Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Retailers are feeling the pinch, with card spending plunging across the board. 

Stats NZ data reveals retail electronic card purchases dropped 1.3% last month. 

Kiwis are spending more overall compared to last year, but on cheaper food and are cutting back on buying items like clothing. 

Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young told Ryan Bridge margins are being squeezed and cash flows is tight. 

She says the cost of things ...

The Labour Party is criticising the Government’s proposed public service overhaul, saying its “arbitrary” target will hurt Kiwi families. 

Willis announced yesterday the Government would reduce the number of departments, increase artificial intelligence use, and cut public servants by nearly 9000 over the next three to five years. 

Labour’s spokesperson for public services Camilla Belich told Ryan Bridge the Government’s ...

New Zealand is benefiting from other countries' visa crackdowns as international students look elsewhere.

More than 92 thousand students were enrolled last year, up 11% on the year prior, but still well down on pre-Covid numbers.

Waikato University Vice-Chancellor Neil Quigley told Ryan Bridge it's not just politics in the United States that are leading people here.

He says visa policies in Canada, Australia, and the UK are changin...

We got the inevitable Grinch headlines from the media yesterday, powered by union panic. 

The public service knew this was coming. Or should have. Judith Collins, Nicola Willis, and Sir Brian Roche have been talking about this since they all got into office. 

So it's not shocking. 

It's also not a done deal, yet. 

All that's really happened, in the final leg of this Government's current term, is a few letters ha...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast 2026, the Government’s cutting jobs in the public sector, Labour Spokesperson for Public Services Camilla Belich shares her thoughts. 

International student numbers are bouncing back, up 14 percent on last year, University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Neil Quigley shares his thoughts. 

Card spend data in April was down 1.3% for the month, equal to $89 million Retail NZ...

Farmers across Southland have been granted an 18-month extension to submit freshwater plans.  

The Government's pushed the deadline from the end of the month to November next year.   

The plans are a key tool for managing risks to freshwater and quality in catchments. 

Associate Minister for Agriculture Andrew Hoggard told Ryan Bridge it's important all farmers in the region submit their plans. 

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A lack of Government data is making it impossible to know the extent of specialist referral rejections. 

A new Association of Salaried Medical Specialists report —which looks at seven districts between 2023 and 2025— shows one in five GP referrals are being declined.  

College of GPs President Luke Bradford told Ryan Bridge they have no idea how many people with lower graded conditions are being rejected.  

He says H...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 19th of May 2026, Government’s pouring $131 million of the Budget into education, Dr Michael Johnston, NZ Initiative Research Fellow and Chair of the Education Ministerial Advisory Group, shares his thoughts. 

Southland farmers have been given an extension to submit their freshwater plans, Associate Minister for the environment Andrew Hoggard tells Ryan what the n...

Calls for the Government to keep up the momentum, as educational reform doesn't follow political timelines. 

Education Minister Erica Stanford has announced a new $131 million package, which includes spending on workbooks, more maths intervention teachers, and additional testing. 

New Zealand Initiative Research Fellow Michael Johnson told Ryan Bridge the reforms are positive, but long-term commitment is needed. 

He ...

In February last year I wrote a piece for the Herald about government department and ministerial overload. 

It was partly informed by observation and partly by New Zealand Initiative paper on the subject.

Luxon's Government has 81 portfolios, significantly more than similar-sized countries and far more than most larger ones.

Ireland, Norway, Singapore, and Finland all have fewer than 20. The UK, Canada, United States, and...

The United Kingdom isn't facing as many financial troubles as predicted, after the latest data shows their GDP holding steady. 

The past few months in the UK have been dominated by challenges to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's leadership, and many believed the issues in Parliament would damage the country's financial stability. 

Business Correspondent Vicky Price told Ryan Bridge that, 'what we did see here was in the U...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 18th of May 2026, National's campaigning on scrapping good character assessments at sentencing for all sexual offenders, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith tells Ryan what a difference this will make.

Business Correspondent Vicky Pryce has the latest on UK GDP, UK Labour leadership uncertainty affecting bond markets and the latest inflation data in Europe for April up.&nbs...

Concern that NCEA's revamp could be a little old fashioned. 

The Education Minister has announced more detail on what's replacing NCEA. 

Year 11 students will need a foundational literacy and numeracy award under the new system, while senior students face compulsory exams in every subject, and must pass at least three.

Canterbury's Darfield School Principal Andy England told Ryan Bridge there's no doubt NCEA needed a reva...

In education, old school is the best kind of school. 

Secondary students will be forced to learn science, as well as maths and English, in the fifth form. 

They'll be graded, not on merit or achieved or whatever, but A+ to E.

So far so uncontroversial, I would have thought. 

On top of that, exams will be compulsory in every subject. 

Gone are the days of handing in pre-prepared essays drafted with the assistance...

Donald Trump is vowing to maintain a "friendship" with China, despite apparent tensions over Taiwan and Iran. 

The US President has met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing. 

Trump claims Xi is offering to help in some way with America's war in Iran without providing military assistance, while Xi says it's vital both countries are on the same page about Taiwan. 

Former Washington Post Asia-Pacific Edito...

Natural gas reserves have plummeted to the lowest level in two decades. 

Latest MBIE annual petroleum reserves data shows a 23% decline in the country's natural gas reserves.  

Energy Minister Simeon Brown says many of our gas fields are coming to the end of their life, with our largest gas field, off the coast of Taranaki, set to close this year. 

He told Ryan Bridge new gas fields haven't been discovered in a long ...

Rising international tourism numbers are helping airlines weather the storm of rising jet fuel prices.

Air New Zealand's revealed its looking at staff redundancies and even more flight reductions due to the surging cost of jet fuel.

It's now forecasting a full-year pre-tax loss of between $340 and $390 million.

Board of Airline Representatives Executive Director Cath O'Brien told Ryan Bridge the rising jet fuel costs are being part...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 15th of May 2026, the bilateral talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have been underway in Beijing, Anna Field, Asia-Pacific Expert and Former Washington Post Asia-Pacific Editor shares the latest. 

New Zealand’s gas reserves are now at their lowest level in twenty years, since records began Energy Minister Simeon Brown tells Ryan what we can do to keep the li...