Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

A view that new sanctions for beneficiaries failing to meet jobseeker obligations, are "sensible." The changes, as part of the Government's traffic light system, are being rolled out today. It includes money management - which puts half of someone's benefit onto a payment card, that can only be used at approved stores for four weeks. Former Welfare Expert Advisory Panel Member, Phil O'Reilly told Ryan Bridge sanctions encourage people to get off a benefit. He says they also keep taxpayers' faith in the system too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KiwiSaver.  I was thinking about this at the weekend. I get why the government is doing the old switcharoo. I get it. Means test the government sweet we, halve it for everyone else… save some money.  Then we workers… and our employers… will slowly put more into the scheme… So that when it all comes out in the wash, we’re at least no worse off than before budget day.  Except that we will be worse off, because it’s us and our employers paying for it. We pay more up front. Our employers pay more up front. That’s added cost. Businesses recover cost by putting up prices, which we end up paying, or by lowering costs, like wages… which is how most of us make a living, right? So the net effect is worse for us and better for the government. Now again, I get why they need to slash spending but the irony with tinkering with KiwiSaver is this. For your average kiwi working hard and saving and planning for retirement… that’s what we’re told to do…. These changes throw all your calculations out of whack. You

Auckland FC are looking to book their spot in the A-League Grand Final. The club has the second leg of their A-League semi-final clash against Melbourne Victory tomorrow night. It’s the home leg for AFC – with Go Media Mount Smart Stadium expected to be a sellout with 28-thousand fans. Football Commentator and Newstalk ZB's Weekend Sport host Jason Pine told Ryan Bridge with Auckland up 1-0, he absolutely backs the team to make the final.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's defending its claim the Government's Kiwisaver changes steal 66-thousand dollars from a young person's retirement savings. The Government's halving its yearly contributions, and bringing in a cap at incomes of 180-thousand. Default employer and employee contributions will also rise to four percent. The party's finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds told Ryan Bridge halving the Government's contribution will have a big impact. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good morning and guess what? Things are looking up. The future's looking pretty good. Not from budget announcements themselves, necessarily, but the Treasury forecasts. We'll hit just shy of 3% growth next year. It'll average 2.9% across the next four years. Unemployment gets back below 5%. Inflation is beaten at 2%. Wages grow faster than costs at 2.7%. These are the best forecasts we have, and they show that even if the global outlook gets worse, we'll still grow by a whisker shy of 3% next year. We've been talking about them all year but thank the Lord for our primary sector exports. They're in high demand. Prices are up. Payouts are up. Tourism is coming back back on, albeit slowly. Finally, after effectively two years of going backwards, and four years of feeling very poor, things look like they're finally turning a corner. The good old days are coming back. But the pain isn't over yet. The forecasts have us actually going backwards 0.8% this year. And you can feel that and see it some of the confidence,

Kiwisaver changes in this year's budget are expected to have long term benefits, but it might be a tough road for some to get there. While the Government's halving its contribution,  its also gradually increasing the default rate from 3 to 4 percent. Analysis from the Retirement Commission says the vast majority of salary and wage earners will eventually have higher retirement savings. Simplicity Chief Economist Shamubeel Eaqub told Ryan Bridge these long term benefits will come with short term pain. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 23 May. 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 primary sector's going gangbusters, with a billion-dollar monthly trade surplus for the first time in five years.  Stats NZ data reveals it sat on $1.4 billion in April, compared with a $12 million deficit for the same time last year.  The dairy sector's been the big winner.  Federated Farmers Dairy Chairperson Richard McIntyre told Ryan Bridge a lot of dairy farmers have smiles on their faces.  He says they're proud of their contribution to the economy, and the wider standard of living they help Kiwis generate.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's soon going to see if the Government will stay true to its proclaimed 'year of growth'.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis is hours away from unveiling her second budget and is promising no frills or excess.   It's been slowly teasing figures, with a vast majority of initiatives being funded through cost-savings and cuts.  Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges told Ryan Bridge it'll need a sufficient response to where the country is at.  He says businesses will be looking for strong, clear evidence of the "going for growth" agenda.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Providing I make it to 65, and you don't count your blessings, but assuming for a second that I do, I don't expect I'll be receiving the full pension.  And you know what? I'd rather receive less, at a later age, than pay more taxes through my working life. In 2006, the number of Kiwis aged 65+ was 495,000. It's increasing by about 80 people a day and is likely to reach 1 million by 2028. By 2050? 1.5 million.  Compared to the OECD, we have the highest basic pension paid from general taxes. With fewer young people working to support it, Treasury has long forecast a cost blowout and the need for much higher taxes to afford this system.  Personally, I'd like to take a pass on that.  With about another 30 years on the clock before reaching this magical age, how much extra tax must I pay?  Which colour government will be in charge when the inevitable happens?  Why can't I instead invest my own money, and with the help of compounding returns, hopefully set myself up for my own retireme

The Government has identified increased foreign investment as an important strategy to raise economic growth. Shane Jones told Ryan Bridge to pay attention through the course of the day. He says if we're not happy about using coal we have to think of other ways to boost the gas industry and interest in New Zealand.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 22nd of May 2025, It's Budget day today, Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges and Council of Trade Unions Economist Craig Renney tell Ryan Bridge what we can expect.  Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is making a case for Octopus farming, he tells Ryan why it could benefit us.  We had a trade surplus of 1.4 billion dollars in April... the first time we've topped the billion dollar mark in five years, Richard McIntyre Federated Farmers Dairy Chairperson shares what it means for exporters.  Plus, US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on South African President Ramaphosa is meeting President Trump.  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.

Z Energy is looking to top up the supermarket conversation.  Newsroom reports the gas station chain is expanding its grocery offering as part of a diversification push.  Chief Executive Lindis Jones says it will target customers looking for convenience between their large shops – for snacks or staples.  Monopoly Watch spokesperson Tex Edwards told Ryan Bridge it's still not going to solve competition between supermarkets, which is hurting the economy.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Postponement of the Privileges Committee recommendations in Parliament gives National a chance to take the moral high ground.  The debate of the suspension recommendations for those who did a haka during the Treaty Principles Bill's vote last year was adjoined after 20 minutes.  The Leader of the House Chris Bishop moved the vote until June 5th, to leave this week free for the Budget.   Political commentator Brigitte Morten told Ryan Bridge National clearly showed they know how to use the rules of Parliament.  She says they've therefore been able to take the high ground and let the Te Pati Māori MPs be there for the Budget.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report from JLL says almost 255-thousand square metres of new retail space is needed over the next five years, to meet demand. It says Kiwi consumers still value in-store shopping, despite the rise of online shopping. Retail NZ's Ann-Marie Johnson says told Ryan Bridge this shows there's a positive future for retail following a tough period for the industry. She says we've been through cycles like this before - and it will eventually end. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday 21st of May 2025, House leader Chris Bishop revealed a last-minute decision to delay the vote on Te Pati Maori's privileges committee punishment, Political commentator Brigitte Morten shares her thoughts. A new report from JLL we need nearly 250,000 square metres of new retail space in the next five years to keep up with demand, Retail NZ's Ann-Marie Johnson shares her thoughts. Z energy wants to roll out grocery offerings, Monopoly Watch Spokesperson Tex Edwards tells Ryan Bridge what this will mean for competition in the grocery sector.  Plus Gavin Grey has the latest on the UK suspending trade talks with Israel and summoning its ambassador. 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.

Politics is all about perception and the perception of his last time on the ninth floor was bad for three reasons.  Crime - they were too soft.  Spending - too much waste. And debt - too much with nothing to show for it. All of this fed into the cost-of-living crisis. Basically, Labour was too loose on the purse strings and the gangs, too harsh on businesses and middle New Zealand.  Yesterday, Hipkins stood up in the Parliament and argued for shorter sentences for some MPs after gun-gesture-gate.  Arguing for a reduced sentence from 21 days to 1 day was ill-advised.  No matter where you sit on the actual debate, politically for Chippy in the eyes of the middle voter, it was a bad move.  Arguing for a 95% discount on sentencing just plays into a narrative they ought to avoid like the plague.  That was strike three.  Strike two came earlier in the day on debt.  He refused to commit to the debt ceiling of 50% of GDP.  It's the sacred threshold Treasury warns we s

A view that AI could be used as a tool in school exams in the future.  NZQA investigated 876 alleged exam breaches last year, and almost 60 involved AI.  Principals believe the technology was used in some of the 200-odd authenticity breaches.  Canterbury University Associate Professor of Digital Education Kathryn MacCallum told Ryan Bridge AI use is seen as cheating, which isn't always true.  She says writing an essay can still be an assessment of a student's learning with AI, we just need to change the way we assess.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament's Speaker will hold all the power in today's vote on three Te Pati Māori MPs.  The Privileges Committee's proposing 21-day suspensions for the party's leaders, and a seven-day suspension for MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke for their behaviour at last year's Treaty Principles Bill vote.   The public gallery will be closed for safety and security reasons.  Political Commentator Liam Hehir told Ryan Bridge the punishment is unprecedented but so is the offence.  He says the suspension needs to be looked at in the context that these were never before seen actions.  Hehir says it's an unusual situation, as the debate technically has no time limit.   He says Speaker Gerry Brownlee has the unique ability to regulate how long people speak, tell them if they're repeating themselves and close off debate.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government's set aside $65 million over four years to loosen the capitalisation rules for investors that could be putting them off.   Infrastructure NZ chief executive Nick Leggett says told Ryan Bridge this sends a signal to the world that New Zealand wants partners for building infrastructure. He says if people want a stronger economy and money to pay for schools and hospitals, infrastructure is vital to that. The Government's also allocating $10 million to help start-ups attract staff by deferring taxes on shares. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.