Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 1 May. 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.

The Government books are expected to reach surplus by 2029.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis has teased slices of her Budget 2025 cake, revealing $1.3 billion in new operating spending – a cut from the forecast of $2.4 billion.  Ministers and agencies have been asked to cut more costs, for diversion into focus areas including health, education, and defence.  Labour’s Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds told Ryan Bridge it all comes down to the choices Willis will need to make to get to that surplus.  She says this is where choices really matter, and the Government’s pulling back at a time where they should be investing.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chaos for southwest Europe during a major power blackout.  Spain, Portugal, and parts of France went dark yesterday due to an issue with the grid, originating in Spain.   Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says power has now been restored, and they will take all necessary measures to prevent a repeat.  Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge cash registers, gas pumps, and credit cards all stopped working.   He says it was a very hot day, and people were stuck in lifts and electric trains.  Grey says plenty of other countries are now wondering if they’d be resilient enough if the same happened to them.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canadian Liberal Party Leader Mark Carney will have a lot of issues to tackle after winning the country's election last night.   The win means he'll continue to lead Canada – the job he took over from Justin Trudeau six weeks ago.   It's an upset loss for the Conservative Party, which was leading the polls up until Carney took over.  Political Analyst Nick Harper told Ryan Bridge it might be a tough start for him.  He says Carney has a tremendous to do list, and will also have to work out a trade policy with the US.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A children's support charity says a mix of heightened awareness and more abuse could be the reason for more reports to Oranga Tamariki.  The Ministry for Children estimates its seen a 45 percent increase in reports of concern in the year to April. It comes as Newstalk ZB reveals more than a-thousand children are overdue to be assigned a social worker.  Child Matters Chief Executive Jane Searle told Ryan Bridge it's aware of a large volume of under-reporting - especially in serious cases.  She says increased reporting is certainly not indicative of just more awareness.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can’t say we weren’t warned Nicola Willis would be taking to government spending like a butcher to a fresh carcass. She’s been saying it for months.  Yesterday she halved the operating allowance to $1.3 billion. All this because she wants to do what she said she’s do, and that’s balance the books by 2029. The recession’s cut her tax take so you either push your surplus out or you trim your spending. Labour, of course, says this is austerity, it’s bad, and we should spending more not less. Well, we know where that got us, waist deep in our own shite. Shite that Willis is now wading her way through trying to clean up. Budgets are just bigger versions of what we all do in our own lives everyday. We make decisions and choices about how much to spend, to borrow, what we spend on and more importantly, what we don’t. And if you asked most Kiwis what they’re doing right now, are you doing a Hipkins.Are you borrowing and splashing the cash? Stacking the pantry? Making nice brand spanking new purchases? 

On the Early Edition Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 30 April 2025, numbers revealed this morning show more 1,300 children are waiting to be assigned a social worker by Oranga Tamariki. Child Matters CEO Jane Searle gives her reaction to Ryan Bridge.  Labour is already calling the upcoming budget the "slash and burn budget." But Ryan questions Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds on what she would do differently.  We get reaction from Canada as Mark Carney and the Liberal Party pull off a remarkable win in the country's election.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A thumbs-up from the building industry over changes to certifications and inspections.   The Government will be letting approved builders, plumbers, and drainlayers sign off their own work for simple residential dwellings.   80% of inspections will also need to be completed within three working days.  Master Builders CEO Ankit Sharma told Ryan Bridge there’s a lot that can be done to reduce the compliance burden on low-risk homes without compromising quality or consumer protection.  Some of which, he says, are restricting it to low-risk builds, having strict self-certification criteria, and strengthening the LBP scheme.   Sharma says that more details would be needed, but if improvements in these areas are implemented well, they’ll enable productivity gains without compromising quality.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A belief there's hope to solving New Zealand's plastic waste problem.  Plastics New Zealand has released two reports with strategies for minimising plastic waste in the construction sector and in consumer, medical and seafood packaging.  Five thousand tonnes of polystyrene packaging enters the supply chain every year, with 77% going to landfill.  Plastics New Zealand CEO Rachel Barker told Ryan Bridge there's work to be done.   She says New Zealand could implement product stewardship, so people have a place they can take it back to —or it gets collected— so it can be recycled and re-used into new products.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tory Whanau is bowing out of Wellington's mayoral race.  The incumbent's confirmed she'll instead stand for the council's Māori ward seat to give former Labour Leader Andrew Little a clear run.  She says Little will do a good job, and she hopes people see her withdrawal as a gracious move.  Little's been critical of Whanau, calling rate increases under her leadership "simply not acceptable".  He told Ryan Bridge Whanau advised him before announcing her decision.  A key focus of both the residents and candidates is Wellington's high rates, and Little says he wants to slow the rise. He says a 35% increase over the next three years is simply not acceptable.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here we go again with the whinge fest about Air New Zealand's prices.  I get it.  I try book the same flights as everybody else and when you're trying to fly some obscure route from this province to province its gets expensive. Quickly.  But here we are again with politicians telling us fibs - telling us they can wave a magic wand and fix all of our problems.  This time is James Meager - going in to bat for the South Island. He says flying shouldn't just be for the rich, the government is going to take action and is talking about underwriting airlines. Do we want the government underwriting the purchase of turbo prop planes? Really? We've heard this all before of course. They've gone after the banks, the supermarkets, and the price of petrol.  I can't tell you how many painstaking and frustrating interviews I've done with ministers of all colours and stripes who swear black and blue they'll sort it out and then don't. What's worse? The person that punches you in the nose? Or the docto

On the Early Edition Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 29 April 2025, Tory Whanau has given up her bid to be re-elected Wellington's Mayor. Ryan Bridge got reaction from the apparent frontrunner in the race, Andrew Little.  The construction industry is celebrating the government's to allow reputable builders, plumbers and drainlayers to self-certify their own work for certain builds.  We get the latest from Australian as the election campaign draws to a close.  Ryan gives a reality check for those complaining about Air New Zealand's prices.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three people have been taken to hospital after they were found injured in Leeds. Among them is a 38-year-old suspected attacker who is thought to have caused the injuries by using a crossbow. Police are investigating the incident as a counter-terrorism event because they also found a firearm at the scene. UK Correspondent Gavin Grey talks to Mike Hosking about the incident, Marks and Spencer still struggling after a cyber-attack and Liverpool's Premier League win. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland FC have officially claimed the Premier's Plate after Melbourne City drew with Adelaide United.  The Auckland team beat Perth Glory 1-0 at home yesterday.  Newstalk ZB sports editor Elliott Smith joins the show for a weekend sports wrap.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's planning to build thousands of EV chargers by 2030.  Using a concessionary loan scheme to do it, the Government will use a private-public funding model to build the charging model.  Currently New Zealand has about 1400 EV charging stations.  Chair of Drive Electric Kirsten Corson tells Ryan Bridge she isn't sure their plan will work.  LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discussions around the next Pope are heating up. Eighty-eight year old Pope Francis has been laid to rest after a funeral in front of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Saturday night. One hundred and 35 cardinals will soon be locked in the Sistine Chapel to vote on his successor in secret - the candidates must be aged under 80. Newstalk ZB's Jo McKenna, who's at St Peters' Square, told Ryan Bridge she's been told the Italians want to see a European Pope. She says her source has told her they didn't like that an outsider from Argentina had come in and shaken things up, as they see it as a family business. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition Full Show Podcast for Monday 28 April 2025, Rome Correspondent Jo McKenna talks Ryan Bridge through what to expect as the Vatican prepares to elect a new Pope.  The government is making moves to try and boost the number of public EV chargers - but Drive Electric's Kirstin Corson explains why she doesn't think the plan is a silver bullet.  ZB Sport's Elliott Smith talks Auckland FC's remarkable debut season as it takes out the A-League's Premier Plate.  Ryan asks whether the government should simply ditch one of its flagship policies.   Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was a  priest on the news last night talking about homeless people the cost of buying a house in New Zealand.  This priest, who was all dressed up in his garb, then mentioned the fact there were marina berths down at the waterfront bursting at the seams with super yachts.  I thought that was such an odd thing to say.  I know the church's role is to help the poor. And they do that and I've seen them do that. And that's fantastic.  But to then also blame the wealthy for not helping the poor - is that helping? Or is that politics?  The church and state have been clashing of late.  We saw all those quote 'faith leaders' come out during the Treaty Principles Bill bill debate and give David Seymour a bollocking.  What exactly is the end game here? Are they, like the good bishop Brian Tamaki, keen on getting into parliament themselves?  The Salvation Army does a report every year looking at the wealth of billionaires. There's a lot of finger pointing and tisk-t

New Zealand workers seem to be embracing Gen AI in the workplace.  New research from Robert Half finds 91% of workers are using AI tools to help with their day to day tasks.  93% of workers say they’re transparent about their use with their managers and employers.   Tech Commentator Oskar Howell told Francesca Rudkin it’s becoming a real staple of a lot of desk jobs, as it allows people to become more efficient.  Although, he says there may be such a focus on upskilling in the area as people are concerned their job may be taken over by AI in the future.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It comes as no surprise to some the Government got the number of families eligible for the full FamilyBoost payment wrong.  New data shows 249 families have received the maximum payment of $975 dollars a quarter since the scheme came into effect last year.   Finance Minister Nicola Willis says IRD got the modelling wrong, as 21,000 families were thought to be eligible.  Early Childhood NZ chief executive Kathy Wolfe told Francesca Rudkin the sector always knew the scheme was flawed.  She says it doesn't reach the families it should, and there are a lot of hoops those eligible have to jump through to get access.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.