Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

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 Doocey told Ryan Bridge the work continues, but it's good to see some signs of improvement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 very little indication of what Hamas will do. She says initial reports suggest Hamas is leaning towards accepting the deal, and they're under a lot of pressure from Qatar. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 have come together and gone all in on infrastructure and law changes. They're extending an electronic visa-free travel pass. By the start of next year, they'll have integrated ticketing for all public transport. You'll use the same pass for major tourist attractions. Imagine catching the Waiheke ferry and doing the luge — all on one pass. There's a big push on regional tourism. But their secret sauce? A cultural takeover of movies, TV shows, and music. That's another industry they've invested in heavily — and now it's paying dividends we could only dream of. We know this works — just look at Lord of the Rings. Almost 400 million people around the world have watched a show called K-pop Demon Hunters. It's Netflix's most-watched show. Ever. And now every kid is begging their parents to take them to South Korea. This isn't about complaining or saying we should be doing better. Our government has — or is at least trying to — pull together similar schemes here. This is simply to say: what an impressive operation. Watching the Koreans plan, execute, and get results is inspiring. It's something that should excite us. The Saudis are going big on gaming. The Irish rolled out the red carpet for big tech. Captain Judith Collins this week reckons our next big thing should be space. We're world leaders in agriculture. So what do you want to add to that list — and how can we follow South Korea's lead and make a plan to get there?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 cheap option, but would guarantee more supply. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 1 October. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Bridge pumping money into a locked-down economy was the wrong approach. He says it's great the Reserve Bank is recognising its mistakes now, but it would have been better if they'd recognised them earlier. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 people in low-risk areas like Auckland should still have a look at their building. August says there's nothing to stop people doing the repairs even if they aren't legally required. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 30 September. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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, immunisations, elective surgeries, and ED numbers are all heading in the right direction. It's by no means “job done,” and some of the movement is only a few percent—quarter-on-quarter comparisons. But for a government the media would have you believe is traditionally stingy and ineffective in health, at least we now have measurable results to compare. And they're not terrible. Labour will come out today and slam this. They'll say grandma's hip operation is being farmed out to the private sector. And you know what grandma will say? Who cares—I've got a new hip. This is all short-term stuff. The bigger question is how we plan to pay for this expensive system in 20 years' time when the population crunch hits. Treasury ran some numbers. They looked at health spending on pensioners as a share of the overall health budget: 1951: 29% Today: 40% 2051: 63% So two-thirds of the health budget will be spent on over-65s. And there'll be fewer workers to pay for it. The problem with a decent health system is that people live longer as a result. It's a vicious cycle. Of course, nobody wants grandma to die—but if Simeon Brown keeps this up, we'll be bankrupt before that happens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 begin. He says information is often structured to meet targets in the health service and other organisations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 tens of thousands of positive interactions happen every day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 29th of September 2025, there's concern prison funding is drying up, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell tells Ryan what the government will do about it. Andrew Alderson has the latest on the weekend's sport. The world has heard New Zealand's verdict on Palestinian statehood, Foreign Policy Analyst Geoffrey Miller tells Ryan how big of an impact it'll have on New Zealand's reputation. Ryan thinks Putin's playing a game of chicken with the Europeans. Plus, UK Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on drones seen near military facilities including Denmark's largest after a series of incidents that caused air disruption earlier this week. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Putin's playing a game of chicken with the Europeans and Europeans are the chickens. NATO's so far done nothing but talk about these fighter jets and drones. Take your pick of experts and former military bosses chiming on the why over the weekend, and you'll get 10 different answers. Are these incursions a mistake? No. Too many now. So he's doing this for one of two reasons. To keep more territory in Ukraine. Freak the Europeans a bit. They might buckle and give him more of what he wants. OR. He's picking off countries one-by-one to test the NATO response. Lining up his next target. Does NATO respond differently to a Polish incursion than a Danish one? The point of NATO is it shouldn't matter. All for one, one for all. The question then becomes how to you deal with it. I'm inclined to agree with Moritz Brake. He's with the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies. He says you've got to be more forceful. The Turks shot down a Russian jet in 2015 seconds after it entered their airspace. Guess what? Putin didn't go to war with Turkey. Fighter pilots learnt pretty quickly who's airspace was who's.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have got to perform in this weekend's Eden Park test. They're set to face Australia in the wake of their worst-ever defeat just 12 days ago against South Africa. Newstalk ZB's voice of rugby Elliott Smith told Francesca Rudkin the All Blacks have to turn up, perform, and start finding some consistency. He says consistency won't come soley from tomorrow's performance, but they need to start laying the building blocks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A push for more work-based learning, to give food and fibre employers greater input on training. Key players like Beef + Lamb New Zealand and Federated Farmers have teamed up to demand an overhaul from the government. The sectors have released the Food and Fibre Workforce Capability Strategy. Forestry Owners' Association Chief Executive Elizabeth Heeg told Francesca Rudkin the strategy sets out a pathway to train the next generation of skilled workers. She says they want to work with the government to ensure the system prioritises capabilities and not just credentials. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy claims his court case is politically motivated. He's been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy, relating to illicit funds from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. He was acquitted of all other charges. Europe correspondent Vincent McAviney told Francesca Rudkin it's unclear whether he will spend the full five years in prison. He says the ruling means Sarkozy will spend time in jail even if he launches an appeal, which he intends to do. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast Friday 26th of September 2025, Fonterra's delivered one of its best results ever, Federated Farmers Dairy Chair Karl Dean shares his thoughts. It's the great show down between the All blacks and the Wallabies this saturday night in Auckland, Newstalk ZB rugby commentator and editor Elliott Smith tells Francesca what's at stake for the All Blacks. Our agriculture industry claims the education system is letting it down, NZ Forest Owners Association CEO, Dr Elizabeth Heeg shares her thoughts. Plus UK/Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, sentenced to five years in jail and drones shutting down a Denmark airport for the second time this week. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dairy farmers remain mindful of the chance of more tough times ahead. Fonterra's confirmed a final farmgate milk price of $10.16 for the past season, with earnings of 71 cents per share. But its midpoint forecast for this season remains at $10. Federated Farmers Dairy Board Chair Karl Dean told Francesca Rudkin farmers will be paying off debt and investing back into their farms after battling several years of high on-farm costs. He says they all understand costs may rise again, and incomes may drop. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday, PPTA members —secondary school teachers— voted to make addressing online extremism an official policy, and are now pushing for Government action. Teachers say they are seeing more misogyny from young boys, as well as xenophobia and anti-Māori rhetoric – and I believe them. Sit down with your teenager and ask them about Andrew Tate, Trump, trad wives —which were some of the complaints— and they're all over it. And yes, it is driven by social media, algorithms, and their peers. So, I do understand their concerns. But it's not for the Government to fix. I'll get to the teachers in a minute, but this is primarily an issue for parents. It's parents who are responsible for setting the tone when it comes to their children's beliefs and values. And as they grow and almost inevitably push back against their parents and their ideas while they develop their own, it's also on the parents to listen and, without judgement, encourage open discussion. As parents we need to get into the trenches with our teenagers and have those difficult conversations so we understand where they're coming from and why, for example, a young man might have been drawn into a “toxic online culture of masculinity”. Only then, perhaps, are we can be in a position to do something about it. I'm sure the teachers are right when they say parents aren't fully aware of the content their children are being exposed to. I chat to my teenagers about contentious people and issues on social media and in the news. I'm curious to know if they're aware of it. Sometimes I have to act cool and hide my surprise when I discover that not only are they across it, but they've researched it, thought about it and will already have formed an opinion. Parents are so far behind sometimes. Obviously if a teacher hears something harmful or disgusting —if they feel someone has been radicalised to the point where the person or others aren't safe— then yes, it needs to be challenged. We don't want to to be normalised - although many teenagers will tell you it already is. But, just as many schools put phone bans in place before it was legislated, schools can have guidelines for acceptable behaviour in a classroom without government interference. But when it comes to political ideology, Trump and trad wives, or cancelling people, we need to encourage debate and teach young people to disagree agreeably. Teachers are at the forefront of this and may well bear the brunt of it. It's easy to say that teachers should use these moments as a constructive exercise in critical thinking – and I'm sure many do. But others will be terrified of being accused by parents of indoctrinating their children. There is undoubtedly room for greater media literacy when it comes to understanding misinformation, disinformation, xenophobia and misogyny – but teachers have got other things on their plates. So, parents – you're up. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand will have first use of the world's first portable brain scanner that could change how concussion is diagnosed for rugby players – but will it work as said? The device —known as the Nurocheck headset— can allegedly detect head injuries in two minutes. Medtech Labs Group CEO Michael Lee says although the brain scanner will be rolled out next month, rugby clubs will have to wait a little longer. Sports injury research specialist Dr Doug King told Francesca Rudkin while the concept it legitimate, the research backing it is not. He says concussions are one of the most complex things you can try and detect, and while this could be realistic in the future, the science just isn't there yet. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Reserve Bank Governor seems to tick all the boxes. Dr Anna Breman has been announced as the next Governor, taking over from Christian Hawkesby in December. She was the First Deputy Governor of Sweden's central bank, and was selected from more than 300 candidates that were initially identified. Economist Cameron Bagrie told Francesca Rudkin that Breman is going to be laser focused on the key priorities, including delivering low and stable inflation. He says they're going to go back to basics as the epicentre of any central bank is credibility – credibility of the framework, the governor, and the governance. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Council's new density plan won't see fewer houses zoned, but will change where they're allowed. The council's Policy and Planning Committee voted 18-5 to pass the plan, which will see more housing near transport hubs and less in natural hazard zones. Former Auckland Mayor Phil Goff shares his thoughts with Francesca Rudkin. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast Thursday 25th of September 2025, Independent Economist Cameron Bagrie shares his thoughts on the new Reserve Bank Governor. A new portable med-tech device from the company Nurochek claims it has the ability to diagnose concussions on the sidelines in just two minutes, Dr Doug King Sports Injury Research Specialist tells Francesca how much of a difference it could make. Bigger, taller and newer buildings are on the way for Auckland, Former Mayor of Auckland Phill Goff shares his thoughts. Plus US Correspondent Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a big day at Auckland Council yesterday, and I think a good day. The Policy and Planning Committee met for most of yesterday to thrash out the future of Auckland's housing, debating where and how Auckland is going plan for more homes. The council voted 18-5 to discard PC78 and notify PC120 – which basically means the 3 storey townhouses seen increasingly all over Auckland's suburbs are on the way out, and high-rises and greater intensification around key CRL stations and transport corridors are in. This is, of course, highly contentious – and where you lean in the debate may depend on what neighbourhood you live in. Residents of wealthy inner city suburbs like Mt Eden, Parnell, Herne Bay, and Grey Lynn will likely have reservations about more high-rise apartments in their neighbourhoods – citing a loss of character, loss of light, and an increased demand on infrastructure. The new plan retains 73% of the special character areas established under the 2016 Auckland unitary plan, which isn't bad The new plan is also about allowing the council to down-zone in some areas. The 2023 flooding taught us that it's well past time we stopped further housing development in areas we now know are prone to flooding and coastal erosion. This is a no brainer. It's also cheaper to build where good supporting infrastructure already exists than it is to create new housing areas where infrastructure has to be developed from scratch. In particular, given the cost of the CRL, it makes sense to have as many people living near it and benefiting from it as possible. Or as the mayor said, “There's no point in spending $6 billion on something if there's nobody on the damn thing.” Even though the council meeting voted in favour 18-5, it doesn't mean there wasn't plenty of discussion around the council table. Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson asked for conditions around high towers. She suggested tall apartments need to be set back and have communal areas and facilities. Mayor Wayne Brown supported the amendment, saying there needs to be parking and commercial activity on the lower levels, and this was incorporated into the main motion. Carparking is essential, so it's a sensible idea. Councillor Christine Fletcher didn't have quite the same luck with her amendment, which asked for greater consultation and for the plan change to be publicly notified. At present, public consultation will begin on November 3rd and close on December 19th. It's quick. Fletcher's amendment would have dragged consultation out until the middle of next year. To be honest, yesterday I thought the council would take the safe option and extend consultation, but after much debate about what Minister Chris Bishop would think about all this, the amendment was voted down 15-8. While debate was generally a bit dry, the day did come with some interesting rhetoric. Councillor Maurice Williamson thought both options were unacceptable, saying, "It's a choice between a firing squad and a lethal injection,". Rather surprisingly he voted for the plan – I'm not sure which option he considered this to be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A grim outlook from business leaders. The Herald's annual Mood of the Boardroom survey shows business leaders are less optimistic about the economy than they were a year ago. They're calling for more bipartisanship when it comes to tax, retirement, and the long-term outlook for New Zealand. NZ Initiative co-founder and Chair Roger Patridge told Francesca Rudkin the business community is looking for clear direction from the Government, and it doesn't feel like they're delivering. He says there's pretty much unanimous agreement the economy isn't taking off in the ways we were promised. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A view that small businesses may suffer and not be able to survive if the Government's surcharge ban comes into play. Commerce Minister Scott Simpson announced the ban on surcharges like PayWave will be in place by May next year. In an open letter, 36 Chambers of Commerce, industry and business associations warn the ban will just be passed on through increased prices. North Chamber Chief Executive Leah McKerrow told Francesca Rudkin there should a consumer line that identifies those abusing the surcharge, as now small businesses will face increased costs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to the Holidays Act have been welcomed by businesses as long overdue. The new system will include accrual for sick and annual leave. The Government says it will be two years before these changes are implemented. But Restaurant Association boss Marisa Bidois told Francesca Rudkin the industry wants a faster timeline. She says while she understands the need to update systems, some of their systems are already ready to go. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I didn't really want to touch on this yesterday. I really hoped the story about President Trump coming out and declaring that pregnant mothers taking paracetamol was the cause of autism would just die a quick death in the news. But it made an impact - as you may have seen. Comments like Trump's are hugely frustrating and unhelpful. They cause concern among expectant mothers about the use of paracetamol. As stated by the NZ College of Midwives yesterday, “high quality scientific evidence does not demonstrate a causal link or association between paracetamol use and autism or other developmental concerns. "Large, high-quality studies —including population data from Sweden involving over two million children— found no increased risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability from paracetamol use during pregnancy.” You could also ask mothers of autistic children —and the ones I know are scratching their heads— because they didn't use paracetamol when pregnant. Please, if you are a pregnant mum out there, follow the advice of your doctor, not a politician. Reputable clinicians and researchers have been working for decades to understand this complex neurodevelopmental syndrome, and the widely held view of researchers is that there is no single cause; rather, it is thought to be the result of a complex mix of mostly genetic and to a lesser extent environmental factors. When you have autism in the family, you don't think about cure or cause, you focus on helping that person live their best life. And they can live a great life. The rise in reported autism cases is not a "horrible crisis", as Trump has described it. There's a simple reason why the number of cases has increased. It's not because of vaccines, but rather the result of changes in the way autism is defined and assessed. In the 1980s autism was tightly defined and considered extremely rare, but then Asperger's syndrome, which is much milder in severity than classic autism, and much more common, was added as a diagnosis. In 2013, Asperger syndrome was eliminated as a stand-alone diagnosis and folded into the newly introduced concept of autism spectrum disorder – hence an increase in diagnosis under that one umbrella. That and more general awareness of ASD has led to more people getting themselves or their children assessed. And yes, the difficulty of diagnosing autism can lead to misdiagnosis as well. But implying autism is something to fear, something that needs to be erased, is offensive. Yes there are high support need cases which are hugely challenging for families, and yes living with a disability in a world that isn't designed for you is difficult. But with support, autistic people live productive, interesting and rich lives, and quite frankly, the world would be so much less without them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 24th of September 2025, The Government's overhauling the Holidays Act, Marisa Bidois Chief Executive of the Restaurant Association tells Francesca about the difference it'll make for businesses and employees. The Herald's released the Mood of the Boardroom survey, Co-founder and Chair of New Zealand Initiative, Roger Partridge shares his thoughts. Our top business leaders are pushing back on proposed changes to credit card surcharges, Leah Mckerrow Chief Executive of Northchamber, tells Francesca, why they're pushing back. Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on the UK's health Secretary saying ignore Trump's health advice on Autism and a drone incursion that stopped flights at Copenhagen and Oslo airports 24 hours ago might have Russian involvement. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Businesses are hopeful an overhaul of the Holidays Act will give them clearer leave guidelines. The Workplace Minister will announcing a change to the 2003 Act today. Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson told Francesca Rudkin the current legislation is far too complex. She says businesses have almost needed an advanced calculus degree to meet their obligations. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tech expert says there's good reason to be sceptical about digital identifications. Digital Services Minister Judith Collins says driver licences could soon be available on our phones before the end of the year. New South Wales has already rolled out a similar service. Digital Identity New Zealand Executive Director Andy Higgs told Francesca Rudkin it has to be done in good faith. He says in some countries people are treated as a number, with much of their personal information stored with the licence. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belief the Government's half-a-billion dollar investment to infrastructure will boost the construction sector. Both projects involve upgrades and maintenance for hospital and school buildings nationwide. It's at a time when construction activity is at a six year low. Certified Builders Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming told Francesca Rudkin these announcements show that better days are starting to emerge. He says the Government's starting to listen to the industry's concerns, that some pipeline of works like schools, had been closed off for the last couple of years. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast Tuesday 23rd of September 2025, The long-awaited overhaul of the Holiday's act will be announced today, Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson tells Francesca what she hopes will come from it. Digital services Minister Judith Collins says digital driver's licenses could be rolling out by the end of the year, Digital Identity NZ Executive Director Andy Higgs shares his thoughts. The Government's pumping more money into schools to prop up our struggling construction sector, Certified Builders CEO Malcolm Fleming tells Francesca how much of a difference it'll make. Plus Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on more details on the Optus catastrophic triple zero outage and the Australian Prime Minister preparing to address the UN General Assembly on Palestine. Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On its own, you wonder what's the point of moving in this direction when we have perfectly good drivers licences in our back pockets. But it's not really about the driver's licence, it's about creating an app like NSW has, which allows people to do a whole lot of government related transactions simply and easily from their phones. Things like: car registrations, a WOF, paying road user chargers, road tolls, Inland Revenue and tax payments, dealing with superannuation and benefit payments – maybe even paying parking tickets. The lot! Which makes sense. We deal with so much of this online already, why not put in an ‘all-in-one' place. NSW rolled out the digital drivers licence in 2019 and today over 80% of drivers use their licence via the app. It's good to see the Minister acknowledge we need to have choice around this. A digital licence system can't exclude those who don't have access to the necessary technology or simply prefer to keep things offline. Groups like the elderly, rural communities in areas with poor connectivity, and people with low incomes could be disproportionately affected by a full switch to digital. So, it's good Kiwis will be given the choice to go digital or stay with the plastic. Digital licences may be a modern, forward-thinking move, but they also come with privacy risks. You can put all the security in place you like, but no system is entirely immune to cyberattacks, or accidental or intentional leaks. As I mentioned, much of what we do is already online, and I appreciate IDs will be decentralised and stored next to no personal information, but as our use of the app increases, will that remain the case? I'm probably sounding a little paranoid, but after having almost fallen for a sophisticated scam which used hacked information, I'm not relaxed about the amount of data I have online. So if we're going to do it, we do it well. This can't be rushed. It must be the best version it can be from the start. I'm a person who never buys the first version of a new piece of tech. I always give a provider time to sort out the kinks, and buy the second or third generation version. I feel the same about digital drivers licences. I can understand how practical they could be. I can appreciate how bringing everything together could make dealing with numerous government departments easier. It will even make creating fake licences harder for the kids to get into RNV. So I'm up for it. As long as I can make the move when I'm ready. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A $100million dollar boost is being put towards upgrading clinical spaces and key infrastructure, at hospitals across the country. Health Minister Simeon Brown's announced the investment for 21 local projects - ranging from more clinical space in emergency departments to extra carparks. Health New Zealand's also allocating $20million dollars to increasing frontline ED staff. Minister Simeon Brown says most of the projects will be delivered next year and into 2027. He says they want to make the current facilities more efficient and deliver more care - it will also provide a number of construction jobs while they're underway. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cyber incidents continue to cause chaos across major European airports. Dublin, Berlin, Brussels and London's Heathrow are thought to be experiencing cyber attacks, knocking out online baggage and check-in systems. It's the third day of technical failures, with dozens of flights delayed or cancelled. Europe correspondent Gavin Gray told Francesca Rudkin that the issue is with a widely-used system by Collins Aerospace, which allows airlines to use the same check-in desks and boarding gates. He says things are going wrong and many airlines are having to use manual boarding and check-in with paper and pen. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Francesca Rudkin, Monday 22nd of September Full Show Podcast 2025, The Government's spending $100 million of cash from the budget on upgrading hospitals across the country, Health Minister Simeon Brown tells Francesca what that money will go towards. Andrew Alderson has the latest on the weekend's sport. Investor confidence has slumped back to pandemic levels, ASB wealth economist Chris Tennent-Brown provides some analysis. Plus UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on Chaos at major European airports as a cyber-attack hits the electronic check-in and reports that the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, sent an email to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, calling him a "supreme friend". Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand investor confidence has dropped to its lowest level since Covid. ASB's latest survey shows sentiment is weakest in the lower North Island and among those over 60, with under 40s being more optimistic about their situation. Senior Wealth Economist Chris Tennent-Brown told Francesca Rudkin global uncertainty and the weak housing market have made the last six months challenging. He says it's not quite as bad as during the depths of despair during the pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday Health Minister Simeon Brown announced $100 million has been allocated for hospital maintenance and refurbishment. It will fund 21 upgrades around the country. The money was set aside in the 2025 budget – listed under things like ‘remediation' and ‘redevelopment' - but at the time Treasury didn't say how much was allocated due to commercial sensitivities. But it has been announced now, and if you were a cynical person you could think it was timed to distract us from the 48 hour strike - 5,500 ASMS members are undertaking this Tuesday and Wednesday – which will delay healthcare for almost 13-thousand patients. This is a bit of an underwhelming announcement. The work the money is funding is not sexy. It's the basic stuff which needs to happen to keep the lights on in some cases, and improve services in others. Maternity Services are getting an upgrade at Ashburton Hospital. The Lakes District Hospital is getting an ED expansion – which makes sense considering they are located in an adventure playground. Whāngarei Hospital's outpatient rooms are being upgraded so they can be used for minor procedures, freeing up capacity in the hospital's 8 large theatres. Auckland City Hospital is getting an electricity fix to mitigate the risk of power failure – which sounds kinda vital. And Manukau Health Park is getting a new cancer infusions space. So, you know, that kind of thing. The question though is whether this is enough to achieve what the Minister keeps telling us he is focused on – providing New Zealanders with modern, resilient hospitals that can deliver timely, quality care? Well, no. That's a 10 year vision. These small scale projects go some way to addressing issues in different areas of the country, and will hopefully make a difference for patients. And these solutions have been achieved by working out how to make current facilities work better - it's a good approach. The opposition has, of course, said it's not enough money ... but it never is. No matter who is doing the budgeting, and who is in opposition, there's never enough money. However, I do meet clinicians who tell me we can do better with the funding and facilities we already have. Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall also said the funds are insufficient to meet the needs of a growing and ageing population”. Few policy makers and politicians are prepared to deal with the long-term impacts of an aging population – much like how few want to really deal with the superannuation issue? We'd all like there to be more money. We all want an equitable and sustainable health system. We all want modern and resilient hospitals. However, considering the labour disputes and large hospital projects already on the government's hands, the reality is this is likely as good as it's going to get. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Ferns have made it to the semi-finals. After handily defeating South Africa in the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final, they're now set to face the World No 2 team – Canada. However, they're missing a major player from their line up – flanker Jorja Miller appearing to be out with a hamstring injury. Sky Sport Commentator Rikki Swannell told Ryan Bridge that while Miller is a huge loss, her replacement Kennedy Tukuafu is still a handy player. She says fingers are crossed that Miller is available again if they do make it through to the finals. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Corrections Minister says the Government has helped reduce the number of people breaching electronically monitored bail. There were 832 cases of absconding from EM bail last year - up from 64 in 2015. The total number of people on EM bail has risen from 1300 to over six thousand since 2015. But Mark Mitchell told Ryan Bridge the percentage rate of absconding is actually coming down. He says it was at 19% in 2019, which dropped to 14% last year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surprise across the board with the latest sharp drop in GDP. Our economy's contracted 0.9% in the June quarter - a worse outcome than any economists had been forecasting. Many were predicting a 0.3% drop, including the Reserve Bank and ASB. ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith shares his analysis with Ryan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.