Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday10th of September, slight changes were made to the controversial Treaty Principles Bill in Cabinet yesterday. Labour's Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson joins the show to discuss.  Superfund has reached a value of $76.6 billion - a record for the fund. But what does it mean for the government and New Zealand's markets? Superfund expert Jonathan Eriksen speaks to Ryan.  There were 80 suspected suicides in the construction industry in the past year, so what is the sector doing to improve mental health and wellbeing? MATES in Construction researcher Dr Lauren Donnan joins the show to talk about her latest research and what the industry could do to reduce the number of suicides.  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.

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzales has arrived in Spain after fleeing the country after its presidential election.  Gonzales had an arrest warrant issued after he disputed July’s election, which was won by incumbent Nicolas Maduro.  The US, EU and Latin American countries have also questioned the election results after Venezuela refused to publish official election data to prove the result.  Europe correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge he arrived on a Spanish Royal Air Force plane near Madrid, where he’ll be granted political asylum after having stayed at its embassy in Caracas.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was a high level of suspense when Peter Cowan crossed the finish line in the final of the men’s single va’a VL3 200m canoe sprint race in Paris.  In his Paralympic Games debut, the 29-year-old from Hawke’s Bay flew out of the blocks in the final to battle for the early lead.  As the contest went on, it looked to be a case of two races for medals; Ukrainian Vladyslav Yepifanov and Jack Eyers of Great Britain contesting the top two spots on the podium, while Cowan, Australian Curtis McGrath and China’s Pu Yi were locked in a race for bronze.  The eight-strong race was over in about 50sec. It was a further 45sec before Cowan got word that he would be the third man on the podium.  “It feels unreal,” Cowan told TVNZ of winning a medal in his Paralympics debut.  In tough, windy conditions, the Kiwi stayed the course and might have been a bit fortunate that McGrath drifted in his lane toward the final stretch of the race, with Cowan crossing the line just 0.06sec ahead of the Australian who beat him in their h

Interesting op-ed from The Conversation by Chris Gledhill, Professor of Law at Auckland University of Technology.  It's about the Government's new gang legislation and argues that the changes that are being made in some last-minute ones could impinge on the Bill of Rights, and it makes some good points.  It says people join gangs for various reasons for some it's a matter of family connections, for others gang membership may arise from being marginalised from society.  The Royal Commission on Abuse and Care highlighted that abuse was also a pathway into gang membership, and in 2018 a report highlighted that imprisonment feeds gang recruitment. So, you don't have a choice?  If you are poor, if you have family in a gang, if you went to jail and they recruited you in jail, that's on society, not on you. You don't have a choice in the matter?  It's a crucial part of the puzzle because it sets up the entire system of response to dealing with the problem.  If you're not responsible or capable of saying no to a gang

The Mayor of the Ruapehu District wants the Government to step in to save two businesses facing closure.  Hundreds of jobs are on the line - with the Kariori pulpmill and Tangiwai sawmill both under pressure, as energy costs have gone up significantly in recent years.  A meeting on the fate of hundreds of workers is expected tomorrow.  Ruapehu District Mayor Weston Kirton told Ryan Bridge this is not a new issue - as Tiwai Point was bailed out.  He says the Government can cap electricity prices to allow the mills to get over the line  until the issue evens out.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A criminal defence lawyer says it's very rare to see the public caught in the crossfire of a homicide.   Since the start of August, Police have launched 11 homicide investigations around the country.   One has since been deemed not a homicide and has been referred to the coroner.   Lawyer John Munro told Ryan Bridge Police may be stretched.  “The promising thing is that we have a very, very good Police force. They’re very well-equipped, they’re good Police, they’re competent.”  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Will this week bring redemption for the All Blacks? Last week saw them lose to South Africa, the Springboks taking the win at Ellis Park.  This Sunday will see them facing off again in Cape Town, and Coach Scott Robertson has made a few changes to the lineup in preparation.  Former Springbok and Rugby Commentator Kevin Putt joined Ryan Bridge to preview the match and give his thoughts on the changes to the squad.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hopes New Zealand can help lead the effort to clean up space.   Space Minister Judith Collins has announced we've joined a US-led multi-national space initiative: Operation Olympic Defender.  International space expert Maria Pozza told Ryan Bridge that as well as defence, it will see New Zealand contribute to reducing space debris.  She says in recent decades space junk has become a key issue, and sustainable use of space is becoming increasingly important.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

France has a new Prime Minister, ending the country's months long political limbo.   President Emmanuel Macron has named conservative Michel Barnier as the new Prime Minister.  It comes two months after a snap election ended with a political stalemate.  Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Ryan Bridge that Barnier was the EU's former chief Brexit negotiator.  He says they'll see whether it gets France going again after the truce they've had through the Olympics.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's making changes aimed at bringing down the cost of building homes.   It's introduced new legislation to make it easier to import building supplies from abroad.   It'll enable recognition of overseas standards and Building Consent Authorities will need to accept products already certified offshore.   Building Industry Federation Chief Executive Julian Leys told Ryan Bridge this will impact a number of supplies.  He says they're looking at products with the biggest costs - like internal linings, external claddings, windows, plumbing products and insulation.   The Bill will have its first reading later this month.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 6th of August, overseas building supplies could soon be introduced to the market to help lower building costs. Building Industry Federation Chief Executive Julien Leys speaks to Ryan about what it means.  New Zealand has joined the multinational space programme Operation Olympic Defender. How could it benefit us? Space law expert Dr Maria Pozza joins the show.  Can the All Blacks recover from last week's loss to the Springboks? Rugby commentator and former Springbok Kevin Putt 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.

Semi-professional rugby tours may soon be back on the table.  New Zealand rugby is reportedly close to signing off a three-test, eight-match itinerary away against South Africa in 2026 - the Springboks would reciprocate in 2030.  Former All Black Ian Jones told Ryan Bridge it's wonderful news.  He said that it’s an absolute trip of a lifetime, and wonderful news not only for the players, but for the fans if they’re able to make their way over to watch.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a difficult retirement outlook for many Kiwis.  The latest Financial Services Council Money & You research reveals 94% of Kiwis worry about money, and one in five don’t have enough in their retirement savings to get them through the next year.  Many are dipping into savings to cover basics, with some having to juggle priorities.  Simplicity Founder Sam Stubbs told Ryan Bridge that a couple of things need to happen with KiwiSaver.  He said that we’re getting to the point where it needs to become compulsory, as it’s all very well that 79% of people are saving, but that still leaves 21% who’s retirement will be funded by the taxpayer.  The other thing, Stubbs said, is that the contribution needs to go up.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the group who are upset about the monopoly-duopoly that's happening in our grocery sector, you could save, at most per person, about $74 per year. That's if they were to have perfect competition in the sector, which obviously would be very hard to achieve.    Do you know what else costs you $80 a year?  A friend and I were chatting at the gym the other day and he showed me his rates bill, which he had kindly brought to the gym to encourage him to run faster.  There's an $80 targeted rate for the food compost bin. He said, what's that for? And I was like, it's the green bin that's on the street that no one uses. Then he was running faster than I've ever seen him run on the treadmill.  So apparently 60 to 65% of us don't use them. I know they have them in other parts of the country, in Auckland we've only got them just recently, so we're all getting a bit used to them. But $80 a year is what you have to pay.  And I got quite angry because if you're on a fixed income, $80 a year is a lot of money. I

The Grocery Action Group wants more regulation in our supermarket sector.   The Commerce Commission's first annual report on grocery shows competition has not meaningfully improved.  Foodstuffs and Woolworths could now face hefty fines for failing to treat small suppliers fairly or breaking a new wholesaler code.  Group lead Sue Chetwin told Ryan Bridge we need structural change to split up this big duopoly.  She says the Government has to bite the metal here and say we need more regulation to address the state of the industry.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 5th of September, the grocery commissioner says the sector has no meaningful competition and retail margins have increased. Grocery Action Group's Su Chetwin chats to Ryan about what it means and what to do from here.  The All Blacks and South Africa could be resuming full tours from 2026, and NZ Rugby say there won't be any changes to rules preventing Kiwis playing overseas from representing New Zealand. Former All Black Ian Jones joins the show.  One in five Kiwi retirees don't have enough savings to get them through the next year - that's according to the Financial Services Council. They also want a review into KiwiSaver to make sure New Zealanders are getting the most out of it. So, what needs to change? Simplicity Founder Sam Stubbs speaks to Ryan.  Mitch McCann has the latest on the U.S. election - new polls in battleground state are showing mixed results for both Harris and Trump.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podc

At least 12 people have died after the capsize of a migrant boat in the English Channel.  The French Coastguard has rescued more than 50.  It's the deadliest disaster in the Channel so far this year.  Downing Street is labelling the disaster "truly horrific", and says it's determined to further crack down on dangerous people-smuggling operations.  UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge that more than 20,000 people have made the crossing from France to the UK this year, but the number of deaths has also risen significantly.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have zero issues with foreign visitors paying more to visit New Zealand. The tax hike that is being touted is big – $35 up to $100 per visitor, and that is substantial.  Crucially though, our Aussie mates are exempt, and they make up 40% of our market. So that's a good chunk who won't be contributing and shouldn't be affected in terms of numbers visiting us here.  The impact, the overall impact still quite unclear.  The Government on one hand says they've got MBIE advice, which is always good advice, saying that it won't be a significant impact. The industry says we will have 48,000 fewer visitors coming here and they'll take their almost $300 million spend elsewhere. The industry says this is alarming.  It's possible they're both right here. The total tourist numbers visiting in the year to June is 3.2 million. So, 48,000 is both not significant if you're the Government, but alarming if you're the industry.  The cold, hard reality is we're not as hot as we used to be when it comes to New Zealand as a desti

Travel experts believe that now isn't the time to push up the fees for overseas tourists.  The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy is rising almost 200% from next month, from $35 to $100.  The money raised will go back into services and infrastructure used by visitors to the country.  Intrepid Travel general manager Eve Lawrence told Ryan Bridge New Zealand's tourism recovery is still lagging behind other countries.  She says we're only sitting at 80% of pre-Covid numbers, while Australia is expected to hit 100% by the end of the year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.