Podcast
Early Edition with Ryan Bridge
Hosted by Newstalk ZB · EN
A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.
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Donna Demaio: Australia Correspondent on Sir Sam Neil's passing
Today00:02:39Tap to summarizeSir Sam Neill is being remembered as a gentle soul - who helped put New Zealand film on the map. The Northern Ireland-born actor, who moved here at the age of seven, has died suddenly aged 78. He was surrounded by family at a Sydney hospital. Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio tells Ryan what the reaction has been in Australia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Full Show Podcast: 14 July 2026
Today00:34:39Tap to summarizeOn the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 14th of July 2026 the services sector is just barely creeping back into growth, founder of Bagrie Economics Cameron Bagrie shares his thoughts. Retired Major General and New Zealand Initiative Senior Fellow John G. Howard, tells Ryan why he's sounding the alarm about the state of the New Zealand's Navy fleet. Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on a former Sydney childcare worker charged with 329 offences and the Australian tributes for Sam Neill including Anthony Albanese. 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.
Transcribe →Ryan Bridge: We need to believe in our economy
Today00:02:00Tap to summarizeWe're cruising towards 2% growth off the back of these two bits of good news on the economy. 2% is not rocketing along but it's not stuck in a ditch, either. And given the war and diesel and Trump, some (i.e. the government) might even say it's fantastic. As you know we follow the data quite closely o this show - many of you are businesspeople, farmers, small business owners, do-ers in the economy and want to know what's going on. Manufacturing hit it out the park and now services, two-thirds of our growth, is expanding. The key missing ingredient is consumer spending - discretionary spending. You see that in hospitality and other fine print from the services sector read yesterday. And while an OCR hiking cycle doesn't help with confidence, most of it's priced in and at this point the rates are still technically wind at our backs, not our faces. American consumers are far more robust and confident that us. They spend like tomorrow they'll win lotto. And they basically do that 99% of the time. We're far more cautious, and often with good reason. Not only does that demand help push their economy along, even when headlines suggest they shouldn't, but their ability to dream big, invent new things and create value is also important here. The AI surge. The share prices. The investment it generates. The plants it builds. The jobs it creates. If success is a positive mindset and unequivocal self-belief, the Americans have it bottled. We have it too, but perhaps we can take a leaf out of their book and actually believe it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Full Show Podcast: 13 July 2026
Yesterday00:34:21Tap to summarizeOn the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 13th of July 2026, New Zealand and India have now agreed to a strategic partnership, India Business Council Chair, Edwin Paul shares his thoughts. The Employers and Manufacturers Association wants more certainty for businesses ahead of the election, Employment Expert, Max Whitehead tells Ryan what the Government needs to do to improve this. Business Correspondent Vicky Pryce has the latest on how the Strait of Hormuz closure has had an impact on oil prices, how much the proposed bank holiday will cost if England wins the World cup at the end of the week and worries about currently negotiated EU budget. Plus UK/Europe correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on Police investigating the alleged murder of former UK Government Minister Ann Widdecombe and a man who was nearly sucked head-first out of a cabin window in mid-air on a Ryanair plane from Greece to Germany. 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.
Transcribe →Edwin Paul: India Business Council Chair on Narendra Modi's visit to New Zealand
Yesterday00:03:12Tap to summarizeNarendra Modi's visit has added further impetus to the excitement surrounding the Indian market. India's Prime Minister attended a series of business, political and community events in Auckland on Saturday. He's agreed to a roadmap with Chris Luxon - aiming to double two-way trade by 2030. India Business Council Chair Edwin Paul told Ryan Bridge why he isn't concerned about the $20-billion-dollar investment question. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Ryan Bridge: There's TMI from the TMO
Yesterday00:01:44Tap to summarizeTMI and TMO Dave Rennie had a bit of a crack at the TMO over the weekend. A FIFA ball hit a spidercam in the USA and Norway went nuts because the TMO didn't do anything about it. Apparently it should be an automatic drop-ball. Both of these these games, different sports, played half way round the world from each other, tell you all you need know about TMO's. When you're up and winning, they're always butting in where they're not wanted, aren't they? But when it's your team on the back foot and could do with a pesky technicality to get some points, or lose your opponents some, they come in handy. Sport is live and happens quickly. That's why it's exciting. So the only solution to this problem, which is only a problem exactly half the time, when your team is losing, is quite simple. Play without it! Things will get missed. Penalties go unawarded. Eyesight is not perfect. Line of sight is not perfect. Games move faster, but the results are less accurate. Or, you embrace the technology and the cameras and the man in the bunker. Hell, one day it'll probably just be all AI powered and decided. Personally, I'd rather something was quick and dirty than long and accurate. There's TMI from the TMO. Mistakes happen. Chances are they'll happen to everyone equally. We've played sports, of sorts, for centuries without the need for cameras and bunkers. We can, if we want, just keep doing that for a few centuries longer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Nick Tuffley: ASB Senior Economist on the Reserve Bank raising the Official Cash Rate to 2.5%
5d ago00:02:37Tap to summarizeThe Reserve Bank says more OCR hikes are "likely", but it doesn't know how many more will be needed, or when they're likely to happen. The central bank's raised the cash rate to 2.5% – the first hike in more than three years. It wants to get the OCR back to a "neutral" level that doesn't contribute to inflation. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Ryan Bridge they believe the bank will steadily lift interest rates over the rest of the year – bringing the cash rate back to 3.25% by the end of the year. He says there is a chance they’ll pause along the way, but having done one, they think it’s very likely they’ll follow through in September. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Malcolm Gillies: Hurricanes Chairman on Hnry Stadium selling out for the All Blacks v Italy clash
5d ago00:04:31Tap to summarizeThe Hurricanes' rampaging success in this year's Super Rugby championship may have helped the All Blacks sell out the Cake Tin. Around 34 thousand people are expected at Hnry Stadium on Saturday as the All Blacks take on Italy. The game had initially struggled to sell out, with four thousand tickets still available at the end of last week. Hurricanes Chairman Malcolm Gillies told Ryan Bridge there are 11 Wellington players in the All Blacks, and hopefully the Hurricanes' style of rugby carries over. The team's on-field Super Rugby success also looks to have influenced a major breakthrough off the field. The 2026 champions have had a troubled period financially – posting consecutive annual losses, including a $2 million deficit last year. But Gillies indicated that things are at last heading in the right direction. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →John Harman: Director of solar company Lightforce suggests levelling playing field between gentailers and retailers before homes switch to solar
5d ago00:02:30Tap to summarizeThere's a suggestion a level playing field between gentailers and retailers is needed before homes switch to solar. Election policies of National and Labour would both let homeowners pay back low interest loans for solar through their rates. Labour's plan would also let local line companies provide loans, repaid through power bills. Director of solar company Lightforce John Harman told Ryan Bridge fair prices are needed for renters and low income homes to make the change. He says companies are making record profits from New Zealanders with high power prices and that's not going to stop. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Ryan Bridge: We can't bash the Reserve Bank
5d ago00:00:46Tap to summarizeThe problem with bashing the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in real time is that nobody really knows how badly they might have cocked something until well after the cocking's happened. There weren't many —though not none— chiding Orr for low rates until it was bleedingly obvious in actual data, and what Prince Harry would term 'lived experience', that prices were on the march. The RBNZ has decided to hike now. They'll probably do another one in September, assuming Trump's ceasefire pause is just that, and beyond September is anyone's guess. One argument is that they'll hike in September, hold in October ahead of the election in November, then stick their finger in the air for December. Either way we're heading towards either 2.75% or 3% by Christmas. Most of this has been priced into wholesale rates. The justification for the hike, as has been pointed out by a couple of economists, is it's easier to swallow. For them to come out and say "we're hiking now because the economy is on the up, plus a bit of war pricing potential", that's a lot easier to stomach than "we're hiking now and there's no growth - welcome to stagflation nation". Tony Alexander makes the point that the bank has been criticised in the past for hiking too late, letting prices get away, then overcorrecting on rates, plunging us into a deep and uncomfortable recession. Given they're now moving relatively early, they can move and wait and see and (hopefully) avoid the same mistakes. I like to believe Tony's predictions. And I hope he's right. Managing the OCR is driving a rental car - you're unfamiliar with the pedals. Push too hard either way and you can quickly end up wrapped to lamppost or hit in the head by an airbag. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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