Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday 9 June. 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.

A new 'Parent Boost' visa will make it easier for some migrants' parents to visit the country. From September, it will grant parents of citizens multi-entry access for five years, with the opportunity for renewal once - meaning they could hold the visa for 10 years. Applicants will also need to meet specific health, income, and insurance requirements. Act Party Immigration Spokesperson Parmjeet Parmar told Ryan Bridge it's hard to know how many people will apply. She says it could be between two and ten thousand. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She was a chilly weekend.  Even in Auckland it was only 5 degrees.  We had the heat pump cranking the entire weekend. I spoke to a friend in Marlborough who had the fire going all weekend. They had a proper frost there.  It's right about now you start thinking... how much is all this going to cost me? The answer $250 for May for a house of two persons, one dog.  Already we've spent $70 for June.  This is one of the few bills I pay in our household so it's one of the few I notice.  It's not going through the roof... and is tracking roughly the same as last year.  And disclaimer... our place is old and cold, poorly ventilated and you basically need either air con or heat all the time. There is good news on the energy front for 2025, not that it directly affects us as much, more the big industrial users.  Forsyth Barr released an energy note on Friday... they reckon we'll avoid another big energy crunch this winter. The next one is due 2026.  That means no risk of bla

Winston Peters is accusing Don Brash and Helen Clark of "relevance deprivation syndrome", after their criticism of his approach to China.  The former National and Labour leaders are warning the Government that it could be putting our largest trading relationship at risk by aligning too closely with the US.  Brash believes that it is unwise to shift priority from China to the US given the current tension between the two superpowers. Peters says he stands by the government's independent foreign policy, and he sees no value in indulging in tired arguments from former politicians.  LISTEN ABOVE     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK and Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney spoke to Ryan Bridge about German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to the White House.   The chancellor presented President Donald Trump with a gift: The birth certificate of President Trump’s German grandfather, which seemed to go down well with the President. Despite the positivity on the outside, McAviney said that the difference between the two nations’ approach to the war in Ukraine has led negotiations to continue behind closed doors.   McAviney also said that Germany is likely aiming to secure a deal with the US that will reduce the effects of Trump’s tariffs.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rugby commentator Tony Johnson joined Ryan Bridge to discussthethree upcoming qualifying finalsgames this weekend. The first match taking place tonight sees the Crusaders take on the Reds. The odds seem to be stacked against the Reds, as an Australian team is still yet to win a Super Rugby playoff game against a Kiwi team on Kiwi soil. The Chiefs and the Blues are also due to face off this weekend. Johnson told Ryan Bridge that the Chiefs will be out for revenge after their crushing defeat in last year’s finals. The Hurricanes are taking a trip over the ditch to face the Brumbies. Johnson said that the Hurricanes’excellent form could win it for them – but it won’t be easy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Misleading vape labelling is a worry for youth vaping.  A study in the medical journal shows more than half of vape juices have incorrectly labelled how much nicotine they contain. Most of the mislabelled products had significantly less nicotine than advertised—some by over 50%. Vape Free Kids Co-Founder Charyl Robinson told Ryan Bridge there's no funded support for youth quitting vaping and families are paying the price.  She says it's hard enough on families trying to support their children, let alone with no confidence in how much nicotine is actually in the product they're using. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 6th of June 2025, there's pressure on the Prime Minister to separate New Zealand's foreign policy from America's Former National Party Leader Don Brash shares his open letter with Ryan. It's the Super Rugby quarter finals this weekend, rugby commentator Tony Johnson tells Ryan who he thinks the favourites will be.  There's been a new study in the Medical Journal which has found more than half of vape juices have been labelled with the wrong concentration of nicotine, Co-founder of Vape Free Kids Charyl Robinson shares her thoughts on how harmful this can be.  Plus, UK/ Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on Friedrich Merz meeting with Trump in the Oval office.  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.

Well that was as chaotic as you'd expect.  I caught the first half of Parliament's debate on the haka-gate: Winston Peters went full attack dog, Willie Jackson fought back, Waititi brought a noose into the chamber, and Adrian Rurawhe, former Speaker and Labour MP, had the most sensible and respectable take of the debate.  I've had the pleasure of interviewing him a few times. He's a humble, quiet and observant sort of guy. He's quick to a smile and enjoys a good argument.   Not that you could hear it in the House yesterday. Loads of interjecting. Lots of noise.   Adrian gets respect because he shushed his own Labour colleagues while he was up on his feet.  He made two decent points.  1. The Privileges Committee is meant to be bipartisan. The fact this punishment was not, is a bad thing. Why? Because now it's open season, governments —of any persuasion— can weaponize its punishments against their political opponents. This is not a good thing. As he points out, this

Fighting in Trump’s cabinet after Elon Musk lashed out at Trump’s “Big, beautiful bill”.   US Correspondent Mitchell McCann told Ryan Bridge that Elon Musk’s comments earlier in the week have gone unaddressed by the President so far.   Musk took to X and called the President’s new bill a “disgusting abomination.” Later adding that the bill would increase the budget deficit to $2.5trillion.   President Trump wanted the bill on his desk by the 4th of July, but the opposition from one of his closest allies could drastically slow down the process.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission is ramping up efforts to disrupt the supermarket monopoly.  It says supplier charges and promotional pricing are reinforcing the dominance of Foodstuffs and Woolworths.  It's proposing a simplified grocery code, reducing the range of payments that supermarkets can charge suppliers.  Grocery expert Ernie Newman told Ryan Bridge that supermarkets are receiving billions of dollars in discounts - which largely aren't being passed on to consumers.   He says there's more money floating around in the sector than the Commerce Commission had previously identified.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Homeowners will have to pay more for home insurance to help the Natural Hazards Commission.   Associate Finance Minister David Seymour says levies will almost certainly need to rise further, with Cabinet set to decide on the changes in the coming months.    Insurance consultant Dean Lester told Ryan Bridge that these changes could cost homeowners two to $300 more a year.   The government says they'll carry $2 billion worth of risk but have about $500 million in the kitty.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Government reforms aim to tidy up inconsistencies in Fish and Game New Zealand.  It will be shifted to a nationalised fee collection system to reduce double handling of fees.  Fish and Game councils will also be required to consider the interests of other stakeholders, like farmers and the aviation sector, when it comes to decision making.  Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager told Ryan Bridge he wants to ensure councils function efficiently. He says there should be a consistent approach across the country. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 5th June of 2025, The Grocery Commissioner has revealed changes to crack down on the grocery sector, Grocery Policy Expert Ernie Newman shares his thoughts.  Homeowners could be in for more insurance levies, Insurance Consultant Dean Lester tells Ryan Bridge why.  The Government's announced an overhaul of Fish and Game, Minister for Fishing and Hunting, James Meager tells Ryan Bridge what the changes will mean.  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.

The Commerce Commission reckons we need fewer items 'on sale' at the supermarket.  That would mean less yoghurt on special at $4.99, fewer $1.99 chocolate bars at the checkout, and just less price yo-yo-ing in general. This is counterintuitive. The job of Commerce Commission, through the Grocery Commissioner, is meant to score us cheaper prices and boost competition, right? So, what the hell is going on here? This morning, they announced they want to change the rules around what the supermarkets can charge suppliers. Foodstuffs and Woolworths purchase $15 billion of goods from suppliers each year and control 82% of the retail market.  When they do this, suppliers will discount prices by about $5 billion a year through rebates, discounts, and promotional payments. This ensures their stock is on sale. If they need to move a boat load of it, they can do on special and quickly, because we all love a bargain. The Supermarket tsar says if you’re a new, smaller supermarket chain opening up, you can’t compe

Ukraine's struck a critical bridge connecting Russia and the Crimean Peninsula.  It's security service claims agents mined the supports of the bridge with more than one-thousand kilograms of explosives, severely damaging the foundations.  Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge the bridge is a hated symbol of Russian occupation for Ukraine.  He says it's also a vital piece of infrastructure for Russia.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington's seen as the ideal place to host a major movie premiere.  That's due to a decade-old agreement between the producers of the Avatar franchise and the Government, given the amount of taxpayers' money that's been contributed.   In return, the producers agreed to roll out a red carpet in New Zealand for at least one of the three movies.  818 Publicity Managing Director Chris Henry told Ryan Bridge Wellington has a wonderful film culture.  He says the capital is also home to the films' director James Cameron, and a number of stars.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Building and Construction Minister's confident they're providing the right support while sector liquidation rates remain bleak.  Building Research Association data shows construction companies now make up about a third of all business liquidations – up 25% in 2022.   Minister Chris Penk told Ryan Bridge it's not a great statistic, but they're focusing on what they can control.   He says this includes turning around rules and regulations to make recovery easier.    Penk says the sector's in the midst of a deep boom and bust cycle.   He says times will get better, but they need to do everything in their power to avoid things being tougher for longer.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although visitor spending is on the rise, some parts of New Zealand are still doing it tough. A Government survey's found international visitor spending increased by 10% and contributed more than $12 billion to the economy in the year ending March. That's 9.2% up on the previous year. It reflects an increase in international visitors, topping 3.3 million arrivals, up from almost 3.2 million. Queenstown Mayor Glyn Lewers told Ryan Bridge it's good news, but also highlights the uneven nature of the spend across New Zealand.  He says there should be more effort to collaborate and spread the love between different regions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourism mojo.  Louise Upston fired off an enthusiastic press release last night.  "International visitor spend on the up” it proclaimed. New data, which we get from the International Visitor Survey, showed a 10% jump in spending on the previous year. Sounds impressive, right?  Sounds like we’re getting somewhere. Finally shaking off the Covid cobwebs.  But this is where we start to see the spin doctors earning their keep.  Let’s not forget we’ve been dealing with inflation outside the band over that year. Which means stuff costs more - restaurants and hotels included. So, are we actually getting more out of tourism than we were, and is the jumping up and down justified? Well, the measure of success ought to be pre-Covid, when everything was shut down, we battened down the hatches and kissed the world goodbye. By that measure, spending is still only 86% of what it was in 2019. Now, the very same Minister responsible for last night’s press release was the same Minister responsible for f