Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Auckland FC have beaten Melbourne Victory by one point. It means the team is one game away from making the grand final. Newstalk ZB’s Andrew Alderson talks to Ryan Bridge about the game, Super Rugby over the weekend and Ryan Fox’s dreams coming true. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

London and the EU will hold their first bilateral summit tomorrow since Brexit. It’s a big moment for the bilateral bitterness provoked by Brexit. UK Correspondent Gavin Grey says it’s ‘a really significant moment.’ LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government will officially announce its annual budget this Thursday. It comes as Wellington’s economy has been particularly hit hard over the past 12 months. The capital’s seen public service job cuts, people working from home and slow infrastructure. What does the city need from the budget? Business Central CEO Simon Arcus talks to Ryan Bridge ahead of the budget. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Monday 19th of May Full Show Podcast 2025, the Government's committing $164 million over four years for five new 24/7 urgent healthcare clinics, Health Minister Simeon Brown has the details.  Andrew Alderson has the latest on the weekends sport.  It's budget week this week, Business Central CEO Simon Arcus tells Ryan Bridge what's on the business Wishlist.  Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on the EU and UK hold their first bilateral summit since Brexit. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Improvements to urgent care are set to roll out over the next four years.  The Government is increasing funding by 164 million dollars - 41-million dollars a year.  Health Minister Simeon Brown says it will take pressure off the rest of the health system, especially our overburdened EDs.  He's laid out the order that each region will get the boost. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's a question for your Monday morning.  If somebody came up to you on the street and asked for DOB, next of kin, phone number, personal address, your interests, sports and hobbies.... what would you say?  Bugger off. Why do you want all that? What will you do with it? Do you need it?  and yet, when some random business asks you this stuff while you're buying shampoo or a computer mouse on the internet, we happily give it away, hand it over, pay for our loot (using a credit card number and password, then promptly think nothing more of it.  The reason we do this is because we're asked to do it. And we often don't have much choice.  If you don't answer those pesky questions with the asterisk on them.... you can't get the thing that yo want. Even if you've paid.  Privacy Commissioner has a new survey out. Survey says F-off, basically.  Two-thirds say protecting their personal information now a major concern in their lives (yes, major. Presumably up there with death and a mor

A large social services provider is welcoming the Government's new cross-sector social investment approach.  The Social Investment Fund is receiving $190 million in this years budget, aiming to invest in social services early to prevent future harm and save costs.  Social Service Providers Aotearoa CEO Belinda Himiona told Ryan Bridge it allows the work to be tracked across different government agencies.  She says it allows them to tackle the hard cases, not just one contract dealing with a particular issue like education.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland FC are heading across the ditch for the first leg of the A-League semifinal.  They’re facing off against the Melbourne Victory at Melbourne's AAMI Park on Saturday, before returning home to Mt Smart for the second leg.   CEO Nick Becker told Ryan Bridge they want to go in there tomorrow night and lay down their intentions.  He says the team won’t take anything for granted.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 16th of May 2025, Social investment is getting a boost, Belinda Himiona from Social Service Providers Aotearoa CEO shares her thoughts on $190 million going towards a new social investment fund.  Putin didn't turn up for peace talks with Ukraine, Kyiv based foreign policy and security analyst Jimmy Rushton tells Ryan Bridge what happens from here.  it's all go this weekend for Auckland FC ahead of the semi-final clash against Melbourne Victory on Saturday, Auckland FC Boss Nick Becker tells Ryan what we can expect.  Plus UK/Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on the UK PM is in talks about sending failed asylum seekers abroad. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions have been raised over what can actually be achieved today with Russia and Ukraine both backing away from sending their leaders to peace talks in Turkey. After the Kremlin confirmed it's sending low-level official Vladimir Medinsky, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy decided to send his Defence Minister instead. Zelenskyy says Russia isn't serious about real talks after he'd challenged Vladimir Putin to be there in person.  Kyiv based foreign policy analyst Jimmy Rushton told Ryan Bridge essentially, Putin had challenged Zelenskyy first. The timing of the meeting remains unconfirmed.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buongiorno! Italia is going to host the 38th America's Cup in summer 2027.  The Auld Mug once again heads to European waters - the first time the Italians will play host. They've had the World Series but never the big one. It'll be Mt Vesuvius in the background, not Rangitoto. Pizza lining the bellies of fans, not fish and chips. Auckland has missed, which we already knew. Athens has missed out. Giorgia Meloni's excited. Luna Rossa, obviously pumped.  But the question for you this morning: do you wake up feeling jealous? Was there a pit of disappointment in your stomach? Do we lambaste our messily, stingy government for not prioritising a sailing race?  My feelings are, well it's nice they have somewhere to sail and good luck to them.  But I don't feel FOMO. We were on the hook for tens of millions of dollars - Wayne hasn't got his bed tax, yet.  Politically, it was the right call, too.  Imagine with this announcement coming a week out from Budget Day the outcry from the unions a

A US parole board will decide next month if infamous brothers serving life sentences can be freed, after their sentences have been reduced.   Erik and Lyle Menendez killed their parents in 1989.   An LA judge has now resentenced the pair to "50 years to life", with time served making them instantly eligible for parole.   US Correspondent Toni Waterman told Ryan Bridge the brothers have always maintained they killed their parents as they feared they would be killed after years of sexual abuse at the hands of their father.  She says that over the years, family members have come out and advocated for them.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The stage is set in Turkey for a potentially historic meeting in a few hours between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's personally attending and has challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to do the same.  It has now been confirmed that Putin will not attend the meeting, but the Kremlin had previously refused to confirm either way.  BBC Senior Russia Reporter Olga Ivshina told Ryan Bridge that Putin follows his own logic – which is quite unpredictable.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Signs of systemic failures when it comes to our children.   UNICEF's Innocenti research reveals New Zealand's recorded the highest child suicide rate of 36 countries, and ranks last for mental wellbeing.   It also finds we have one of the highest rates of child obesity and bullying.   UNICEF Aotearoa's Tania Sawicki Mead told Ryan Bridge that although some of the decrease in life satisfaction can be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, it wasn’t the only factor.  She says that the suicide rate didn’t shift significantly enough over the period pre- or post-Covid to make a dent in the statistics.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Speaker of the House is reminding MPs the rules of the House must be followed. The Privileges Committee have suggested three Te Pati Māori MPs be temporarily suspended from Parliament, ranging up to 21 days, for their role in a haka over the Treaty Principles Bill. Te Pati Māori says these suspensions are the longest in Parliament's history. Sir Lockwood Smith told Ryan Bridge members need to think before they ignore the rules. He says the three-week suspension and missing part of the budget debate will hopefully make people take notice. The recommendation will be put to the House next Tuesday and likely pass.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s a few c-words for your Thursday morning: communist, coalition, and crash. Crash, because that’s what’d happen to the economy if we lived in the Green utopia complete with the $88-billion tax train wreck.  Coalition, because that’s what you’d get if Labour shacks up with their neighbours on the far left. Hipkins yesterday first claimed not have read the manifesto. Whatever.  This is the manifesto of a party he could well be sitting round the cabinet table within a year from now.  He then refused to rule out anything in it. It won't rule out the hammer. And I won't rule out the sickle.  The Greens are by far Hipkins' biggest Achilles heel, and therefore Luxon’s greatest strength.  Remember the hit in the polls Labour took over "defend da police"? Here's the thing about us New Zealanders, your middle voters, we may not right now be affected by the inheritance taxes, wealth taxes, higher income taxes, the company tax hikes which would put them amongst highest in the developed world

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 15th of May 2025, Putin still hasn't confirmed he'll turn up to a meeting with Zelensky in Turkey, BBC Senior Russia Reporter Olga Ivshina has the latest.  The privileges committee has suspended the Te Pāti Māori Co-leaders and MP for Hauraki-Waikato Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke for the haka in Parliament.  According to a Unicef report New Zealand has around three times the average rate for youth suicide - the worst out of 36th high-income countries, Unicef Director of Communications Tania Sawicki Mead shares her thoughts.  Plus US Correspondent from Feature Story News Toni Waterman has the latest on The possible release of the Menendez brothers and Trump announcing deals with Qatar.  Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyber threats are estimated to have cost New Zealanders $1.6 billion last year.  New data from the National Cyber Security Centre has revealed half the country has been the target of online scam in the last six months.  Up to 830,000 experienced some financial loss.  Director of Mission Enablement Michael Jagusch says good cyber security practises can reduce harm.  He says it includes using two-factor authentication and having long, unique passwords on main accounts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's backtracked on requests for a ceasefire to come before talks with Russia.  He's set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey this week to discuss the Ukraine war.   This comes as Western allies in the 'Coalition of the Willing' have offered a US backed 30-day cease-fire proposal to Russia, alongside the threat of sanctions.   Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge it's still uncertain if the meeting will take place, but Zelenskyy is hopeful.  He says Zelenskyy hasn't won the introduction he'd hoped for, as he requested a ceasefire agreement first, and a meeting second.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meridian Energy's denying its purchase of Flick Electric is a takeover by New Zealand's big power companies.  The power gentailer is paying $70 million to Z Energy for Flick's 41,000 electricity customers and the brand.  It'll increase Meridian’s market share to 18%, maintaining its position as our fourth largest electricity retailer.  Meridian Energy Chief Customer Officer Lisa Hannifan told Ryan Bridge this isn't about market consolidation.  She says Flick wanted to leave the market to focus on transport and EVs, so they're pulling out of New Zealand and Australia.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.