Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Israel's military has begun the first stages of a planned ground offensive in Gaza City, causing Palestinians to flee.

It's pressing ahead with its plan to occupy the war-torn city, despite international criticism.

New Zealand's one of 27 countries demanding Israel give foreign-media access to Gaza to cover the “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe”.

Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Ryan Bridge Israeli hostage families are ...

We should all be happy, the weekend’s finally here.

But there’s an issue of major national significance I need to get off my chest.

I have had it with car parks so small, you couldn’t fit a shopping trolly in them.

What exactly do they think we’re driving? Go-carts?

No. People are buying big cars. 

Utes that cross the white lines. 

Station wagons that hang out the backend, blocking the road.

Enormous SUVs that do both.

Th...

It's been another tough year for Fletcher Building. 

The construction giant's announced a net loss of $419 million, compared to a loss of $227 million last year. 

It's pondering selling its residential and development division and continues to consider offers for its construction division and other subsidiaries. 

Building Industry Federation CEO Julian Leys told Ryan Bridge Fletcher’s loss underscores the broader dow...

The fact a terrorist attack on New Zealand remains a future possibility is coming as no surprise to one security expert.

A Security Intelligence Service report states we're facing one of the most challenging national security environments in recent times.  

It's kept our terrorism threat at low, indicating an attack is realistically possible. 

Massey University's John Battersby told Ryan Bridge he's often been critical of...

A steady slide to the OCR is gently flowing through to households. 

The Reserve Bank's cut the cash rate from 5.5% to 3% over the past 13 months and is also signalling further possible cuts on the way. 

Assistant Governor Karen Silk says many people have been fixing on higher short-term rates while they hold out for lower long-term rates. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Ryan Bridge it’s important that monetary p...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 21st of August 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis shares her thoughts on the Reserve Bank cutting the OCR by 25 basis points to 3%. 

A violent extremist attack in New Zealand is a realistic possibility, according to the NZSIS Massey University security expert John Battersby gives his take. 

Fletchers suffered a net loss of over $400 million last year, Buil...

Remember just a few weeks ago how Sir John Key wanted 100 point cut from Reserve Bank?

We'll, they've almost given him what he wants. 

It's easy to be an armchair critic of the boffins down at Number 2 The Terrace - "They should have gone for 50." "Club 25 was too cautious." 

But markets listen as much to the guff after the big cut announcement as much as they do the actual announcement. Need proof? Already reta...

Economists are expecting a 25 point basis cut from today's OCR announcement, but it could be the last one for a while.  

The Reserve Bank will announce it's decision at 2pm.  

Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold says last time around there were more notable arguments among the board.

He told Ryan Bridge at least one member of the board didn't want to cut last time around.  

Eckhold says with those sort of debates g...

Changes for our electricity sector could just be small steps in levelling the playing field. 

New Electricity Authority rules will require generators to sell energy to everyone at the same rate. 

This will stop our big four companies, known as gentailers, offering themselves discounts and limiting competition. 

Octopus Energy Chief Operating Officer Margaret Cooney told Ryan Bridge she's afraid new rules won't crack ...

Belief changes to class sizes and staffing are needed to improve writing achievement at intermediate level.

The Government's launching a new digital tool for students sitting below the standard and introducing more professional development in literacy. 

New data shows only a quarter of Year Eight students achieved their curriculum writing level last year. 

Auckland's Remuera Intermediate Principal Kyle Brewerton told Ryan...

Electricity and groceries are your two big ticket inflation targets. Punters want to pay less for both.

There are nuclear options available:

Cut the gentailers in half by force. Those pro-wrecking ball argue if you force them to separate out the generation side of the business from the retail, you’d create more competition and lower prices.

You could do a similar thing with the supermarkets. One idea is to force Foodstuffs and...

Former Qantas workers are claiming victory over its $90 million fine for illegally sacking more than 1800 workers.  

The court's found outsourcing baggage handlers, cleaners, and ground staff in 2020 was done to curb union bargaining powers.  

Qantas says this judgment holds them accountable. 

Australian Correspondent Lesley Yeomans told Ryan Bridge $50 million of the fine will be going to the Transport Workers Union...

Another dairy sector shake-up. 

Infant formula and dairy company a2 Milk is buying the Yashili plant in Pokeno and selling its majority stake in the Mataura Valley plant in Gore to Open Country Dairy. 

A2 Milk's announcement comes as it reports a 21% rise in profit, off the back of a 9.3% rise in revenue. 

Forsyth Barr Senior Analyst Matt Montgomerie told Ryan Bridge a2 has stood out over the last couple of years, co...

Praise for new building consenting rules.  

The Government will change liabilities, holding parties responsible for their share of work.  

Certified Builders Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming says the building guarantee or building system should be mandated.  

He told Ryan Bridge that will add cost to the price of building, but it's minuscule in the scale of things.  

Fleming says on a $500,000 project, a guarante...

A reasonable chance of the Russia-Ukraine war ending if a trilateral meeting with both country's leaders occurs.

This comes from Donald Trump ahead of today's big meeting at the White House.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived, along with several European leaders. 

Russia's President Vladimir Putin met with Trump on Saturday, and Trump says he'll have a phone call with him after today's talks. 

Trump says ...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 19th of August 2025, Trump is meeting Zelensky and EU leaders at the White house to discuss peace talks, US Correspondent Nick Harper has the latest. 

Forsyth Barr analyst Matt Montgomerie shares his thoughts on A2 Milk posting a $200 million profit and purchasing Yashii NZ's plant in Pokeno. 

The Government's made some changes to building consents, Certified...

In the last week we’ve had a smorgasbord of small, seemingly minor stories hitting the headlines.

Helmets or no helmets for cyclists. Which name comes first on the cover of our passports. A ban then reversal on marshmallows in hot chocolates from the coffee machine at hospitals. 

Not a single one of these stories is significant on their own. 

But they’re the kind of stories people remember because they either simply make ...

Following the food inflation figures from Friday, Foodstuffs has challenged StatsNZ’s numbers. 

On Friday, StatsNZ reported a 5.0% rise in the year to July. 

But Foodstuffs is reporting a 3.4% year on year increase – arguing they have a clearer measure of grocery prices. 

Sue Chetwin from Grocery Action Group told Ryan Bridge that StatsNZ is including restaurants and takeaways in their reporting, which is throwing of...