Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

A growing range of international visitor markets means New Zealand's on track to beat pre-Covid tourism numbers. 

Overseas arrivals reached 92% of pre-pandemic numbers in August.

That's up from 87% in July.

Board of Airline Representatives Executive Director Cath O'Brien told Ryan Bridge increased airline capacity from the Americas, Singapore, Hong Kong markets means we're seeing more than just Aussies. 

She hopes this is...

I've got some numbers for this morning.

QV House Price Index for September quarter: guess what? Going backwards. Auckland leading the fall. 

Homes are worth an average of 1.1% less. Auckland's 2.5% less. 

And how does that make you feel, really? 

Most homeowners won't care because they're not trying to sell. But for those who are, it's depressing. 

Now first home buyers are cranking - a quarter of new mortgages ...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 14th of October 2025, Donald Trump has arrived in Egypt for a peace summit, Matt Terrill, former Chief of staff for Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign, tells Ryan what Trump will need to do next to keep the peace deal successful. 

Australia is helping push us towards out first pre-covid tourism summer, Cath O'Brien the Board of Airline Representatives Execut...

Roughly 70% of Kiwis did not vote in the recent local elections. 

It's shaping up to be the worst voter turnout in 36 years, with only 23% of Aucklanders voting in the local elections. 

Senior fellow at the New Zealand Initiative Nick Clark told Ryan Bridge that making local elections in larger cities even more local would encourage more people to vote. 

"It might be a bit of an out there solution to make councils mo...

Beef and Lamb's declaring methane target cuts, great news for New Zealand. 

The Government's reducing targets to 14 to 24-percent below 2017 levels. 

That's between 24 to 47-percent lower than previous targets. 

Beef & Lamb Chair Kate Acland told Ryan Bridge the Government's right to say a number of farmers would have been put out of business without this change. 

She says the new targets are in line with wh...

New Zealanders have voted against steep rates rises in the local elections.

Auckland's Wayne Brown and Christchurch's Phil Mauger have both been re-elected over the weekend, with a commitment to keep rates rises lower.

Wellington's Andrew Little and Hamilton's Tim Macindoe have indicated they'll rein in their cities' steep rates rises.

In Dunedin - Sophie Barker has won the mayoralty over incumbent Jules Radich. 

Newstalk ZB's...

If the Coalition was looking for an endorsement of its rates cap idea, it got one over the weekend.

Of the 18 councils that hit ratepayers with double-digit hikes this year, 13 elected new mayors.

Newsroom had great coverage of the results. Tim Macindoe won in Hamilton. If the name sounds familiar — he’s a former National MP. Rates there rose 41% in three years. Go figure.

Voters aren’t stupid and should never be taken for granted.

Property investors are celebrating new methamphetamine contamination laws coming in next year.  

Properties with meth residue exceeding 15 micrograms per 100-square centimetres will be considered contaminated, requiring treatment. 

Landlords and tenants will be able to quickly end tenancies with excessive levels. 

Property Investors Federation Advocacy Manager Matt Ball told Ryan Bridge the new standards will reduce ...

The road to peace in Gaza is not without its obstacles, despite a major breakthrough.  

Israel's security cabinet's meeting to vote on implementing the first phase of a ceasefire proposal.  

The deal would allow the release of hostages early next week and would see Israeli troops pull back to agreed lines.  

The Guardian Washington Bureau Chief David Smith told Ryan Bridge it will get more complicated from this point...

The ACC Minister's confident the insurer's growing deficit is on track to be brought under control. 

The scheme's recorded a net deficit of $1.5 billion, blowing the total out to $13.8 billion.

Minister Scott Simpson told Ryan Bridge the net deficit is still a lot better than last year's $7.2 billion shortfall. 

He says good work has already started, but there's still a lot to do. 

Simpson says this involves doing th...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 10th of October 2025, Donald Trump says the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal has been signed, Washington Bureau Chief for the Guardian David Smith has the latest out of the US. 

ACC has reporter yet another deficit, Minister responsible for ACC Scott Simpson shares his thoughts. 

New rules are out on when a rental’s too contaminated with Meth, Property Inv...

In a few hours we'll know who's won the Nobel Peace Prize. 

It's the world's most prestigious award, and Trump wants it really, really badly. 

Every year since 1901, a bunch of Norwegians sit around a table and sort through their candidates. 

This year there's almost 330 entries.

Four US Presidents have previously won it: Obama, Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson - Jimmy Carter got his two decades after he left office. 

...

The discourse surrounding the R360 League is growing increasingly heated.

The rugby unions of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy issued a joint statement on Wednesday (NZT) refusing to endorse the proposed Saudi-funded competition.

Sport commentator Sam Ackerman says the unions are overreacting- "that's like saying back in the day, if you had converted to, to rugby league, then you co...

The Reserve Bank's cut the OCR 50-basis-points to 2.5%, despite acknowledging inflation is above or almost above where they'd like it. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis says they've factored in broader economic conditions. 

She says the central bank clearly thinks any fluctuation in inflation will be constrained by spare capacity in the economy. 

Labour's Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds told Ryan Bridge it’s a dir...

Locals are raising eyebrows at the camping areas selected within a proposed freedom camping bylaw that goes before council this week.  

The Queenstown Lakes District Council bylaw proposes 15 designated freedom camping sites for the district following a surge in freedom campers. 

Save Clean New Zealand spokesperson Andrea Beryl says she's not against freedom camping, as the area relies on tourism. 

But she told Ryan ...

Former FBI director James Comey is standing by his innocence after being targeted by US President Donald Trump. 

Comey was indicted last month and made his first court appearance in Virginia today.
 
He's pleaded not guilty to charges of making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation.

US correspondent Nick Harper told Ryan Bridge Trump has described Comey and other political enemies as 'guilty...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 9th of October 2025, Labour Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds thinks the Reserve Bank is taking a risk cutting the OCR by 50 basis points, she tells Ryan why.

Freedom camping across some of the South Island’s most popular holiday hot-spots has surged to the highest levels, Save Clean New Zealand spokesperson, Andrea Beryl shares her thoughts. 

Rugby Unions aro...

This story about sick or disabled teenagers getting the benefit doesn’t make any sense.

The Government wants to cut the dole for teenagers whose parents earn $65k plus - okay.

Their justification? If poor old mum and dad have to cover their living costs, said teenagers will go find a job.

Okay, fine. That’s about 4000-odd 18–19-year-olds.

But here’s where it gets complicated. 

It turns out around half that number are getting t...