Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

One of Maoridom's biggest movements has split with Te Pati Māori. 

Toitu Te Tiriti - which led the hikoi on Parliament last year - has voted to distance itself from the party.

Leader Eru Kapa-King is the Party's former vice President and son of one of its current MPs - has told Te Ao Māori news the party has a dictatorship model of leadership. 

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says Te Pati Māori has internal issues it needs to...

At what point do you say this local government election's a failure, a flop, not worth the paper it's written on?

I think we're fast approaching that point now. 

Even in Auckland. Our biggest City. Super-City. With the most responsibility. The biggest burden to shoulder after amalgamation. 

The turnout with two weeks left to go is 9.2%. Last year it was 35%.

That's not a mandate. It's a vote of no confidence in the entire...

Property values have ticked up again after a five-month fall. 

Cotality data shows property values in New Zealand edged up by 0.1% in September. 

Across the main centres, Wellington dipped by 0.4%, with Auckland also down 0.2%. 

It follows a cumulative -1.6% drop over the five months to August. 

ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Ryan Bridge the regions that are doing the best are the ones who have had good e...

US Federal Government workers are bracing for days without pay. 

Republican and Democrat lawmakers have been unable to reach an agreement on a spending bill. 

US correspondent Mitch McCann says the shutdown's likely to last almost two weeks. 

He told Ryan Bridge until then, affected staff aren't getting paid, even if they're in essential roles. 

McCann says people like airport security staff and park rangers are...

The Gut Cancer Foundation says author and broadcaster Nigel Latta played a vital role in raising awareness of the disease. 

The high-profile clinical psychologist has died from stomach cancer this week – he was 58. 

He was heavily involved with the Gut Cancer Foundation following his diagnosis, educating people about the symptoms and risk factors. 

Foundation CEO Liam Willis told Ryan Bridge the increased awareness m...

Disappointment the Government's energy reforms haven't prioritised keeping electricity prices down.

Changes include allowing Crown-controlled gentailers more government capital for projects, plans for a new gas import terminal and giving the Electricity Authority more power.

Electric Kiwi CEO Huia Burt told Ryan Bridge this could result in wholesale prices reducing by about 2% per annum.

She says that amounts to a few dollars off a...

Yesterday was MMP in action.

It was exhibit A of a coalition government.

Without a single party with a clear mandate, you end up with piecemeal positions. You get a report done then you cherry pick which options are palatable to everybody and effective for nobody.

In this case they picked just two of the ten options.

Seymour would have liked the option of flogging off the 51% of energy companies we do own, but on the other han...

Faster access to primary and specialist mental health and addiction care is having a flow-on effect. 

The latest data shows nearly 84% of people are accessing primary care within a week, surpassing the government's target, while 80.3% are accessing specialist support within three weeks. 

Some regions, including Northland, Gisborne and Nelson Marlborough don't meet either of the targets. 

Mental Health Minister Matt D...

All eyes are on Hamas as Donald Trump gives it three or four days to respond to his proposed peace plan.  

The deal would end the war, see hostages returned, Israeli troops pulled out of Gaza, and Trump leading an interim Government.  

It's been supported by our Foreign Minister Winston Peters as well as European and Middle Eastern leaders. 

CBS Jerusalem correspondent Linda Gradstein told Ryan Bridge there's been ve...

There’s nothing quite like watching a well-thought-out strategy come together and work.

And hats off to South Korea this morning — they’re absolutely smashing it when it comes to tourism.

The government set a goal: 30 million visitors a year by 2030.

In 2005, they had 6 million.

Last year? 16 million.

This year: they’re on track to hit 20 million.

This isn’t happening by chance — it’s happening by design.

Government and business ha...

The energy sector's hopeful that Government reforms will be bold,  and address their concerns.

Energy Minister Simon Watts is expected to announce reforms today, which will focus on issues the market hasn't been able to solve itself. 

Major Electricity Users' Group Executive Director, Karen Boyes, says told Ryan Bridge Liquefied Natural Gas could be an option - as we're running out of domestic gas.

She says LNG isn't the ...

The Reserve Bank has been learning lessons from its handling of the Covid pandemic. 

Chief Economist Paul Conway says they now have a deeper understanding of supply shocks and the structural drivers of inflation and are better equipped for future shocks. 

He says in hindsight, going earlier or harder to OCR hikes would have reduced inflation sooner. 

New Zealand Initiative Chief Economist Eric Crampton told Ryan Brid...

Some building owners may decide it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to new earthquake standards.  

The Government's eased regulations which will see Auckland, Northland, and the Chatham Islands removed from the regime. 

Institute of Building Surveyors President Darryl August says while an earthquake isn't likely in Auckland, it could cause a lot of damage if it did happen.  

He told Ryan Bridge even peopl...

Health has always been a portfolio MPs never want a bar of.

You never win. Endless fights with the unions. People waiting for surgery. Constant pressure to keep up with technology. And it’s deeply personal for those who don’t get the care they need - it’s literally life-and-death stuff.

So if the numbers Simeon Brown is putting out are to be believed—and I’ve no reason to doubt them—then he deserves some credit.

Cancer wait times, ...

Belief improvements are being made in the health system, but they don't show the full story.

Quarterly data shows improvements around cancer treatment access, childhood immunisation rates, ED stays, and wait times.

Health Minister Simeon Brown says it shows the system is turning a corner. 

Former Health NZ Chair Rob Campbell told Ryan Bridge there are inconsistencies in how targets are measured, such as when ED wait times begi...

Our Corrections Minister says services in prisons are improving, despite concerns around staff shortages

An extra 98-million-dollars from this year’s Budget was meant to fund corrections until June - when prisoner numbers were expected to reach 10,800.

This figure is already within reach, nearly a year ahead of schedule.

Mark Mitchell told Ryan Bridge the officers they have are performing well.

He says they're world-class - and ten...