Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

There are doubts the proportion of homeowners in New Zealand will grow significantly anytime soon. 

Kiwibank's Annual State of Home Ownership Index finds 57% of non-owners feel locked out of the market, improving by 6%. 

60% still find cost of living the biggest obstacle to owning a house. 

Squirrel Mortgages Chief Executive David Cunningham told Ryan Bridge that problem's always existed, adding that home ownership t...

Agreement from Wellington's Mayor over council rates needing to be kept in check. 

The Government's proposing to cap rates increases at 4% a year, with only water rates and other non-rates revenue to be excluded. 

Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says rates increases are due to decades of under-spending. 

However, he told Ryan Bridge the Government's tapped into a justified concern. 

Little says a lot of people ar...

This rates cap is popular politics, no doubt, and local government needs a good kick in the pants. 

But does a 2-4% band simply mean we're going to pay more in other fees? 

Rates aren't the only way these guys make money off us, we also pay for specific things like resource and building consents, LIM requests, dog registrations, and campgrounds. 

Will hairdressers have to pay more to register under the Health Act? Ye...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast 2025, the government's announced a rates cap for councils, Wellington City Council Mayor Andrew Little shares his thoughts. 

More renters reckon they have a shot at buying a home of their own, David Cunningham from Squirrel Mortgages tells Ryan why the housing market is improving for first home buyers. 

We finally have an opening day for the new International Convent...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 2025, Labour’s pledging to offer low-interest loans for doctors and nurse practitioners to set up or buy into GP practices next year, GenPro Chair Dr Angus Chambers shares his thoughts. 

The government says Local Water done well reforms will cost $48 billion over the next decade, Porirua Mayor Anita Baker tells Ryan if the money will be well spent. 

Adam Coope...

Doubts ratepayers will be any better off under the Government's Local Water Done Well plan.

The Department of Internal Affairs says councils face nearly 48-billion dollars in water infrastructure costs over the next decade.

By comparison, the former Government’s reforms were projected to cost at least 120-billion over 30 years.

Porirua Mayor Anita Baker told Ryan Bridge the price tag will likely end up similar to Labour’s model.

Sh...

The housing market is once again in the driver's seat for the economy, but it's not heading in the direction we're used to. 

Yes, a recovery is underway. 

But the brutal truth of 2025 was summed up rather well, I thought, by Sir Bill English in an interview about the current state of play. 

Basically, this protracted downturn - which for anyone living outside Queenstown or living on dairy farm has felt as drawn out a...

A retail frenzy is expected today as shoppers take advantage of Black Friday sales.  

Data from PriceMe shows nearly 40% of Kiwis are planning to take advantage of Black Friday to do their Christmas shopping.  

The day now outpaces Boxing Day in terms of sales volumes and popularity. 

Oyster Property Group’s Jennifer Andrews told Ryan Bridge that they’re preparing for a very busy day today. 

She says they have d...

A youth protection advocate says it's entirely appropriate to look deeper into Tom Phillips' children's four years on the run. 

The saga ended when he died in a Police shootout in September. 

The Government will explore whether agencies did everything possible for the children's safety and welfare. 

Child Matters Chief Executive Jane Searle told Ryan Bridge she’s hopeful it will be a constructive process. 

She s...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 28th of November 2025, Judith Collins has ordered a public inquiry into the Tom Phillips case, Child Matters CEO Jane Searle tells Ryan what she hopes to see from it.

Jennifer Andrews from Oyster Property Group which manages Dress Mart shares what retailers are hoping for this Black Friday. 

The Government's considering moving escooters into cycle lanes as injury c...

A push to get more bike lanes as the Government eyes up moving e-scooters onto them from pathways.

ACC statistics show there were more than 2,100 claims for e-scooter related injuries in the first half of this year. 

Payouts for e-scooter injuries this year are close to surpassing $14 million. 

Cycling Action Spokesperson Patrick Morgan told Ryan Bridge e-scooters are here to stay, so councils need to build more bike lane...

The RBNZ update this week again made the point that yes, the economy's in bounce back mode.

We'll grow 2.5% next year, they reckon. 

But this country needs more than that. It deserves more than that.

The problem for us is, and has been for about the past 30 years, productivity.  How much we get out for what we put in. We went sideways and it's now falling. 

As you know, this is a bad thing. It's taking us more people...

The Finance Minister believes the country is in a position to grow.  

The Reserve Bank believes the economy has now turned a corner after last month's 50-basis-point cut to the OCR. 

It's cut the cash rate a further 25-basis-points to 2.25%, but is signalling further cuts are unlikely. 

Nicola Willis told Ryan Bridge that while the data lags make things difficult, there is enough other information to give them a sens...

Encouragement for any Northlander who feels hard done by from the region-wide power outages last year to explore legal avenues. 

Local businesses are taking class action against Transpower and its lines maintenance contractor over the outages caused from a pylon collapsing in Glorit, north of Helensville. 

An investigation found a relatively inexperienced and inadequately supervised Omexom worker removed nuts from three o...

The Auckland Business Chamber believes a a surcharge cap is a reasonable compromise to an otherwise unfair rule. 

In July, the Government announced its plan to ban surcharges for shoppers on methods like Paywave, forcing merchants to front the cost instead.  

The business chamber says this will just force businesses to increase costs, which will be unfair for other customers.  

CEO Simon Bridges told Ryan Bridge a ca...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday the 27th of October 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis joins Ryan to talk on the final OCR cut of the year.

The Northland pylon fiasco is heading to court, Northland MP Grant McCallum shares his thoughts. 

Business groups have come up with an alternative plan for the surcharge ban, Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges tells Ryan what they're asking of th...

So what do we know today that we didn't know yesterday after the big show from the Reserve Bank? 

Well not much, really. 

The cut was expected - it was already priced in. They're a bit more rosy on growth, it looks like the end of the cycle for cuts. 

But beyond that, it really is guesswork. 

The central outlook was 'balanced'. Meaning closed wallets could could hurt the outlook, higher housing prices and export...

Another cut to the Official Cash Rate is expected today but it could be the last for a long time. 

The Reserve Bank's reviewing the OCR at 2pm. 

Most economists expect the cash rate to be cut 25-basis-points to 2.5%. 

ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Ryan Bridge they expect the Reserve Bank to keep the door wide open to taking further action next year if needed.  

He says it will be wanting to use the three...

A lot of roles could be facing the axe as the Government looks to scrap regional councils. 

The Government's proposing replacing them with boards made up of Mayors in a particular region. 

The proposal aims to reduce duplication and put downward pressure on rates. 

Boards would be required to put plans in place around re-organising services and infrastructure, which will be checked over and ticked off for financial s...