Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

The Police Association says when it comes to new policing targets, the devil will be in yet-to-be-confirmed detail.  Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has announced four new targets, including raising New Zealanders trust and confidence from 69 to 80-percent. It follows the force taking a major hit in the wake of the McSkimming scandal.  Association President Steve Watt told Ryan Bridge it's good to have goals, but information is scarce.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This story should shock everybody, but it won't. Sadly.  The headline? Former Covid response lead Alister Thorby stole $1.8 million from DHBs. From us, taxpayers.  This guy was 25 and yet somehow in charge of the DHBs’ response to the Covid pandemic in the Lower North Island. He stole almost $2m over five months. He bought cars, holidays, a house.  He was an MIQ boss. He submitted invoices for work that never happened. One invoice was for $300k. Two of the companies he invoiced for didn't even exist.  Now, this is bad for two reasons: 1. How on earth does some 25-year-old who's been in the job just five months, bill $1.8m and get those invoices paid? That's criminal. Who signed off on the cheques? Who was in charge? It's outrageous.  2. The timing. The Judge in this case points out the money went out the door at a time when the Government was scrambling to deal with Covid. Except this guy was employed October 2021 to June 2022.  We were letting DJs through the boarder for Rhythm

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 3rd of December 2025, Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has set new 2026 targets to lift public trust, Police Association President tells Ryan how he can lead the Police to doing so.  Liam Lawson will keep his Racing Bulls seat for 2026, former, motorcycle racer and Herald motorsport Journalist Eric Thompson tells Ryan what Lawson will need to prove next year. New data shows one in five school principals quit within their first year, Darfield High school Principal Andy England tells Ryan why so many principals are quitting.  Plus. Uk/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on jury trials in England and Wales for crimes that carry a likely sentence of less than three years will be heard by a judge only and the UK government admits 12 prisoners have been accidentally released in the past three weeks.  Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.    

SkyCity's pulling together the final touches on its colossal International Convention Centre ahead of its February 11th opening.  A large fire in 2019, when the building was nearing completion, set the project back significantly.   Now with just two months to go, SkyCity's locked in more than 100 conferences and events at the new venue.   General Manager Prue Daly told Ryan Bridge an estimated 30% of their events each year will be international.   She says they’ve got inquiries all the way out to 2032, and the team is working to make sure they can bring them to New Zealand.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are doubts the proportion of homeowners in New Zealand will grow significantly anytime soon.  Kiwibank's Annual State of Home Ownership Index finds 57% of non-owners feel locked out of the market, improving by 6%.  60% still find cost of living the biggest obstacle to owning a house.  Squirrel Mortgages Chief Executive David Cunningham told Ryan Bridge that problem's always existed, adding that home ownership typically stays around 65%.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Agreement from Wellington's Mayor over council rates needing to be kept in check.  The Government's proposing to cap rates increases at 4% a year, with only water rates and other non-rates revenue to be excluded.  Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says rates increases are due to decades of under-spending.  However, he told Ryan Bridge the Government's tapped into a justified concern.  Little says a lot of people are watching rates rise astronomically along side other costs, and councils need to do a better job at controlling this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This rates cap is popular politics, no doubt, and local government needs a good kick in the pants.  But does a 2-4% band simply mean we're going to pay more in other fees?  Rates aren't the only way these guys make money off us, we also pay for specific things like resource and building consents, LIM requests, dog registrations, and campgrounds.  Will hairdressers have to pay more to register under the Health Act? Yes, this is a thing, and in Kaipara, for example, it'll cost your business $423 bucks, thank you very much.  Will we pay more for a burial plot at the local cemetery? That's another fee.  Will we pay more to register out dogs?  The options are endless.  Waikato District Council has a document setting out the fees it whacks ratepayers with. It's 45 pages long. The government may take a revenue lever away from councils with one hand, but councils will no doubt get creative and hit us up from another angle.  Actually, this is exactly what the Government itself h

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast 2025, the government's announced a rates cap for councils, Wellington City Council Mayor Andrew Little shares his thoughts.  More renters reckon they have a shot at buying a home of their own, David Cunningham from Squirrel Mortgages tells Ryan why the housing market is improving for first home buyers.  We finally have an opening day for the new International Convention Centre, General Manager tells Ryan what we can expect from the opening.  Plus, four people have been arrested in Sydney, accused of being involved in a satanic child sex abuse ring, Australia Correspondent Lesley Yeomans has the latest.  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.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 2025, Labour’s pledging to offer low-interest loans for doctors and nurse practitioners to set up or buy into GP practices next year, GenPro Chair Dr Angus Chambers shares his thoughts.  The government says Local Water done well reforms will cost $48 billion over the next decade, Porirua Mayor Anita Baker tells Ryan if the money will be well spent.  Adam Cooper has the latest on the weekend's sport.  Plus UK/ Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on dozens of protesters arrested under the Terrorism Act and three Austrian nuns in their 80s who ran away from the old people's home where they were placed have been told they can stay in their former convent "until further notice". 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.

Doubts ratepayers will be any better off under the Government's Local Water Done Well plan. The Department of Internal Affairs says councils face nearly 48-billion dollars in water infrastructure costs over the next decade. By comparison, the former Government’s reforms were projected to cost at least 120-billion over 30 years. Porirua Mayor Anita Baker told Ryan Bridge the price tag will likely end up similar to Labour’s model. She says it's still 30 percent of council's debt moving over the new water entity, with the ratepayer footing the bill due the under-investment in water previously.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The housing market is once again in the driver's seat for the economy, but it's not heading in the direction we're used to.  Yes, a recovery is underway.  But the brutal truth of 2025 was summed up rather well, I thought, by Sir Bill English in an interview about the current state of play.  Basically, this protracted downturn - which for anyone living outside Queenstown or living on dairy farm has felt as drawn out and depressing as a Covid lockdown - has been made worse by the housing market. It's not firing back into life like it usually would at this stage of the cycle.  The wealth effect hasn't kicked in. The recovery's taken longer.  In the long run, English argues, this is a good thing. Because supply has been coming on, planning laws are being changed, intensification will keep prices low or in some cases, see them fall.  Does this make it any easier to stomach? No? Is he right? Probably.  If it's happening, this structural shift is going to create headaches for anyon

A retail frenzy is expected today as shoppers take advantage of Black Friday sales.   Data from PriceMe shows nearly 40% of Kiwis are planning to take advantage of Black Friday to do their Christmas shopping.   The day now outpaces Boxing Day in terms of sales volumes and popularity.  Oyster Property Group’s Jennifer Andrews told Ryan Bridge that they’re preparing for a very busy day today.  She says they have discounts all through the weekend, but particularly today as it’s when most people like to come out to find the discounts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A youth protection advocate says it's entirely appropriate to look deeper into Tom Phillips' children's four years on the run.  The saga ended when he died in a Police shootout in September.  The Government will explore whether agencies did everything possible for the children's safety and welfare.  Child Matters Chief Executive Jane Searle told Ryan Bridge she’s hopeful it will be a constructive process.  She says they want is the system to be strengthened as a result of the review.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 28th of November 2025, Judith Collins has ordered a public inquiry into the Tom Phillips case, Child Matters CEO Jane Searle tells Ryan what she hopes to see from it. Jennifer Andrews from Oyster Property Group which manages Dress Mart shares what retailers are hoping for this Black Friday.  The Government's considering moving escooters into cycle lanes as injury costs soar, Cycling Action Spokesperson Patrick Morgan shares his thoughts.  Plus, UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on Labour's budget and a limited form of military service being re-introduced in France. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A push to get more bike lanes as the Government eyes up moving e-scooters onto them from pathways. ACC statistics show there were more than 2,100 claims for e-scooter related injuries in the first half of this year.  Payouts for e-scooter injuries this year are close to surpassing $14 million.  Cycling Action Spokesperson Patrick Morgan told Ryan Bridge e-scooters are here to stay, so councils need to build more bike lanes to meet demand. He says we don't need a bike lane on every street, just on main thoroughfares where people want to go. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The RBNZ update this week again made the point that yes, the economy's in bounce back mode. We'll grow 2.5% next year, they reckon.  But this country needs more than that. It deserves more than that. The problem for us is, and has been for about the past 30 years, productivity.  How much we get out for what we put in. We went sideways and it's now falling.  As you know, this is a bad thing. It's taking us more people and resources to make less stuff.  It puts a ceiling on success. It's a wealth killer. Some reckon it's the canary in the coalmine - the thing we should care about most because we're basically sleepwalking into third world status.  Like falling asleep on a plane and waking up in a different country, we'll one day wake up outside the OECD. The solution, in part, is AI.  The World Economic Forum had some numbers showing it can boost labour productivity in developed countries by up to 40% over the next 15 years. The richer your country, the more you gain, which sta

The Finance Minister believes the country is in a position to grow.   The Reserve Bank believes the economy has now turned a corner after last month's 50-basis-point cut to the OCR.  It's cut the cash rate a further 25-basis-points to 2.25%, but is signalling further cuts are unlikely.  Nicola Willis told Ryan Bridge that while the data lags make things difficult, there is enough other information to give them a sense of where the economy is at.   She says it’s allowed the Reserve Bank to be confident in their forecast that the economy is growing and that growth will strengthen next year, and inflation will come down.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Encouragement for any Northlander who feels hard done by from the region-wide power outages last year to explore legal avenues.  Local businesses are taking class action against Transpower and its lines maintenance contractor over the outages caused from a pylon collapsing in Glorit, north of Helensville.  An investigation found a relatively inexperienced and inadequately supervised Omexom worker removed nuts from three of the pylon's four legs.   Northland MP Grant McCallum told Ryan Bridge he's backing the local businesses seeking legal action.  He says we all know what happened which still beggars belief, but we will have to wait for the legal process to be completed.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auckland Business Chamber believes a a surcharge cap is a reasonable compromise to an otherwise unfair rule.  In July, the Government announced its plan to ban surcharges for shoppers on methods like Paywave, forcing merchants to front the cost instead.   The business chamber says this will just force businesses to increase costs, which will be unfair for other customers.   CEO Simon Bridges told Ryan Bridge a cap will give a balanced and more practical alternative.  He says retailers like hospitality and tourism can recuperate some of their costs.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday the 27th of October 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis joins Ryan to talk on the final OCR cut of the year. The Northland pylon fiasco is heading to court, Northland MP Grant McCallum shares his thoughts.  Business groups have come up with an alternative plan for the surcharge ban, Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges tells Ryan what they're asking of the Government.  Plus US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Steve Witkoff appearing to coach a Russian official on how to win Trump over and Black Friday sales for the American economy.  Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.           LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.