Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 25th of August 2025, Police Minister Mark Mitchell joins Ryan to talk about the issues with Police recruits. 

Andrew Alderson has the latest on the weekend's sport. 

Criminal Lawyer Steve Cullen shares his thoughts about where to draw the line on drug driving. 

Plus UK/ Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on the UK government planning an overha...

The Police Minister says our Police force is 'world-class' after concerns were revealed about officers' preparedness.

A survey of training officers released to the Herald found 55 percent feel new cops were barely or not at all well equipped with knowledge of arrest and charge procedures. 

Mark Mitchell says told Ryan Bridge this is about probationary constables, who receive two years of supervision on the job.

He says policin...

How many more children and pets will we tolerate being maimed and punctured to death on suburban streets before this actually gets taken seriously

I’ve personally had three people in my life who who’ve been out for a walk with their wee pups, on a leash, registered for $200, poop bags in hand to do the right thing. 

Only to be attacked by some absolutely viscous mongrel. And I mean absolutely ripped to pieces. Puncture wounds....

The All Blacks are demanding a discipline improvement as they count down to the rematch against Argentina in Buenos Aires. 

After having the better of the penalty count nine to four in the first half of the opening win, the tally was 12 penalties a piece at fulltime. 

The All Blacks also copped two second half yellow cards, one of which went to centre Billy Proctor and he says the need to tidy their discipline up. 

S...

A notable shift in the housing market as first home buyers have the highest share of purchases in two decades. 

The Cotality Monthly Housing Chart shows first home buyers account for 27% of market activity in July, a 5% jump on the long-term average. 

It also finds existing homeowners trading up or down, remain at historically low levels. 

Head of Squirrel Mortgages' David Cunningham told Ryan Bridge there's less pre...

Our defence aircraft could soon be playing cat-and-mouse with submarines following a multibillion-dollar investment. 

The Governments putting $2.7 billion towards two new Airbus A321 planes to replace older planes. 

Five Seahawk helicopters are also being bought, equipped with anti-submarine torpedo systems.  

Retired Lieutenant Colonel and defence expert Josh Wineera told Ryan Bridge the helicopters will bring milit...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 22nd of August 2025, The Government's gone shopping for some new planes and helicopters, at the tune of $2.7 billion, retired Lieutenant Colonel and security expert, Josh Wineera shares his thoughts. 

New data from Cotality shows people getting on the property ladder are actually at the highest share of purchases in the last two decades, David Cunningham from Squir...

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 c...

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-karts?

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...

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...