Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

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A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

3 hr ago

Rob Heyes: Infometrics Economist on employment numbers rising

Surprise over jobs in the public service rising, despite cuts planned by the Government. Seasonally-adjusted Stats NZ data shows filled jobs rose 0.3 percent last month - and 0.7 percent for the past year. The most jobs were in the public sector, with more than six-thousand jobs created in the year to May. Infometrics Economist Rob Heyes says there's still plenty of work to do in the public sector, especially in health and education. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 min
3 hr ago

Full Show Podcast: 30 June 2026

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 30th of June 2026, the employment market's showing slight signs of life, Infometrics Consultant Rob Heyes shares his thoughts. A NZ Initiative report says merging councils might not be the golden solution to our local government issues, senior fellow Nick Clark tells Ryan why. Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on a brain injury crisis striking Aussie sporting heroes and a massive, multi-million-dollar copper theft has police puzzled. 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.

35 min
3 hr ago

Ryan Bridge: MPs need to stop doing stuff for social media likes

There's a perception out there that some of the younger MPs either don't know what they're doing in parliament or are just doing stuff to get likes on social media. I'm going to be so real right now with you - some of it's actually true. Stuff is running a bunch of stories on Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke at the moment. Newest one is about photos of her with the Minister for Women, Nicola Grigg. Come back to that one. But what they've found is Clarke boasting on social media she spent 65% of her time advocating for and visiting young people in prisons and OT facilities. The only problem? Official records show she's only visited prison once since becoming an MP. As for the OT facility? The Minister, Karen Chhour, confirms no visits. Ever. She says Clarke must be "telling porkies". Now at this point I feel a bit bad for Clarke, right? Maybe she misspoke or hasn't been understood. But they ask her questions, the go unanswered. Post gets deleted. All looks a bit shady. Then this photo with Nicola Grigg. A few weeks ago, lovely photo gets posted by Clarke with Grigg.... smiles beaming. Caption says she'd been “supporting the minister for women in extending fully funded breast screening from age 69 to 74”. Grigg says they never spoke about it. She (Grigg) was asked to come downstairs because Clark wanted a photo with the minister. Didn't say why. Now that's odd, isn't it? There may have been a mention in an email about the issue, but "supporting" in the mind of voters would probably involve more than a selfie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 min
1 day ago

Gavin Grey: UK correspondent says Prince Harry is reconsidering family trip to the UK

Prince Harry is reconsidering his decision to bring his family to the UK - after a security update. The Duke and Duchess have been planning their visit to Britain, with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet for the first time in four years. International Correspondent Gavin Grey says they're meant to stay in a royal lodge, but it now looks as though Harry will go by himself. He says although they will have security there, the family would have to rely on private security from California when they're not on the royal estate. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 min
1 day ago

Linda Gradstein: Jerusalem correspondent on US and Iran trading strikes again

An expert believes a ceasefire breach between the US and Iran comes from a contradiction within the agreement. Hostilities between the two nations have flared again, with new US strikes on Iranian targets and reports of attacks in the Gulf. Bahrain has reported an attack involving several Iranian drones. Jerusalem correspondent Linda Gradstein told Ryan Bridge the ceasefire deals that include Israel are vastly different. She says according to the ceasefire between Iran and the United States, Lebanon is included, and Israel has to withdraw from the country, but the agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon says it can stay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 min
1 day ago

Full Show Podcast: 29 June 2026

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 29th of June 2026, the US and Iran are back at it again, exchanging strikes and excusing each other of violating the ceasefire, Freelance Journalist and lecturer in Journalism at NYU Tel Aviv, Linda Gradstein shares her thoughts. Business Correspondent Vicky Pryce has the latest on Keir Starmer's resignation and what it means for the UK economy, 10 years of Brexit last week, generally accepted to have slowed growth considerably and bad UK data in terms of output showing overall contraction in latest purchasing managers index for June. Labour's promising to expand covid-era apprenticeship subsidies if it wins the election, Shanan Halbert Labour Spokesperson for Tertiary Education shares his thoughts. Plus, UK/Europe correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on Prince Harry reconsidering plans to bring his wife and children to the UK next month after his request for police protection was rejected and Trump vowing to impose a 100% import tariff on any European country that introduces a digital services tax on American technology giants. 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.

34 min
1 day ago

Ryan Bridge: The Opportunity Party needs more time to hit five percent this election

I don't think Opportunity will hit five percent this election. It's fun to flirt, people are frustrated, but I was there when Colin Craig got close and failed, saw Gareth Morgan then Geoff Simmons have a crack and fail. I encourage anyone listening to have a look at their policies, do the maths and figure out for themselves how much worse, or better off, you'll be. Their new leader is a great communicator. Her main job was an environmental/carbon advisor to businesses. I don't really know what that means, but she's really lovely. The problem with getting to five percent is timing. The closer we get to election, this flirt, this fascination, this honeymoon, if you will, will have worn off. Voters go into the booth trying to keep one side in, or one side out. There's little room for flights of fancy in the polling booth. The other thing people do in the polling booth is take out insurance. By election week it's pretty clear, if you're listening, who is doing well and who is not. So, voters take out insurance, it's why I've said consistently since last year that Winston will do well this year. Labour voters, not National, will slide into his DMs. He's offering them everything Hipkins is short of a Labour government on everything to from stopping asset sales to nationalising industry. One of TOP's charms is that you don't know which way they'll go, It's also their biggest weakness. They're unlikely to get the vast majority of their policies into a coalition agreement, so you're basically voting for who gets the keys to the kingdom. And with TOP, you just don't know, and I think that'll be too big a risk for most to take come November 7th. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 min
4 days ago

Full Show Podcast: 26 June 2026

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday the 26th of June 2026, The Police Commissioner Richard Chambers is under investigation over allegations of inappropriate conduct, NZ Herald Senior Investigative Reporter Michael Morrah shares the latest. National's proposing low-interest loans for solar and home energy upgrades, National Party Energy Spokesperson Simeon Brown tells Ryan why the policy is important. Tama Potaka's backed down on his plan around the potential sale of conservation land, Greenpeace Campaigner, Gen Toop shares her thoughts. Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on the UK heatwave and Chancellor Rachel Reeves urging an Andy Burnham-led government to stick to what she is doing because it is "beginning to bear fruit", as she defended her handling of the UK economy. 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.

34 min

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A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.