Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Germany's far-right AfD is piling pressure on parties to work with them after a state election win. Preliminary results show the party is three seats short of an outright majority in Saxony-Anhalt. However most German political parties refuse to work with the AfD. If it finds support, it would be the first far-right party to govern a German state since World War II. Sky News European Correspondent Alastair Bunkall told Ryan Bridge there's a chance they could try and govern as a minority, but even then they'd probably still need an agreement to make sure anything they wanted to pass got across the line. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The oil and gas industry is welcoming the first loans from the Government's $200 million Gas Security Fund. It's investing $23.5 million into two projects, including drilling a new well and accessing deeper gas at existing fields. Both with be run by Todd Energy, while there are 17 other proposals sitting on the Government's desk. Energy Resources Aotearoa CEO John Carnegie told Ryan Bridge the loans are being used for existing field and infrastructure, so they offer one of the quickest opportunities to get more domestic gas into the market sooner. He says if they're successful, both projects expect to have gas flowing by the end of 2027. Carnegie says this is a public-private partnership at its best. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast 2026, Todd Energy getting up to $23.5 million in government loans for gas security projects, Energy Resources Aotearoa CEO John Carnegie shares his thoughts. The Government's splashing another $5 million on regional tourism, Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell tells Ryan what the money will go to in Rotorua. Europe is shaking in it's boots after the far right party AFD's win in Saxony-Anhalt, Sky News Europe Correspondent Alastair Bunkall has the latest out of Germany. Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on a leaked text shows huge amount tipped for Solomon Islands from the Australian Government and American football fans descend on Melbourne for an historic NRL match at the MCG. 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.

Overseas visitors are being encouraged to get out of the main centres so our tourist hotspots stay fully booked all year round. The Government's putting $5 million into six initiatives designed to entice travellers to visit the regions, ahead of the peak season. Rotorua NZ will lead a $995 thousand food campaign focused on Chinese visitors, as well as co-leading another aimed at Australian and US tourists. Mayor Tania Tapsell told Ryan Bridge the overseas focus is important, so businesses thrive in the quieter months when there's less domestic travel. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've got another report from another ratings agency, Moody's. They've taken a look at our credit, they've taken a look at our economy, much the same as the S&P one we spoke about last week. But here's a few things this country cannot afford to forget. We are a trading nation; we have a small population. Unless we sell stuff to the rest of the world, which the world then pays us for, we are a backwater. We are a money-go-round; we are a low-income poor cousin at the bottom of the Pacific. Dairy, meat, kiwifruit, honey, you name it. If we don't have strong export industries, we're basically buggered. We need more of them, of course. We have tourism, let's not whinge too much about the campervans. The world's cooked at times, and there'll be another Hormuz before long. Hell, the current Hormuz isn't over yet and that means we need storage for diesel, which we're doing, but we need more of, for gas, which Genesis is looking at, and Todd and Uncle Shane are trying to find, and data centres. I know they're controversial, I know people hate them, but they shouldn't be. If done well, and by well, I mean they wash their own faces, then tick tick. The other thing we desperately need are roads that don't wash out when it rains. Petrol taxes pay for that, so let's maybe not cut our nose off to spite our face in that regard. It's pretty simple really, we need to keep doing what we're doing, we need roads to get our stuff to port, we need oil to keep the country moving, we need ships coming and going and we need something new on the horizon always. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 7th of September 2026, National's promising to make it easier to get into your first home if re-elected, Cotality NZ Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson tells Ryan what difference it would make to the property market. Former Senior Royal Protection Officer Scott Hamer shares his views on Prince Harry and Meghan's security since moving back to the UK. Business Correspondent Vicky Pryce shares Plus UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on Police in Southeast England accused of being slow to react after major disruption at the Port of Dover in Kent due to a large group of masked men holding a demonstration about illegal migration and Nigel Farage says he "frankly wasn't listening" during a conversation with his former chief of staff and an undercover reporter discussing what appears to have been a scheme to funnel foreign money to Reform UK. 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.

National's plan to expand the First Home Loan scheme could help more people buy their first home - but isn't expected to transform the housing market. The party wants to widen access to five percent deposits. If elected, National would increase the income threshold so anyone earning less than 300-thousand dollars combined could access the scheme - up from the current 95-thousand dollars for single buyers or 150-thousand for more than one. Cotality Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson told Ryan Bridge the change will have a limited impact - and shouldn't push house prices higher.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Told you when this whole thing kicked off that it wouldn't end tomorrow, and it hasn't. This is the war between the US and Iran. It is still going on. The biggest problem was always going to be the Strait of Hormuz, and the Strait of Hormuz is not open. In fact, there were tankers going through the other day in a shoulder that the US should be said should be safe, and guess what, they weren't. Now, over the weekend we've had Leon Panetta, this is the US former US Defence Secretary. He was also CIA Director under Obama. He's said, yeah, look, it's one of those things. It's at risk now becoming another forever war in the Middle East, which is exactly what everybody doesn't want. We've had these before, we've had many before, Iraq, Afghanistan, you name it. He says the likelihood is this war is going to continue for another six months without being resolved. And at the same time, you've got chaos at the Pentagon. You've got Hegseth going after and firing people left, right, and centre, or senior military commanders leaving their posts. And just imagine if you were one of the frontline soldiers here, if you were on some Navy frigate in the middle of the Gulf, although they're having a wee holiday in Thailand at the moment, of course, but if you were on a Navy frigate in the middle of the Gulf and you were reading updates on your phone or you're reading updates from command going, oh, he's gone now. Oh, who's in charge here? And what exactly are we doing? Quite disconcerting. And I think Leon Panetta makes that point very well. This war is not going to end in a hurry, certainly not in the next six months. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are preparing for the third test in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry. South Africa levelled the series in Cape Town, making this match effectively the decider, even though there is a fourth test in Baltimore. They're clashing at FNB Stadium in Soweto – the match kicking off at 3.10am Sunday. Former All Blacks Captain Sean Fitzpatrick told Ryan Bridge that the team is finishing well, so they're doing something right. He says they just need to get the crucial moments in the first 20 to 25 minutes right. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The property market's remaining subdued with a suggestion it'll be a while until there's real growth in prices. Cotality data shows values on average fell by 0.4% over August, marking the fifth declining month in a row. It notes global geopolitical tensions, the OCR lifting, and the upcoming general election is contributing to market uncertainty. Real Estate Agent Rawdon Christie told Ryan Bridge the high amount of homes for sale is also probably supressing potential price increases. But he says they saw a pretty healthy August, as vendors are meeting the settled market where it's at. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday the 4th of September 2026 the All Blacks take on the Springboks for their third test in Johannesburg, former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick tells Ryan what we can expect. House prices continuing to fall for the fifth month in a row, real estate agent Rawdon Christie shares her thoughts. The ACT Party is calling for an end to race-specific placements at medical school, Warwick Bagg, Auckland University Dean of Medical and Health Sciences shares his thoughts on the policy. Plus, UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on the King, President Macron and PM Burnham attended the unveiling of the Bayeux Tapestry last night at the British Museum. 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.

ACT's plan to campaign on scrapping Māori and Pacific med school places is being seen by some as electioneering. A review into Auckland and Otago university admission programmes is part of the ACT-National coalition agreement, but its findings haven't been made public. An ACT spokesperson claims the scheme shows unjustified discrimination. Auckland University Medical Dean Warwick Bagg told Ryan Bridge the findings should be released so the facts can be debated. He says it's about giving Māori and Pacific students the highest chance to succeed, where the school system doesn't. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look don't mind confessing you, dear listener, that I don't read many books. I do listen to them on audio, I do read on holiday, but who has the time to actually sit down and get stuck into hundreds of pages? People don't even watch full movies anymore. You can't do much when you're checking your phone on average one billion times per hour. But I did happen to stumble across one of the best reads I've had in a while a few weeks back in Barry Crump's 'A Good Keen Man'. It's unpretentious. It's funny. It's outrageous. It paints a picture of New Zealand and New Zealanders that I think most can relate to. We generally get along with each other. We generally call a spade a spade. We don't like people who bullshit or cheat. We like a fair fight. We love the bush, the beach, the beautiful place we get to call home every day. I've now finished two other Crump books, and I am getting through the audio version of some short stories. What an adventure. If you haven't read or listened to them, you should. They should be compulsory reading for anyone wanting to become a New Zealander. I'm aware it's an election period. There's a lot of fighting and whinging. But really, if you take a step back, look at the people around you – your neighbours, your mates, your country. We're not doing too bad. We've got a lot to be grateful for. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Banks aren't expected to increase fixed rates after the latest OCR hike. The Reserve Bank raised the Official Cash Rate another 25 basis points yesterday, bringing it to 2.75%. Governor Anna Breman says they are moving it towards a neutral level of around 3%. Co-operative Bank CEO Mark Wilkshire told Ryan Bridge the hike was largely expected, so those rates were already built in. He says the increase will be passed through to variable home loans quite quickly, but they're not expecting to see fixed rates rise. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A warning to asset owners across the country to take lessons from Wellington's Moa Point disaster. The Government has released the findings of an independent Crown Review into the massive February malfunction at the wastewater plant. It doesn't blame a single technical fault, but finds decades worth of significant gaps in accountability and risk management from asset owners. Water New Zealand Chief Executive Gillian Blythe told Ryan Bridge maintenance woes became normalised, which caused problems to pile up. She says there are lessons around the fact there was fragmented accountability and misaligned authority. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Methanol producer, Methanex, has confirmed it is shutting the Taranaki plant that has run for 40 years. It says it's struck a deal to sell most of its natural gas entitlements under current contracts, starting in next year's first quarter. The company says continued decline in domestic natural gas, and no clear pathway to meaningful new supply, means continued operations in New Zealand aren't sustainable. Carnegie told Ryan Bridge says Methanex stepping back will free up some gas to be used elsewhere, but it's a bit like a snake eating its own tail. He says we're gaining that gas but losing a major manufacturer and exporter. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 3rd of September 2026, Co-Operative Bank CEO Mark Wilkshire shares his thoughts on the Reserve Bank hiking the OCR for the second time. The country's biggest gas user Methanex announcing its getting out of New Zealand, Energy Resources Aotearoa John Carnegie tells Ryan this is the economic cost the country is paying for a shrinking domestic gas supply. We've finally got answers about what happened at Moa Point, Water New Zealand Chief Executive Gillian Blythe explains. Plus, US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Iran saying the US bombed a wedding party in Sirik, killing at least four people and a women has been arrested for taking photos of jury members outside the courthouse in the Lindsay Clancy trial. 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.

There's an air of arrogance and butt-covering to the stench that is Moa Point. In a nutshell, the council, its water management company, and the contractor were all a bit shit at their jobs. And Wellington's South Coast has been shat on – 14 billion litres of raw sewage, to be precise. None of them took charge of and ownership of the water treatment plant. And they didn't talk to each other or listen to some quite critical information and warnings. Anyone getting Mount Manganui vibes here? But the part that gets me, and should get us all, is the no show from ratepayer-funded bureaucrats ducking for cover. Council infrastructure leaders, who clearly are leaders in job title only, did not meet with the Crown Review team to tell them about their role in this shambles. They were asked for in-person meetings. They were asked to sit down in front of somebody and explain themselves. And they ran. They ducked. They gave written responses. 14 billion litres of Wellington's digested breakfasts on the beach deserves more than written answers. It's like the politicians who dodged the Covid inquiry. Why would you do not front up in person unless you had something to hide? Why would you not speak in person, unless you were worried about what you'd say? Did lawyers and comms staff, at the ratepayers' expense, review all those written responses before you hit send? People don't necessarily lose trust in councils over mistakes. Mistakes happen to us all. Coverups and accountability dodgers – they're the ones who flush our trust down the toilet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's netball ecosystem is breathing a sigh of relief after confirmation of a privatised domestic league for next season and beyond. Rich-lister couple Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams are set to take the licence for the competition and its teams via an initial agreement with the sport's national body. Former Silver Fern Marg Foster told Ryan Bridge this is a really good thing, but they can't just rely on philanthropy. She says there's a lot of things they'll need to be able to get out of this deal, such as making it commercially attractive so investors can get a genuine return. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another OCR hike is widely expected today and the Reserve Bank could signal more are coming. It announces its decision at 2pm, with the Official Cash Rate expected to rise from 2.5%. Economists are picking one or two further hikes. Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold told Ryan Bridge the Reserve Bank's view has shifted sharply since the start of the year. He says they're pretty locked in for 3% between now and Christmas. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday 2nd of September 2026 another OCR hike is looking likely from the Reserve Bank, Westpac chief Economist Kelly Eckhold tells Ryan what we can expect. New Zealand and America are teaming up to build a port for the Cook Islands; international relations professor Robert Patman shares his thoughts. Netball New Zealand have made the decision to privatise the domestic league; former Silver Fern Marg Foster reacts to the news. Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on laundry rooms being turned into prison cells to combat overcrowding in UK jails and an investigation underway after a man died near Notting Hill Carnival in London following a police pursuit. 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.

The US appears to be re-engaging with the Pacific as it invests in Cook Islands infrastructure. New Zealand's pledged to co-invest with the US to build a port on the Penrhyn atoll in the Cooks, a former military base. China had been interested in seabed mining in the area. Otago University International Relations expert Robert Patman told Ryan Bridge the Trump administration hasn't shown a lot of interest in the Pacific until now. He says what it is interested in is combatting China, so this is an incentive for them to get back to being much more active in the region. PM Christopher Luxon is travelling to Palau for the Pacific Islands Forum today. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

IP lawyers will be licking their lips with all these AI cases landing on their desks. The latest, we spoke about it yesterday, was Sony and Warner going after Anthropic. Their argument is basically that Anthropic's AI models, the ones we use to get answers to questions, scrape and bottom trawl the internet for information. That information, including song lyrics, is often IP owned and produced by humans or companies. So, scraping it and using it to sell as a product is theft. Media companies in New Zealand take a similar view. If the robot is scraping content produced, at cost, by a news business, then how is that not also theft? But if you think about it, humans do this all the time. I do it every day. It's actually what I'm paid to do. I ingest large amounts of information and then use it to inform interviews and content. Lawyers do it for legal cases. Politicians do it. Businesses do it. We all do it in one way or another. And we all use the information the internet provides for our own purposes. Usually, to make money. Knowledge is power and content is king. So, the question then becomes, what is the difference between us doing this and using this information and an AI model doing the same? Surely Claude is committing no greater crime than the rest of us. Of course, how they get their hands on the information is key. If you're ripping it off bit torrent, then you might have other problems. But if you're getting it from a paid subscription, isn't that what we do? In the news business you credit your sources. But not always. There's a point where the collective weight of the information you've consumed becomes your own thoughts and your own IP. Are robots any different? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's being criticised for giving the country the run-around with next year's fuel tax. It's cancelled the 12 cent per litre hike and equivalent lift to road user charges that were set to take effect in January. The next rise of five cents a litre now kicks in from January 2028. AA Fuel Spokesperson Terry Collins told Ryan Bridge the Land Transport Fund has been under stress because it's unable to get enough money to do the work that's needed. He says any time there's funding uncertainty or money is removed from it, it adds to the problem, kicking it down the road and making it bigger in the future. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT's proposing changes to Permanent Resident Visa requirements to make sure holders are actually living here. The party wants to increase the initial two-year travel condition for Resident Visa holders to five. Residents would be able to travel freely in and out of the country after this period, but would need to spend at least 730 days here during any rolling five-year period. Immigration Spokesperson Parmjeet Parmar told Ryan Bridge they want people to be living, working, and contributing in New Zealand. She says they're welcoming all migrants who genuinely want to be here, but her job is to fix the system if it's being exploited. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns Labour's graduate nurse policy could simply shift staffing pressures from hospitals to aged care. Labour's promising $525 million to give every graduate nurse a job offer after they pass their exams. But the Aged Care Association says while that could ease pressure on hospitals, it could leave aged care struggling to recruit. Chief Executive Tracey Martin told Ryan Bridge that's what's happened historically. She says generally when the hospitals stop hiring, their workforce is stable. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday the 1st of September 2026, the Government has agreed not to raise the fuel excise tax next year, AA fuel spokesperson Terry Collins shares his thoughts. Act says it wants permanent residents to actually reside in New Zealand, Act Party MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar explains. Labour's promising every graduate nurse a job in the public health system if re-elected, Aged Care Association Chief Executive explains more of the nurses are needed in aged care to keep up with demand. Plus Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on massive fines and new rules for e-scooter riders in Queensland and a baby's body found in a rubbish bin in Sydney. 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.

You know how New Zealanders love it when foreign countries, or media, or even tourists talk about us? They're always the most read stories on news sites – it's like a national pastime. Oh look! Brad Pitt says New Zealand is beautiful! Oh look, Jason Mamoa did a bungee and Queenstown is beautiful! Well, have I got news for you, New Zealand. S&P, the global ratings agency, has just done a bungee on our country's finances. It's mostly good news: low net debt, growth of 2.5% a year, good Government. Safe, sound, stable outlook. The equivalent of a 4-star Tripadvisor review. But there's one number that should be making headlines – it's on page 4. 10%. Our country has been borrowing more money to fund stuff, including everyday spending and election promises. They issue bonds, or debt, to investors and pay them interest for the pleasure. Those interest costs are going up because of the bond market sell-off we've been talking about on this show. S&P says the amount we're paying interest will reach 9% of government revenue (i.e. tax) in 2029. That means for every million bucks the Government earns in tax, it pays almost $100k just on interest on its debt. Interest is our fourth most expensive item on the Government's books – more than we spend schooling our kids through primary and secondary. S&P says interest costs of more than 10% of revenue could result in 'weaker debt metrics'. That's not a good thing. It means we're stretching ourselves. We could get a credit downgrade. People start looking at us sideways asking, can those guys pay back what they owe us or are they taking the Mickey? That's not the sort of reputation this country can afford. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Students are underwhelmed by the loan changes National would make, if re-elected. Graduates would be able to pay off their debt over a longer period - with compulsory repayments lowered from 12 to 10 percent. But those living overseas would be charged an extra one percent in annual interest. Victoria University Student Association president Aidan Donoghue told Ryan Bridge students have raised plenty of issues this year - that this policy doesn't touch on. He says there's no talk about increasing the income threshold for when you start repayments, or any changes to repayments if you're still studying. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 31st of August 2026, National's promising to cut student loan repayments if re-elected, VUWSA President Aidan Donoghue tells Ryan if this will make much of a difference for students. Business Correspondent Vicky Pryce has the latest on a Jackson Hole meeting of Central bankers but while US fed and ECB now anticipated to raise rates in September, warnings this weekend if fertiliser shortages threatening food supplies in the UK and economies so far seem to be still able to grow both in the UK and Europe. The All Blacks winning streak in South Africa has ended with the Springboks winning 33-26 in Cape Town, former All Blacks Captain Sean Fitzpatrick shares his thoughts. Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on a vessel that capsized off northern Cyprus and Andy Burnham saying two infamous police killers will remain behind bars. 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.

Two questions for you this morning if you're buying or have bought a property recently. 1. Did you get a pre-purchase inspection done? 2. And did that person have a qualification? Remember leaky buildings? Well, there are a builders and surveyors out there who reckon we're sitting on another leaky building saga. There was a very good piece in the Herald at the weekend about this. New builds, builds less than 10 years old, failing. Looks spick and span on the outside, underneath, the timber's damp. There's mould. Water is getting inside the walls of houses that are pretty new. I don't know about you, but when somebody builds a house, or apartment, it should keep the water out. I've spoken to some builders and tradies about this. They're worried too. They tell me there are two problems. One is builders and developers who cut corners, using materials sourced from overseas that look the similar to products we use here, but aren't. The other red flag they talk about is price. There are builders and developers undercutting them on jobs with prices that seem absurd. How on earth can you build something for 75% of the cost of the rest of your competitors? Now I know what you're thinking. Chill out, bro. I got a pre-purchase inspection. And the Council signed it off. Bad news. Anyone can call themselves a building surveyor or inspector. I could. I could start a business tomorrow. Inspect your house. Write a report. Charge like a wounded bull. Take some photos on an iPhone. Email you a report. And bob's your uncle. You don't need a licence. You don't a formal qualification. You don't even need insurance, according to the Herald piece. The thing about these types of stories is that it's mostly anecdotal. How widespread is this problem? Is it 1% of new builds? Is it 20? You don't know what you don't know. And by the time you find out, your walls are wet and filled with mould. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are back in action this weekend for their second clash against the Springboks. They're aiming to keep their momentum rolling after a clean sweep of the tour so far and a decisive victory in their first test against the South African side. Newstalk ZB's voice of rugby Elliott Smith joined Ryan Bridge to discuss the changes to the team, and how he thinks things will play out this time around. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crypto investors are hoping a new policy will stop punishing them in the long term. ACT's campaigning on modernising regulations, including allowing tax-free profits on crypto held for more than a year, and a 12 month brightline test. Party Leader David Seymour believes our tax system currently treats crypto coins as an asset. Swyftx New Zealand Country Manager Paul Quickenden told Ryan Bridge every time you buy or sell, there's effectively a capital gains tax. He says there's a lot of work for a very small amount of tax. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Freight drivers are warning against pushing back roading projects. Labour's promised no hikes to the fuel excise over the next three years, if elected. Instead it'll consider pushing back National Land Transport Fund projects to make up for the reduced income. Transporting NZ Chief Executive Dom Kalasih told Ryan Bridge this would be a mistake as a reliable road network is extremely important for productivity. He says any holding off on roading investment is false economy – it's short term gain for long term pain. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we about to witness the return of the pothole? Both Labour and National want to freeze increases to the petrol tax. Labour would stop 22c a litre over three years. The Nats probably won't, coalition willing, go ahead with the 12c hike pencilled in for January. The problem is this money goes into a big fund —along with RUCS from trucks— to pay for building and fixing our roads. Remember at the last election, people were angry as hell about potholes. They're nasty things. Wheely annoying. Rim-wreckers. Rim-shredders. Panel beaters had a field day, performing more rim jobs than you could shake a stick at. We had 62k potholes back then. Highest number in a decade. The money to fill them in comes from the petrol tax – it's ring-fenced into a pothole fund. Less money in that mean means crapper roads. To make matters worse, Labour wants to raid this fund to pay for cheaper bus fares for city folk. It's one of their election promises. So, the fund is being starved on new money at the same it's being robbed – a Peter to pay Paul-type situation. The coalition's making its call on Monday about the funding. The easy route is to stop the tax. The hard route is to hike it. Which means no matter who's in charge, we'll probably have cheaper gas next year but wrecked rims, and that includes, ironically, the buses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 28th of August 2026, National says it won't increase the petrol tax in January by 12 cents a litre, Transporting NZ CEO Dom Kalasih tells Ryan why this is problematic for roading infrastructure. Newstalk ZB's voice of rugby Elliott Smith is in Cape Town for the All Blacks game against the Springboks, he tells Ryan what we can expect. Paul Quickenden Swyftx NZ Country Manager shares his thoughts on ACT launching its plan to make NZ a country of crypto-pioneers. Plus, UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on UEFA is pursuing criminal legal proceedings against Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino and new data showing there has been a significant fall in the sue of hotels to house asylum seekers waiting for a Home Office decision. 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.

ACT's pledging to abolish the Climate Commission. The Party claims it's cost $100 million since it was established and only writes reports, duplicates work, and proposes ridiculous ideas. They're proposing folding responsibility for assessing emissions reduction progress into mega-Ministry MCERT, culling the Commission and its Board. NZ Climate Change Research Institute's Adrian Macey told Ryan Bridge while there are some issues with the Commission's target recommendations, having an independent voice is important. He says they don't just make targets, they also look at how the country can prepare for the impact and adapt to climate change. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dairy sector's booming, but some are calling for more support to ensure it continues. A report commissioned by DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association has found dairy exports reached almost $29 billion in 2025, and supports more than 51 thousand jobs. It also finds the dairy sector is a backbone of much of regional New Zealand's economy, wages, and job market. Association Executive Director Kimberly Crewther told Ryan Bridge farmers want policy that supports innovation. She says there needs to be reliable infrastructure domestically, with abundant and affordable energy LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The overall economy seems to be holding together as it slowly gets back on track. Westpac's August overview forecasts 2% growth across this year – accelerating to 3% in 2027. It points to an uptick in activity after falling flat in the three months to June. Independent economist Cameron Bagrie told Ryan Bridge the war in Iran has played into a lot of uncertainty in recent months, but the economy's bounced back well. He says import and export numbers have been phenomenal, and a lot of that's coming from regional growth. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meta's cut a landmark US trial over teen social media addiction short, agreeing to pay US$18 billion in a settlement deal. 29 US states brought the case against the Instagram and Facebook owner in a California federal court. As part of the agreement the social media giant will include daily limits and night-time blocks for teenage users on its platforms. New York correspondent Mitch McCann told Ryan Bridge it's unclear if the changes will be rolled out internationally. He says interestingly the deal means Meta doesn't have to admit any guilt at the cost of a lot of money. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much do you really want the value of your property to fall? Plenty of us say we want cheaper house prices, but do we really mean it? Once you own a house, you usually have mortgage on it. The less your house is worth, the less equity you have. Your net worth goes backwards. In New Zealand, half of the average household's wealth is land and property. That is now worth 1.9% less today than it was a year ago. Overall household wealth in this country has basically been flat for four years. That means we're not getting richer and it's because house prices have been soft. Is this what you want more of? This election there are parties planning to tax those assets. From capital gains to land taxes. That is likely to mean even lower prices. When this happens, we get a bit worried about our situation in life and we get gun-shy with the debit card. We stop buying stuff. We're less confident. The economy slows down as a result. Again, is this what we really want? Now I know what you're thinking, that's all fine unless you're trying to buy a house. Which is fair. Except that house prices are now the cheapest they've been in a decade. Cotality says the national house value has dropped to 6.7 times your income. In 2021, it was nearly 10 times your income. In Auckland, you can't sell an apartment or townhouse for love nor money. The question now is how low is too low? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast 2026, Westpac have upgraded their GDP forecast, Independent Economist Cameron Bagrie tells Ryan what this means for our economy. Act wants to abolish the Climate Change Commission, Adjunct Professor at the NZ Climate Change Research Institute Adrian Macey shares his thoughts. Dairy exports reached $28 billion in the year to December, Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand Executive Director Kimberly Crewther shares hr thoughts. Plus, US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Meta's agreeing to pay up to $18 billion US to settle the claims its platforms harmed children and tributes for the death of Dolly Parton. 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.