Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Swings and roundabouts for the dairy sector, with prices set to weaken. 

Research by Rabobank suggests overall global production peaked last quarter, and this quarter won't be far behind. 

EU and UK are seeing their strongest growth since 2017 and US milk output has increased for five consecutive months. 

Lincoln University Adjunct Professor Jacqueline Rowarth told Andrew Dickens dairy farmers aren't feeling too glum...

Costs to fix our water infrastructure are increasing as we get a better picture of its current state. 

Every council has now submitted their plan under the Government's Local Water Done Well programme.

As Newstalk ZB first revealed last week, the final bill is expected to be almost $48 billion - about $9 billion more than first thought.

Water New Zealand Chief Executive Gillian Blythe told Andrew Dickens with all the plans sub...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 12th of December 2025, primary school principals have rejected the government's latest pay offer, Rowandale Primary School Principal Karl Vasau tells Andrew why.

A new report from Rabobank says there's "too much milk for the market", Director at DairyNZ Dr Jacqueline Rowarth shares her thoughts.

Local Water Done Well is going to cost $9 billion dollars more than previou...

I don’t want to ask what America is thinking, but what are they thinking?

As more details of their social media information requests to enter the States came to light yesterday, the less I wanted to go there.

To get in I need to supply a wealth of personal information, including DNA and all my social media links. Now I love America and its people, but if I have to jump through all those hoops my first reaction is "forget it". 

Could the worst of the brain drain be over?  

Though migration remains low year-on-year, provisional figures show that net migration for October was up 7% on 2024.  

Massey University Sociologist Paul Spoonley told Andrew Dickens he’s optimistic we’re starting to see it plateauing, if not turning around.  

He says the pull of Australia is still very strong, but in terms on non-New Zealand migrant departures, that’s l...

There are areas for improvement in how we prevent cancer, with the number of new cases expected to jump in the next two decades.  

The Cancer Control Agency's latest State of Cancer report shows cancer's on the rise. 

Diagnoses are expected to rise from 30 thousand this year to more than 45 thousand in 2044. 

Cancer Society National Chief Executive Nicola Coom told Andrew Dickens people with cancer are living longer,...

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Thursday the 11th of December 2025, Parliament's education and workforce committee has dropped its interim report on youth online harm, Dr Parmjeet Parmar who represents Act of the committee shares her thoughts.

Emeritus Professor & Massey University Sociologist, Paul Spoonley tells Andrew whether or not the worst of the brain drain is over. 

The Cancer Control Age...

ACT says New Zealand isn’t ready to follow Australia with a youth social media ban.

An interim report from Parliament's education committee suggests we consider taking a similar approach to our neighbours, who introduced a ban yesterday.

It's found social media is exposing young people to a wide range of harm.

Act representative Parmjeet Parmar told Andrew Dickens we should watch how the policy unfolds in Australia before moving ah...

The story that keeps getting my goat this week has been the accusation that New Zealanders take too many holidays over the Christmas-January period. 

It’s burbled along since the weekend. Business owners, economists, Simon Bridges, and talkback callers all alleging that the country closes down for a month and that’s killing our productivity. 

But there’s no proof of that and the allegations seem little better than reckons...

An urban planner's giving the proposed Resource Management Act a big thumbs up, calling the reforms awesome and fantastic.   

The Government's confirmed the current RMA will be replaced by two pieces of legislation, one for the environment and one for planning. 

They'll be phased in by 2029.  

Independent urban planner and strategic development expert Bruce Weir told Andrew Dickens there will always be hiccups, ...

Australia's pioneering social media ban is casting ripples around the world.  

The new law sets a mandatory age limit of 16 or older for accounts on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.

Now countries like Malaysia and Denmark are following the Australian lead with similar approaches. 

AUT communications studies professor Patrick Usmar told Andrew Dickens enforcement will be difficult, but it should limit exposure...

A Supreme Court decision has finally settled the long-running battle over whether family carers should be paid. 

The ruling —brought by parents Christine Fleming and Peter Humphreys, who care for their severely disabled adult children— confirms family carers are entitled to pay. 

Employment lawyer Joe Williams told Andrew Dickens it’s a monumental shift in how these workers are recognised and how the Government will need ...

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 10th of December 2025, the government's announced it's replacement of the RMA, independent urban planner and strategic development expert, Bruce Weir shares his thoughts. 

The Supreme Court's ruled parents caring for their severely disabled adult children will now be recognised as home-workers, employment lawyer Joe Williams, tells Andrew how big of a dif...

So today is the day the Australians lead the world with a social media ban for people under 16. 

Good luck with that. The kids who still want to be online will get around it. Because, you know, kids and computers. 

They can’t speak the Queen’s English, but they sure can speak computer. 

They’ll VPN and forge and weasel their way through the same way we all got our hands on booze when we were underage. 

And the k...

The Hurricanes have revealed a $2 million loss is projected for the current financial year, after announcing a new leadership structure. 

Local developer Malcolm Gillies has stepped in to buy the Wellington Rugby Union's 50% stake in the Super Rugby franchise. 

NZ Rugby will also take a minority shareholding and bolster the 'Canes with loans. 

Interim CEO Tony Philp told Andrew Dickens rugby’s had a difficult few yea...

The Rural Communities Minister believes a new wool deal will take the sector to a whole new level. 

It's a significant milestone for the country's wool sector, as Wool Source confirms its first commercial export order. 

The Wool Research Organisation company's signed a deal with a Japanese company, for eight tonnes of Kiwi products.  

Minister Mark Patterson told Andrew Dickens its currently constrained by capacity, ...

Farmers are hoping an RMA shake-up will deliver a faster, cheaper consenting system.

The Government's today announcing significant changes to consenting as part of a shake-up to the Resource Management Act.

It's expected to slash the need for consents in 46% of cases that currently need them.

Federated Farmers' spokesperson Mark Hooper told Andrew Dickens layers of added costs hold farmers back from getting on with normal farm oper...

For as long as I’ve been in talk radio, I’ve been talking to people about RMA reform - and I’ve been in talk radio since 1996. 

The Resource Management Act was introduced in 1991 and it has ballooned into an albatross around our necks.

To comply you need to pay a fortune. To check your compliance authorities, have to spend weeks reviewing your plans. 

So today we learn what comes next.

Now the reason the RMA grew like a c...

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Tuesday the 9th of December 2025, the Government's announcing a major shake up to the Resource Management Act, Federated Farmers RMA Reform Spokesperson Mark Hooper tells Andrew what he's hoping for. 

Kiwi company wool source has landed its first big export deal with Japan, Rural Communities Minister Mark Paterson tells Andrew what the deal means for farmers.

The Hurri...