Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Belief a breakdown of trust between nurses and leadership is fuelling protests today.  Tens of thousands of nurses are striking for 24 hours over chronic workforce shortages, withdrawing labour from all Health New Zealand services from 9am.  Thousands of procedures and appointments have been postponed.  Former Health New Zealand Chair, Rob Campbell told Ryan Bridge people don't trust general assurances anymore and want to see working safe conditions that are capable of being met.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooke van Velden's anti-health and safety crusade's taken a rather bizarre twist - it's the plot twist nobody saw coming.  She's consulting the public on safe activities kids are allowed to do on farms, like watering plants and collecting chicken eggs.  It's a bit of an odd strategy, but the strategy seems to be that there's a potential problem with the law.  Anyone under 15 is technically not allowed to do work on a working farm. You could get fined $50,000.  But nobody's been done for letting little Johnny pick up eggs.  So, it's a potential problem, but not an actual problem.  The Minister's strategy, surely, is to point out how ridiculous the law is in the first place.  But her response sounds a bit off for a Minister who says we need to get away from over regulation and consultation and nonsense and just let Kiwis get on with their lives.  She is quoted as saying:  “We’ll be consulting with farmers and the agriculture sector on the safety thresholds for light

Throwing in a CV and cover letter in response to a job ad may not cut it anymore, as young people face high unemployment rates.  Stats NZ data shows jobs filled by 15 to 19-year-olds dropped 10% in the last year – representing over 12 thousand roles.  The overall drop nationally is 1.2%.  Youth Inspire Chief Executive Zainab Ali told Ryan Bridge the tactical approach to training youth has been forced to change.  She says in the past six months she's relied on relationships with business partners for job opportunities.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russia has yet to respond to the latest ultimatum from US President Donald Trump.   Trump says Vladimir Putin has between 10 and 12 days to make progress on ending the war with Ukraine to avoid sanctions.   That's shrunk from the 50 days he gave the Russian leader two weeks ago.   US correspondent Toni Waterman says there's been no official response from the Kremlin.   She told Ryan Bridge former Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has warned sanctioning Russia would be disastrous.   Waterman says the leader has claimed it would start war between the US and Russia.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health and Safety experts say the Government need to consider people's lives as they set to change scaffolding regulations.  Government officials are consulting with the construction sector on whether to relax certain rules on work site scaffolding, making them only compulsory in some situations. Construction Health and Safety Chief Executive, Chris Alderson told Ryan Bridge falling from height is the number reason people are killed at work globally, but not in New Zealand.  He says we've been doing something differently that has saved people's lives, so the Government needs to be careful.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've got an appointment at the hospital this week, you might want to check it's still going ahead.  Nurses are going on strike tomorrow from 9am for 24 hours. 4,300 surgeries and specialist appointments will be affected.  It's a complete withdrawal of labour. It's 36,000 nurses. It'll affect every place where Health NZ provides health or hospital care, and it's the middle of winter.  The nurses union's been bargaining. It's the usual stuff - pay and staffing levels.  Also as usual, they say if it's life or death, you will be seen to.  They had a bargaining meeting yesterday with Health NZ, which didn't go well. They've been bargaining since last September and haven't found common ground yet.  The nurses say they are too short staffed and departing nurses are not being replaced. And without more pay, nurses will keep being tempted across the Tasman.  So, what were they being offered?  Health NZ says a new graduate nurse on $75,773 would gain a total pay in

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 29th of July 2025, Donald Trump's set a deadline of 10 or 12 days for Putin to make a deal with Ukraine, US Correspondent Toni Waterman has the latest.  Health and Safety experts say the Government need to consider people's lives as they set to change scaffolding regulations.  It's becoming increasingly difficult for young people to get into employment, Youth Employment expert Zainab Ali explains. Plus Australia correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on the UN Chief urging Australia to aim higher as it debates climate goals.  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.

Jordan and the UAE have begun airdrops into Gaza to deliver aid.  This comes after the Israeli military announced it’ll open humanitarian corridors into the strip and a tactical pause in three specific combat areas.  Geopolitical Analyst Geoffery Miller told Ryan Bridge that 25 tons of aid was delivered to Gaza overnight, but that it’s up to Israeli forces to cooperate and allow the aid to travel into Gaza.  He said that ‘they only really will help if Israel allows more aid to come into Gaza.’ and trucks carrying supplies for Gaza have been held up at the border.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corrections staff are struggling to accommodate at-risk inmates as prison violence and aggression grows.  Staff accepted 12-thousand requests from inmates to be separated from the general prison population in the 2023 financial year.  Many do so because they feel unsafe or vulnerable, as more prisoners become gang-affiliated.   Corrections Association President Floyd du Plessis told Ryan Bridge it's putting greater pressure on staff. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Bishop says we're sick of over-the-top cone use and expensive traffic management plans.  And he'd be right. They are so annoying and often, to the untrained eye at least, completely pointless.  They take a $100 job and make it a $1000 job.  So why is this till happening? Why are there still cones everywhere, when the government says NZTA's code of practice for traffic management rick assessment - is no longer being used? Obsolete?   Well, the problem is many councils are apparently still using this code of practice as their north star.  As a response, the government's now threatening local council funding.  They have to threaten funding to get these council to change their ways. What this shows us is just how far and deep the overly cautious, safety-at-any-cost mentality has set in.  And also, it shows you how scared they are of worksafe coming in a going them if somebody gets hurt or injured. You have to make sure people are safe, especially when working with dangers.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 28th of July 2025, approved requests for segregation in prisons has hit more than 12-thousand, Corrections Association President Floyd Du Plessis shares his thoughts.  Israel is allowing in more aid to Gaza, Geopolitical Analyst Geoffrey Miller explains how much fo a difference it will make.  Andrew Alderson has the latest on the weekend's sport.  Plus, UK Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey on Trump meeting with EU Chief to strike a trade deal. 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.

Belief politicians should have skin in the public health system game.   Health workers have signed an open letter asking MPs to voluntarily waive private healthcare for themselves and their families while in office.  It says healthcare becomes personal when politicians rely on the same EDs, waitlists, and services as everyone else.  Former Health NZ Chair Rob Campbell told Andrew Dickens MPs won’t give up their healthcare any more than they’d turn down their next pay rise, but it does highlight a point.  He says that it highlights the fact that if you don’t deal with the problem, you’re probably not going to effectively deal with the problem.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Communities are voicing concerns over high strength beers being a 'court case in a can'.  The products are being sold as singles in supermarkets and liquor stores and are stronger than RTDs, ranging from 7% to 16%.  Communities Against Alcohol Harm have been raising the issue of the beers at a number of public hearings in Auckland.  Secretary Grant Hewison says the beers present a much bigger issue compared to some other products.  He says they're designed to be consumed quickly, are in 500 millilitre single cans, are cheap and are easy for someone vulnerable to stow in a pocket or bag.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Friday 25th of July 2025, The Government's scrapped same day enrolments for general elections, Labour Justice Spokesperson Duncan Webb shares his concerns.  Should MPs have to use the public health system? Former Health NZ chair Rob Campbell shares his thoughts. Single bottles of beer are being sold with the alcohol contents of up to 16%, Grant Hewison from communities against alcohol harm tells Andrew Dickens about the dangers of having such high contents in small cans.  Plus, a Department of Justice official will meet with Ghislaine Maxwell to find out any new information about Jeffrey Epstein case, US Correspondent Mitch McCann 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.

Fears changes to the way we vote will impact our democracy.  Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is planning to stop election-day enrolment, ban prisoner voting, and ban free food and entertainment offered near booths. Goldsmith says the changes will stop the vote count hold ups once poll booths close.  But Labour's justice spokesperson, Duncan Webb told Andrew Dickens says there's many reasons people forget to change enrolment details.  Webb says every single vote counts and they'd rather have a system where everyone gets a crack. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s no secret that the construction industry is in trouble.  There’s a number of factors. Firstly the boom in construction right after the pandemic years as money became cheaper and cheaper, so more and more projects were undertaken. We had a residential construction boom in 2022, with approximately 51,000 consents issued, driven by surging house prices and historically low interest rates.  But the good times weren’t to last.   A new government cut many projects, including the construction of 2500 state houses - cutting builders' lunches. Meanwhile the supply of cheap money dried up as the Reserve Bank attacked the recession by raising interest rates.  We ended out with too many builders for fewer projects.  As major infrastructure projects went on hiatus, waiting for a government wanting to spend on them, highly trained construction workers went looking for work - most often in Australia.  Construction went into a tailspin and there are claims we’ve lost 17,000 workers.  B

Rotorua's mayor says the story's the same across the country regarding people sleeping on the street.  The Government's June Homelessness Insights report shows rough sleeping's sharply increased, doubling by some measures over 24 months.   Mayor Tania Tapsell is relieved the Government is looking at finding a solution at a national level.  She told Ryan Bridge a lot of transient people are starting to go to other regions when they can't find a place to stay.  Tapsell says she spoke to other mayors at a recent conference in Christchurch, who say homeless people are coming from all over the place.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More and more Kiwis are taking a hike, with 60% of visitors to our Great Walks made up of New Zealanders last summer.   The Department of Conservation's latest visitor insights report shows 60 thousand people walked one of the trails.   International visitor numbers last summer were back to 93% of pre-Covid levels, with more than 50% heading to a national park during their stay.  Federated Mountain Clubs President Megan Dimozantos told Ryan Bridge this isn't a surprise.  She says we live in such a beautiful country, so why not get out in it?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hopes the scrapping of guidelines around transgender participation in community sport will pave the way for smaller organisations to follow.  A Government directive from National and New Zealand First has led to Sport New Zealand dumping the principles put in place in 2022 It comes as New Zealand First leader Winston Peters threatens funding cuts for sporting codes of this nature.  Save Women's Sport's Ro Edge told Ryan Bridge many will have been waiting for this decision.  She says most international sporting federations have moved in this direction, which allows national federations to follow suit.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nobody wants to see streets dotted with tents like San Francisco or downtown LA. This much-hyped government report to Tama Potaka gives a few insights, but doesn't really nail the problem.  There are more people living rough, but we can't say for sure how many more, and even if we could, we can't say how statistically significant the change might be.  Because we had census data, we know it got way worse under Labour - up 37% from 2018-2023.  The councils are reporting —what economists might call— high frequency data that things are getting worse - the rising number of phone calls and reports of concern they're getting from the public.  The real question —which is the basis of what the Opposition's upset about— is if the Government's crackdown on emergency housing caused a wave of homeless refugees camped out on the streets? Here's some interesting numbers: the number of households living in emergency motels is down by 75%, around 85% of them went to some form of hou