ryan finds out. Building costs have dropped for the first time in 12 years, but so have the number of new construction projects. Ryan speaks to NZ Certified Builders' Malcolm Fleming. Nancy Pelosi drops the equivalent of a NATO bomb on her old buddy Joe Biden, saying he needs to make a decision about running for re-election. 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.

Actor and Democratic donor George Clooney has urged Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race. All eyes have been on Biden at the NATO summit in Washington DC. Nancy Pelosi says time is running short for him to make a decision. US correspondent Katherine Firkin told Ryan Bridge Clooney has written an essay in the New York Times saying they need a new nominee. He says the Joe Biden he was with three weeks ago wasn't the Biden of 2010. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now could be the best time to build a house after costs fall for the first time in more than a decade. Corelogic's Construction Cost Index shows building costs have dropped 1.1% in the three months to June. It looks at the price of labour, material, plant hire, and subcontract services. Certified Builders Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming told Ryan Bridge that global supply chains are no longer disrupted. He says costs are returning to pre-pandemic levels while manufacturers and distributors are being more competitive. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nancy Pelosi's just dropped the equivalent of a NATO bomb on her old buddy Joe Biden. The former house speaker is well connected and respected in the Democrat party. Appearing on cable TV, she had this to say when asked about Biden's critics attacking his mental capacity during the NATO summit: "I want him to do whatever he decides to do." "Let's just hold off, whatever you're thinking either tell somebody privately, but you don't have to put that out on the table until we see how we go this week." She added that Biden should make a decision about whether to continue to bid for re-election. So, what's the problem with that? Well Biden's already said, "I'm running and going to win again!” So now you have one the most influential people in the Democratic party saying he needs to make a decision about whether to run. That decision should be made after NATO. Despite the White House saying this is all over and move on, it's huge and it doesn't stop there. Overnight, Michael Bennett is now the first democratic senator to publicly say Joe Biden can't win. "Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election and maybe win it by a landslide." In a political crisis there are headlines like gunfire, then there are bombs which cause massive, often irreversible, damage to a candidate. They can change the direction of a war, a turning point. Make no mistake, when this happens in politics it's always actually worse when it's friendly fire. Remember, two days of NATO to go and one solo commander-in-chief press conference on Thursday to end this 75th anniversary NATO summit. The only question now is whether it could also become the platform for the 82-year-old president to end his political career. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank is expected to make a “short and sweet” announcement today. Economists are expecting the OCR to remain untouched at 5.5%, as it has the last six times. Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold told Ryan Bridge that the Reserve Bank said in May that interest rates would have to remain restrictive for a protracted period to get inflation down, so not much has changed for them. While some banks are predicting a cut this year, Westpac is holding firm on their prediction of early next year. Eckhold said that they don’t think that will change today, and while they’re all hoping there will be some interest rate relief soon, the reality is that inflation won't go away by itself. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An EV advocacy group isn’t in favour of the changes to the clean car standards. Transport Minister Simeon Brown's announced he's scaling back the previous Government's emissions standards, which charged importers for higher emitting vehicles. Pollution targets for imported vehicles have been reduced, loosening penalties for importers of dirty cars. Drive Electric Chair Kirstin Corson told Ryan Bridge that we’re heading in the wrong direction. She said that although the legislation is set to align with Australia, it actually doesn’t. Corson said that Australia’s penalties are a lot tougher than New Zealand’s, and they also have federal and state incentives in every state, so it’s much more appealing to go EV there. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The run at Wimbledon of New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun has come to an end. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge the 23-year-old has been beaten in three sets by 28-year-old Croatian Donna Vekic. After winning the first set, and looking composed throughout much of the second in a classic back-and-forth slugfest, Sun looked on the edge of advancing further at just her second grand slam. However, she didn’t have an answer in the deciding set as the unseeded Croatian took control to book her maiden grand slam semifinal appearance. Seven victories at Wimbledon means you’re the champion. Sun had seven under her belt before the quarter-final after coming through three qualifying wins and four more to reach the final eight, but she looked to run out of steam in the last set as rain poured down on the roof at Court 1. Vekic will next play either seventh Jasmine Paolini or American Emma Navarro, 19th seed, for a spot in the final. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday the 10th of July it's OCR day, and Ryan speaks to Westpac's chief economist who isn't expecting a change any time soon. A change to our clean car standards is on the way, but Drive Electric aren't in favour. SailGP is on the way to Auckland next year, are dolphins going to be an issue? Ryan finds out. The UK is talking about an inheritance tax of up to 40% and there are whispers of our Labour party looking at one as well. 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.

Auckland's leg of SailGP will bring the boats to the spectators. The event will hold its first ever leg in Auckland in January. Auckland was supposed to hold an event last year, but that was cancelled after land use issues with Wynyard Quarter. Sail World Editor Richard Gladwell says Wynyard Point will probably be the main spectator base with necessary infrastructure already in place. He told Ryan Bridge the boats may even come a little too close. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm always a little bit paranoid about what governments are planning and what kind of taxes that they're scheming up. Look at the UK, which recently elected Labour and Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. They are talking about the potential of fiddling with their inheritance tax. They have one, we don't. On Heather's show yesterday we heard about the Labour Party in New Zealand weighing up whether to introduce one. I hate the idea of it. In the UK it's 40% and they paid £7.5 billion in death duties last year, which is a huge increase and this is largely because property prices have gone up. Governments all over the world are running out of money and they're running out of ways to tax people, and this one's quite appealing to a lot of them. If you look at the UK in particular, the number paying death duties is expected to jump from 33,000 this year to nearly 44,000 by the end of the next Parliament. That is a very tempting number for a government that needs new ways of finding revenue. And this is obviously the post war baby boomer generation now approaching the average life expectancy. So look out for governments all around the world as they'll be looking at ways to tax us more. I'm not saying it's going to happen here, obviously there was a hint that Labour might be planning something. I don't like the idea of this. Keep out of our business, please. If somebody is dying in your family, the last thing you want to think about is the 40% you got to pay to the tax man, right? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alice Springs is under another curfew. Australia’s Northern Territory Police Commissioner has declared another curfew, lasting three nights, following a string of violent incidents in the outback town. Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge that this time the curfew applies to both children and adults, unlike the one in March that only applied to youth. She said that the NT Police Minister Brent Potter says it’s been a “horror 72 hours”, beginning with a police officer being run over outside a bottle shop on Friday night. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The changes to New Zealand’s medical cannabis export regulations are being called a ‘game changer’. Exports will now only have to meet the standards of the importing jurisdiction, rather than New Zealand’s standards. It will also streamline the licensing process for growers, and update testing and laboratory requirements. Sally King, Director of the New Zealand Medical Cannabis Council, told Ryan Bridge that it’s one of those examples of overregulation that is being untangled. She said that at the moment we don’t export much medical cannabis at all, but the change is really going to open up the opportunity for New Zealand cultivators and manufacturers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An aviation expert says Boeing's management would be in jail if it were subject to New Zealand law. The company's agreed to a guilty plea around defrauding American regulators. It could pay up to half-a-billion US dollars to avoid prosecution. The lawsuit relates to two Boeing 737 Max jets that crashed in Indonesia in 2018 —and Ethiopia the year later— leaving hundreds dead. Irene King told Ryan Bridge that prosecution is just one part of the equation. She doesn't think it does enough to improve the company's performance or safety. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darlene Tana doesn't think natural justice has been followed. The Green Party's requested the MP resign from Parliament after receiving the investigation into alleged migrant exploitation at her husband's business. Tana's been suspended on full pay for 115-days, earning over $40 thousand in that time. The former Green MP doesn't accept the findings and claims it substantially misrepresents her level of involvement in her husband's business. Former National ministerial advisor Brigitte Morton told Ryan Bridge that Tana has all the cards in her hands. She says unless the Green's backflip on the waka jumping legislation and invoke it, she can sit there as long as she wants. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.