Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Former FBI director James Comey is standing by his innocence after being targeted by US President Donald Trump.  Comey was indicted last month and made his first court appearance in Virginia today. He's pleaded not guilty to charges of making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation. US correspondent Nick Harper told Ryan Bridge Trump has described Comey and other political enemies as 'guilty as hell'.  But he says Comey's lawyers are calling it a selective and malicious prosecution.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 9th of October 2025, Labour Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds thinks the Reserve Bank is taking a risk cutting the OCR by 50 basis points, she tells Ryan why. Freedom camping across some of the South Island’s most popular holiday hot-spots has surged to the highest levels, Save Clean New Zealand spokesperson, Andrea Beryl shares her thoughts.  Rugby Unions around the globe are banding together against R360, Sports commentator Sam Ackerman has the latest. Plus US Correspondent Nick Harper updates us on former FBI Director James Comey appearing in court charged with lying to Congress.  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.

This story about sick or disabled teenagers getting the benefit doesn’t make any sense. The Government wants to cut the dole for teenagers whose parents earn $65k plus - okay. Their justification? If poor old mum and dad have to cover their living costs, said teenagers will go find a job. Okay, fine. That’s about 4000-odd 18–19-year-olds. But here’s where it gets complicated.  It turns out around half that number are getting the benefit not because they can’t find work, but because they can’t work. Like physically. Have a look on the WINZ website, it lays out the criteria. You have to prove the reason with a doctor’s certificate. Basically, you can’t work full-time because you have a disability, injury, or health condition which prevents it. There’s mention of chronic stuff like haemophiliacs and chronic asthma sufferers. So here’s the rub.  If Johnny can’t work —and we accept that because a doctor has said so— and the point of cutting Johnny’s benefit is to encourage him to work, then we have

Kier Starmer has urged students not to protest on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks. UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge that they aren't listening.  In London on Saturday nearly 500 people were arrested in a protest linked to Palestine Action which has been labelled a terrorist organisation by the UK Government.  Starmer warns of rising antisemitism while protesters say conflating the Israeli Government's actions and Jewish people is antisemitic.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has signed off changes that let NZ Post cut back to just two delivery days a week in towns and three in rural areas. Postal Workers Union co-president John Maynard said to Ryan Bridge that they are 'very critical' of the decision as it appears NZ Post prioritises returning a dividend to the Government over it's customers. But NZ Post says nothing is changing yet, and rural communities will still get extra protections under this new deal. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More students now think it's important to attend school everyday. A new Education Review Office report shows students are taking school more seriously than three years ago, with six in ten attending regularly - back to pre-Covid levels. It also found that 80 percent think education is important for their futures, and 75 percent think attending every day is important. PPTA president Chris Abercrombie told Ryan Bridge having the government focused on attendance has helped, however the threat of punishments isn't working for everyone. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists say a 25 basis point cut to the Official Cash Rate could be the Reserve Bank's most strategic option.  The central bank will announce its latest review of monetary policy at 2pm.  It's largely expected we'll see a cut from the current rate of 3%, but the size of the reduction isn't clear.  ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Ryan Bridge we're just getting into the spring period for the housing market, and the next six weeks will reveal a lot about the rebound.   She says a 25-basis point cut would leave the most options open. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday October 8th 2025, ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner shares her thoughts on what will happen with the OCR.  The Government letting NZ Post cut back to just two delivery days a week in towns John Maynard co-president of the Postal Workers Union tells Ryan about the impacts it'll have on the workforce.  School attendance is back up to pre-covid levels, PPTA President Chris Abercrombie tells Ryan how much of difference he's seen with truancy.  Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on UK students ignoring pleas by the UK PM not to join pro-Palestinian protests and the latest with the French political crisis.  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.

Regular listeners will know, when it comes to free speech, I'm into it.  How else do we get smarter but to debate ideas, put them through the ringer, shout and scream and reason and argue? We've been doing it since we could talk - which is, well, a long time.  When the MAGA mob came for Jimmy Kimmel, I defended him. On this programme.  Many of you agreed. Some of you did not, which is what we call an argument, and that's okay too.  So yesterday, when the telco OneNZ decided to pull those ads with the activist in them, I had a genuine moral conundrum.  See I think people should be able to protest (not in work uniform, obviously), and not get the sack. I don't like cancelling people.  In this case, the fact she gave out Winston's address on the internet probably crosses a line.  But if we're being honest, did it need to take a crowbar through his front window, shattering glass, for the head honchos at OneNZ to take action? She'd been plastered all over the news for sharing his

Satisfaction on both sides over the Commerce Commission's decision regarding Air New Zealand's airport cost concerns.   The Commission's announced it won't investigate airport regulation but will look into how much information airports should give airlines on major upgrades.   Air New Zealand says it's pleasantly surprised by the outcome.   Airports Association Chief Executive Billie Moore told Ryan Bridge it's constructive.   But she says it's also about balance, as while Air New Zealand say they might pay half a billion in fees, Auckland is their biggest hub.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's thought the roll out of David Seymour's new attendance services will make a difference.   The Associate Education Minister's putting $140 million towards improving attendance over four years, promising to reach twice the number of students.  Extra support is going to 170 schools with chronic absence.  Manurewa Attendance Service Lead Principal Cathy Chalmers told Ryan Bridge it's a much fairer way of distributing the resourcing, but there are still challenges.   She says her school's attendance floats around 60%, so they hope to reach Seymour's goals, but it's an aspirational target.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's mushroom murder case will be heading back to court.  Prosecutors have launched an appeal over the length of Erin Patterson's sentence.  This follows her triple convictions – convictions her lawyer confirmed last week he intends to appeal.  Melbourne correspondent Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge the Crown intends to argue her sentence is "manifestly inadequate".  Patterson was spared the harshest penalty available – a life sentence with no parole.  She was instead sentenced to life in prison with a 33-year non-parole period, meaning she could be freed when she's 82 years old.  Patterson's lawyer is yet to outline the grounds for her appeal.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A boost for the vaping industry as the Government asks for tenders for devices for long-time smokers. Health New Zealand's provided three thousand of the devices since January, under a pilot programme. But Newstalk ZB can reveal it plans to order more - including flavours like cinnamon and blueberry at the maximum legal nicotine level.  Health NZ is talking up the PR benefits to suppliers, saying it will increase their health system profile, credibility and visibility.  General Practitioners Aotearoa Chair Dr Buzz Burrell shares his thoughts with Ryan.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just when you thought local council couldn’t get more absurd and extravagant, they’ve dreamt up a new way to not make decisions. To do less, with more. Citizens assemblies. A crackpot idea the Romans once used. But Romans did lots of weird stuff we stopped doing, and this should be one of them. They’ve got one on the boil in Whanganui.  In Napier, 40 unelected locals have just finished sitting around talking about where to put a new swimming pool and what that pool might look like.  Four weeks later. $800 per person, including refreshments and god knows what else - $100,000 total from the rates take. It's basically a catered chinwag between neighbours that they call an assembly.   And guess what? They couldn’t come up with a consensus on where to put the pool. Despite all the expertise, the opinions for Africa, the specialists, the Lamingtons, no location was decided.  You can’t make this stuff up. Why bother with a council, a Mayor, an MP? Like DJ sets and recycled period cups, these citi

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 7th of October 2025 David Seymour's hitting the gas on school attendance targets, lead Principal of the Manurewa attendance service, Cathy Chalmers shares her thoughts on the new plan.  Health NZ is ordering thousands more vapes to help smokers quit, General Practitioners Aotearoa Chair Dr Buzz Burrell tells Ryan what GPs think of it.  The Commerce Commission says it won’t investigate sky-high airport costs despite pressure from airlines, NZ Airports Association Chief Executive Billie Moore shares her thoughts.  Plus Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on the defence treaty between Papa New Guinea and Australia.   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.

There are questions over how the Government will tackle the benefit serving multiple family members under one roof.  From November next year, parents who earn more than $65,500 must support their 18 and 19-year-olds, rather than them going on the benefit - with a few exceptions. Former Welfare Expert Advisory Group member, Phil O'Reilly told Ryan Bridge those on $65,000, tend to be on some sort of benefit themselves.  He says there'll be a complex interplay at the lower end, of how much Government support the parent and young person will get. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief attitudes towards bail is a reflection of a global decline in law and order. Convictions for crimes carried out by someone on bail rose by almost 12-thousand between 2015 and 2024.  Amongst these, homicide and related convictions more than doubled to 25. Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen told Ryan Bridge a law-and-order decline stems from social media and leads to some not taking bail as seriously. However, he says 80-percent of people who are on electronically monitored bail for example, are compliant. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 6th of October 2025, The Government’s cracking down on youth benefits, Former Welfare expert Phil O'Reily shares his thoughts.  Andrew Alderson has the latest from weekend sport.  Criminal lawyer, Steve Cullen shares his thoughts on new numbers on crime while on bail.  Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on UK police forces being granted powers to put conditions on repeat protests and Harrods setting aside more than £60m in its plan to compensate alleged victims of historical abuse. 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.

Freedom is the thing I think we love the most about living in our country like ours: democratic, pretty liberal. We fight, to protest, we argue, we debate. But unlike it seems most of the rest of the world, we don't get physical. We don't kill each other for our beliefs.  We express ourselves and then we try find a solution.  Look around the world section of your newspaper this morning. From the Middle East, to Africa, to Europe, to Georgia. To parts of America, even.  And you'll see places falling apart at the seams or freedom crushed into a thousand pieces.  We have in this country, for the most part, standards about how we don these things. We have boundaries. Two things that worry me about this.  Protesters taking it too far as they did over the weekend and live streaming from outside the personal home of Member of Parliament.  Their own personal home. Where their partner. Where their children visit. Where family friends stop by for a coffee.  Their sanctuary. Their deca

It’s the final round of the Rugby Championship this weekend.  The All Blacks are taking on the Wallabies on Saturday night, in a sold-out Optus Stadium in Perth.  Seven changes have been made to the side and Scott Barrett is back in the captaincy.  Newstalk ZB Rugby Commentator Elliott Smith told Ryan Bridge inconsistency is likely the focus for the All Blacks.  He says there are still so many questions around this team, and until they start stringing wins together, the questions will remain.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.