Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Tory Whanau's admission she sold her car to help keep on top of the bills is ironic, given she's the mayor of a city now famous for its double-digit rate hikes.  Wellington City Council saw an 18.5% rise this year and 13% the year before. Wellington Regional Council is up 25% this year.  They reckon over the next four years many will be paying an extra $3000 a year.  I hope the Mayor's got a bike she can sell, or some furniture, or a nice handbag - something she can whack on Trade Me to stay afloat.  People are commenting that a salary of $190,000 a year is more than enough to live on in Wellington. I don't know her personal information and frankly I don't want to, this is not about her. This is about us, voters. Taxpayers and ratepayers.  We're all in this forced ship being sailed by captains half of us didn't vote for on what can sometimes feel a bit like the Titanic.  We can all work more, work smarter, invest more, grow our eggs a bit more, and many of us do. The median net worth of a kiwi household in 20

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 19th of September, GDP data is coming out today, and the forecasts aren't good. Ryan speaks to BNZ's Chief Economist Mike Jones.  The jury is out on the Polkinghorne murder trial. When could we see a verdict, and what are the chances of a hung jury? NZ Herald Court Reporter Craig Kapitan joins the show to explain.  The new Ministerial Advisory Group for retail crime has some new members, so what are their plans and how are they going to make a difference? Retail NZ's Carolyn Young 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.

There's an urgent need to promote resilience among Aotearoa's youth.   A new paper from Auckland University's think tank Koi Tū reveals 21% of 15 to 24 year olds are experiencing high levels of psychological distress.   It highlights suicide as the leading cause of death among youth and notes our suicide rate is one of the highest in the developed world.   Researcher Seungyeon Kim says we need programmes and spaces that help our young people to connect and feel safe.   She says parents and caregivers can focus on having interactions that are warm, attentive and responsive to the young person's need.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a belief the economic climate is to blame for more youths fronting court over criminal charges.  The Ministry of Justice's annual criminal convictions and sentencing statistics reveal more than 1,700 youths between 10 and 17 years of age had charges finalised in court.  It found theft was the most common offence type.  Youth Development worker Aaron Hendry told Ryan Bridge a key driver is poverty, and the Government's policies are creating an environment where these crimes would increase.  He says more young people are being pushed into hardship, so it's not surprising to see the data.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report has found Government vastly overestimated the cost of new home insulation standards.  Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk is considering rolling back the H1 insulation requirements brought in last year amid reports they add up to $40 thousand to build costs.  But research by New Zealand Certified Builders and others, shows the requirements can add as little as $2,200 to the cost of a three-bedroom house.  Research author Nick Clements told Ryan Bridge the Government's approach looked at the very maximum, which isn't realistic.  He says they instead looked at the minimum they could do to meet the standard.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's why we should care about what sounds like a bit of an obscure trip from some U.S. officials to Beijing this week.  They are going to meet to talk to their counterparts about a wave of Chinese goods flooding world markets.  China, obviously, has enormous manufacturing capacity and enormous machine behind it, and the output has gotten too large for the world to absorb.  The strategy by China, they reckon —and this is why the U.S. officials are going there— the strategy is demand at home is a bit weaker for them, so they pump up production and they ship the excess offshore.  The idea is they would build more resilient supply chains throughout the world, they'll get us hooked on cheap goods.  I mean, we're like crack addicts at a dollar store, aren't we?  Think about Temu, Shein, those types of websites. In the process they are squeezing other manufacturers around the world – including the United States, which is why they're sending a delegation to go and say “stop that please”.  It's also why you're seein

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 18th of September, Kiwi youth are facing more criminal charges according to the latest justice figures. Youth development worker Aaron Hendry joins the show to discuss the findings.  New insulation standards could cost as little as $2,200 extra for a new build 3-bedroom house, but why is that so much lower than the $40,000 to $50,000 the building and construction minister says it would cost? YourQS author Nick Clements joined Ryan to explain.  New research has found that in 2022 and 2023, more than one in five 15-24 year olds experienced high levels of psychological distress. So how do we build resilience in our kids? Research author Dr Seungyeon Kim explains.  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.

It’s not just New Zealand who’s been experiencing an icy start to Spring.  Australia has seen record low temperatures across the southeast, with an icy blast catching several states unaware.   Canberra marked its coldest September morning on record, with Monday hitting –6.9C, and many regions were hitting below 0.  Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge that the system has come almost from Antarctica, and the temperatures are sitting about five to eight degrees lower than average.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More children in this country are being hospitalised for preventable diseases.   A new Cure Kids report reveals hospital admissions for respiratory, skin and rheumatic conditions, mental health issues and dental diseases, remain unacceptably high.   It identifies social factors —like child poverty, housing conditions and inequitable access to care— as key drivers, and notes Māori and Pasifika children are disproportionately affected.  Chair of Child Health at Auckland University Stuart Dalziel told Ryan Bridge that we need to look at which children we’re failing, and if there is a failing on the basis of race, we need to ask why.  He said that the answer may not be specifically race-targeted policy, but there does need to be policy, and we need to be very clear about where there is failings so they can be corrected.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More profit appears to be on the horizon for dairy farmers, with conditions faring better than expected. Dairy NZ's lifted its revenue forecast to $8.84 per kilogram of milk solids, with a break even of $8.09. Head of Economics Mark Storey says the combination of improved farmgate milk prices and declining interest rates show a healthier situation for the sector. But he says the costs of electricity, feed, and maintenance have kept driving farm working expenses up. He says overall expenses are staying stubbornly high, so the inflation hasn't come out of the system just yet. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour says the Government's achieving nothing with its reforms to sentencing laws.  The Government's first quarterly report on public service targets shows rates of people victimised had risen by June, by 30 thousand people.  It aims to reduce that by 20 thousand within the next six years.   It's bringing sentencing law reforms to Parliament this week to reduce discounts and add aggravating factors.  Labour Justice Spokesperson Duncan Webb told Ryan Bridge there's no substance to it.  He says they're simply giving the rules a quick coat of paint and adding nothing.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon has reason to smile this morning – there are two sets of data to cheer about.  First, the poll. He's shaking off that slightly cringe CEO moniker and cementing himself as a man with a plan, in charge, across most of the issues, and not allowing himself to become too distracted by the inevitable noise that comes with running the ninth floor.  The latest taxpayer's union curia poll is out, it has National up 1.4 to 39%  That's an extra seat from National, NZ First also get another, while there's also no change for ACT. Safe across the line for the coalition, with 67 seats.  Preferred Prime Minister is getting interesting.  Chippy's gone off a cliff, the trend is down, but this result’s a shocker – he's down 6.1 points to 12.6%.  Luxon? 32.7%.  Chippy is now almost within margin of error with, not Luxon, but Chlöe on 7.2%.  The other numbers today, NZIER's quarterly consensus data.  Not so great for us, at least in the short term. Big fat zero GDP growth in the year to March.  That's depressing

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 17th of August, the Government's first quarterly target check is out, and it's not looking too good. The target to reduce crime is at risk, and Luxon's blaming the previous government for making it harder to achieve. Labour's Duncan Webb speaks to Ryan about the results.  Cure Kids’ State of Child Health report paints a grim picture – Stuart Dalziel joins the show to explain what the report found.  Things are looking up for our dairy farmers according to Dairy NZ's quarterly economic forecast. Head of economics Mark Storey takes us through the numbers.  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.

Over in the UK, Labour's leader was using private donations to pay for his wife's wardrobe. She had personal shoppers, clothes and alterations for campaign events and after the campaign as well. Keir Starmer's wife, Victoria, was dressed to the nines, apparently. It wasn't declared as a donation, but has now been declared as a donation.David Lammy, the foreign secretary, has been wheeled out to explain it. "In our country, there isn't a budget for the Prime Minister's clothes, or his wife's clothes. In some countries, there's a substantial budget. I've just come back from America, where there is a substantial budget to ensure that the US President and the First Lady, their appearance, can never be challenged." I think we should publicly fund our leaders wardrobes. I'm just going to put it out there, I think we should. It's important how we look on the world stage. In the world of geopolitics and diplomacy you need to look good. You need to look sharp and you need to need to look smart. We don't want to be loo

Eight people have died while trying to cross the English Channel from France to England in a rubber vessel. It's the second deadly incident involving a migrant boat in the Channel in as many weeks. UK correspondent Gavin Grey rescue services identified 60 people on the vessel.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri has won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The race ended behind a safety car after a collision between Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Red Bull's Sergio Perez as they fought for third. ZB sports reporter Andrew Alderson recaps the race. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hopes worrying new figures can help the health sector improve the outcomes of respiratory disease. A report has found more people suffer from respiratory diseases than previously known, going from one in seven to one in five Kiwis each year. Asthma and Respiratory Foundation Medical Director Bob Hancox says while it shows New Zealand's not doing well, the new research is important. He says it gives experts a better understanding of how big the issue is. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A union's labelling the Education Minister's changes for reliever teachers a knee-jerk reaction to the current shortage. Erica Stanford's changing who can gain a Limited Authority to Teach - allowing about 200 teachers who no longer hold registration to work as relief teachers. It means both experts who aren’t qualified teachers and previously registered teachers, can come into classrooms as relievers. PPTA President Chris Abercrombie says the change is essentially just putting in warm bodies to fill the gaps. "They're looking after kids, not teaching kids or educating kids, not helping them - they're just looking after them. These kids deserve more." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday the 16th of September. The PPTA aren't happy with short term changes the Education Minister has made to the sector. President Chris Abercrombie speaks to Ryan. The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation say more Kiwis are being diagnosed with respiratory diseases, so what's causing the rise? The foundation's Medical Director Professor Bob Hancox joins the show. Oscar Piastri takes first place in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the America's Cup challenger series wraps up and the Black Ferns lose to England at Twickenham - Andrew Alderson has your weekend sport wrap. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The use of coal and gas to generate energy has increased sharply due to falling hydro lake levels.  Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment data from April to June shows that coal produced 883 gigawatt hours of electricity.   That's a more than a 500% increase on the same time last year, and it’s the first time since 2021 that coal produced more electricity than wind.   Low hydro lake levels mean electricity generated from renewable sources dropped to 81% of total generation, an 8.6% drop compared to same time last year.  Otago University Senior Research Fellow Kimberley O’Sullivan told Ryan Bridge that while we do have to go somewhere, it’s time to stop looking underground for the solution to our problems.  She said that we need to get smarter about the things such as housing, and we could solve a lot of problems by increasing insultation and making homes more energy efficient, as well as adding solar panels.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.