Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Reading this story this morning about Fees Free, you've got to wonder how the policy got through the boffins in Wellington.  It has, by all accounts, failed to achieve it's objective.  Did we see floods of people charging into lecture halls and studying at university? No. Did we see loads of poorer students benefit? No. What did it cost us, again? $2.6 billion. $350 million last year alone.  That's one and half brand new Dunedin hospitals.  This is what it got us: No increase in participation. 230 students from poor schools were helped. That's 1.3%. A whopping 70% of the kids who had their university fees paid for (up to $12,000 each) were from above-average socio-economic schools. They were the wealthier kids.  Did they need it? No.  I've always backed the interest-free student loan idea. You can borrow, not stress about interest, and work hard to pay it down once you finish.  But clearly Fees Free was too much of a free lunch. Not enough discipline or focus.

Cost barriers continue to keep disadvantaged students out of university. Of the 26 thousand students who went straight from Year 13 into study in 2024,  just 1.3%, or around 230 students, came from the most disadvantaged schools.  It's despite the fees free policy aiming to alleviate costs. Victoria University Students' Association Vice President Aidan Donoghue told Ryan Bridge study should be a full time job if we want that return on investment, with a well educated workforce.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India and the European Union have announced what's been named 'the mother of all trade deals'.   The landmark agreement will allow the free trade of goods across the 27 EU states and India, which make up nearly 25% of global trade across a market of two billion people.  It comes as both sides contend with economic pressure from Donald Trump's tariffs.   Europe correspondent Mike Pearse told Ryan Bridge just about everything from tea, to cars, to chemicals will see tariffs cut and trade made easier.  He says it's been dubbed the biggest and most historic trade deal ever, being talked about for more than 20 years.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ACT MP wants the Broadcasting Standards Authority to be abolished as the watchdog seeks more power.   The authority has been asking for law reform for about 15 years as media companies produce more online content.   A Parliamentary paper notes the watchdog operates off a definition of a broadcaster established 35 years ago.   ACT's Laura McClure told Ryan Bridge she agrees the world has changed a lot in the past three decades.   She says there are many methods of oversight and doesn't believe the BSA is relevant anymore.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wellington bookstore owner is expecting a 35% loss in revenue following the closure of their NZ Post counter - and says she’s “devastated” for affected customers, particularly the elderly. NZ Post has announced it will close 142 urban partner stores across the country after reviewing how customers use its urban retail services. No rural stores are currently affected. The decision has left many in the community outraged, saying it was already hard to access a post shop and many people who couldn’t go online would struggle. Marsden Books Karori owner and manager Briony Hogg said the shop’s estimated revenue would drop 35-40% once the post counter closes at the end of May. Speaking to Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB this morning, Hogg said there were only two post shops in the suburb of 18,000, with the other – a Mobil station – staying open. The postal counter itself had low margins but closing it would have a “pretty significant” effect on revenue, thanks to the loss of customers. “People would come in to do thei

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 28 January. 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.

A view there's no harm in having Tauranga Council review the Mount Maunganui disaster alongside the Government inquiry. A Rāhui's now in place over parts of Pilot Bay and Mount Main Beach, and the cordoned area where recovery work's expected to run into weeks. Six people remain missing, presumed dead. Political Commentator Bryce Edwards told Ryan Bridge the council review can take a look at its own systems, while the Government inquiry can take a birds-eye view. He says it can look at what the Police did, what the fire service did, and if there's an issue of council resourcing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is going to sign this free trade deal with India. The massive boost we got and still enjoy from Phil Goff’s signing of the China FTA is still very much fresh in mind. Hipkins sounds pretty upbeat about it, with a few questions to be asked, but he says caucus will look at it and make a decision.  Of course, it’ll need support across the aisle because NZ First isn’t keen. The Europeans have just done a massive deal with Delhi overnight. Ursula von der Leyen is in India, getting the red carpet treatment from Modhi.  Combined they make up 25% of the world’s GDP and the market size? Two billion people. They’ve been negotiating for years and years, but finally have a deal, in part because of a Trump’s tariffs but also because India has managed to secure protections for dairy. They say Delhi "has prudently safeguarded sensitive sectors, including dairy…”. We generally treat trade as a bipartisan issue and there’s little reason to think this deal will be any different - barring any major red fla

More flexible electricity use could save the country billions of dollars.   The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority's new report finds about 18 hundred megawatts of demand could be shifted away from peak times.  Their analysis found $3 billion dollars could be saved without changing how people live and work.  Octopus Energy COO Margaret Cooney told Ryan Bridge it might mean that instead of putting your dishwasher on at 7pm, when there’s still a lot of demand on the grid, you put the timer on for 11pm.   She says it would help us avoid having to invest in really expensive infrastructure, save consumers money, and allow for more energy users and renewables to be integrated into the system faster.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While New Zealand's been stuck under grey skies for a lot of this summer, things are heating up across the ditch.  Temperatures are expected to reach the high 40s in the southern states of Victoria and South Australia.   Some Australia Day events were cancelled yesterday out of safety concerns.  Australian Correspondent Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge it's the worst heat wave in decades.   She says Dubbo has seen 46.1 degrees and 48 in an area called Noona, with some temperatures 21 degrees above average.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a belief the Government and experienced principals need to step up to secure the future of the profession.   A recent New Zealand Council for Educational Research survey found just 18% of teachers want to become principals, while 50% said they definitely wouldn't.  It's after Newstalk ZB revealed one in five principals quit within a year.  Principals' Federation President Jason Miles told Ryan Bridge as well as teaching experience, you also need finance, employment, crisis management, and relationship skills.   He says principalship is a challenging but rewarding role, and teachers are sometimes so busy they miss the opportunity.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday the 27th of January 2025, Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young has left the board of the retail crime Ministerial Advisory Group, she tells Ryan why.  A new report out this morning reckons shifting to more off-peak electricity use could wipe $3 billion bucks a year off our power bills, Octopus Energy Chief Operating Officer, Margaret Cooney shares her thoughts.  A new survey shows only 18% of teachers actually dream of becoming a school principal, Kaiapoi North School Principal Jason Miles tells Ryan why some teachers aren't so keen. Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on a heatwave across South Eastern Australian states.  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.

Turmoil within the Ministerial Advisory Group for victims of retail crime - with three of the five members resigning in recent weeks. It includes Michael Bell, Lindsay Rowles, and Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young.  Group Chair Sunny Kaushal's refused an interview but says it is well known himself and Young have different views on the group's recommendations.  Carolyn Young told Ryan Bridge her resignation came after a series of challenges made the role untenable. She says it started when the Dairy Owners Association attacked her professionalism in the media and Sunny allegedly refused to do anything about one member attacking another. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you seen how much gold is worth lately? Yesterday it hit another new record - US$5000 an ounce. It’s up 60% on last year. If you watch this stuff closely you’ll know it’s not just happened overnight. It’s been building slowly but surely since Trump took office, and investors look for safe places to put their money. People have been worried about the AI bubble bursting, so they out their money into gold instead of stocks. The price skyrockets.  But the speed of late has been pretty remarkable. JP Morgan in December predicted the price would hit $5000 by Q4 2026.  It’s hit that price in Q1. Goldman Sachs reckons it’ll hit $5400 by year’s end, but at this rate, that might be underselling it too. Honestly, it makes you want to rip off your rings and earrings off and flog them, doesn’t it? One thing’s for sure, at these prices, gold diggers —the prospectors, not the sort Kanye sings about— will be lining up to get the stuff out of the ground quicker than you can say fast-track. Every time the price

An inquiry is underway to review the build up to Thursday's landslide at Mount Maunganui.  Tauranga MP Sam Uffindel told Newstalk ZB’s Ryan Bridge that the Tauranga City Council are continuing to work on the inquiry into what happened leading up to the deadly landslide. He said those coming forward saying they warned emergency services of the risk of a landslide earlier in the day would be taken into account in the council's inquiry. “They want to establish all of the facts and get them out there very publicly." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 26th of January 2025, Hundreds of people gathered at a sunset vigil at Blake Park, to acknowledge those missing in last week's the Mount Maunganui landslide, Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell tells Ryan what it was like.  Andrew Alderson has the latest of the weekend's sport.  Gloriavale's school will remain open for now following a judicial review, founder of Gloriavale Leavers' Trust, Liz Gregory shares her concerns.  Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Mike Pearse has the latest on talks between Ukraine and Russia a failure so far and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham's bid to return as an MP blocked.  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.

Yet another push for the Government to intervene and shut Gloriavale's school down for good. The school’s licence was due to expire on Friday, but the Ministry of Education agreed to keep it open after the School Board applied to the High Court for a judicial review. Gloriavale Leaver's Trust Founder Liz Gregory shares her concerns with Ryan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Question: Who wants a pay rise? Who deserves a pay rise? Simple question, easy answer.  Answer: Everybody and most kiwis. By and large we’re hard workers and deserve more. Teacher, nurses and doctors. By and large, yes. Yes. Yes.  At the weekend, more reports of doctor shortage - Whakatāne this time. Last week it was a teacher shortage.  Union came out and said what unions say. Throw some cash at it. Higher salaries. More staff. Problem solved.  The problem is not what to do but how to pay for it.  Remember our government is borrowing money from overseas lenders to pay for everyday items like teachers' salaries, fixing roads and paying welfare. Operational spending. We’re paying interest on that borrowing.  That interest bill is the highest it’s ever been in our nation’s history and even with National and ACT in government, who are meant to be the right ones, we will keep borrowing for this stuff and won’t start paying it back until at least 2030. Most know the uncomfortable trut

An ACC lawyer believes the crown entities new plan to improve costs completely misses what the Accident Compensation Act is about.  Its new plan's been released after a critical report that found its deficit would balloon to $26 billion by 2030.  It focuses on getting people back to work quicker and increasing the number of clients who have their own case manager as a single point of contact.   ACC lawyer and researcher Warren Forster told Andrew Dickens the act required all parties involved in an injury to get together to make a plan, which isn't happening.  He says ACC's plan has failed to address its statutory obligations that led to the cost blowout.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel costs are keeping inflation higher for longer than the Reserve Bank would probably like.  Stats NZ is providing its latest CPI update at 10.45.  Three months ago, the annual inflation rate was 3% - at the very top end of the Reserve Bank's target range.  Economists expect it now to be between 2.9 and 3.1%.  Economist Cameron Bagrie told Andrew Dickens inflation is looking to be a little bit sticky towards the top end of the target zone.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.