Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

The Government is exploring a potential game-changer for securing future energy supply.  Up to $60 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund has been ring-fenced for exploring supercritical geothermal technology.  The first $5 million will be used for work in the Taupo Volcanic Zone, to help understand if it's a possibility.  Geothermal wells are drilled to a maximum depth of 3.5 kilometres, but scientists believe by drilling deeper, more energy will be available.  GNS Science lead Dr Isabelle Chambeforte told Ryan Bridge that temperatures reach around 330 degrees maximum in the normal geothermal systems, but by drilling a few kilometres deeper, they’ll be able to access temperatures of around 450 degrees.   She says those temperatures offer a lot more energy per well.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paris authorities are taking no chances with this morning's French football international against Israel at Stade de France.  The game comes just days after violence between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine football fans in Amsterdam.  About 4,000 police and 1,600 private security guards will be on patrol, with an elite anti-terror unit providing security detail for the Israeli squad.  But correspondent Vincent McAviney told Ryan Bridge the stadium itself will be mostly empty, with the Israeli Government advising its citizens not to attend.  He says after that guidance, no more than a hundred visiting Israeli fans are expected to turn up, but some local Israelis may attend.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson told Ryan Bridge that David Seymour has to realise this was never going to a civil debate due to the emotions involved.  “The debate takes place against the backdrop of what I perceive to be hostile acts towards tangata whenua over the last year in terms of names and treaty principles… it’s a culmination of a number of things.”  He said he might not have gone into government with the bill on the table if he was still in office.  Finlayson said he was “appalled” by the behaviour in Parliament from all sides.  “You don’t act that way in Parliament”.  The former National MP also believes the party has moved away from its “conservative values”.  Finlayson said he has had Māori approach him in public confused about who to vote for now as National no longer represents their values.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are concerns New Zealanders could be priced out of their own backyard.   The Government's seeking feedback on who should pay visitor fees at national parks and conservation areas.  The options include charging everyone the same, charge New Zealanders less than international visitors, or only charge overseas visitors.  Federated Mountain Clubs President Megan Dimozantos told Ryan Bridge they're open to foreign access charges.  She says they have the means to pay, and infrastructure has already been established there to service them, but they’re against domestic access charging.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These are the political winners and losers from a bombastic day in the House yesterday:  Labour: loser.  Willie Jackson did his best to take the headlines, didn't he?  But Te Pāti Māori's choreographed stage production well and truly stole his thunder and with it, they've probably stolen any hope of Labour regaining the Māori seats they lost at the last election.  Why would you vote for Te Pāti Māori-lite in Labour, when you can have the real deal?  It's highly unlikely Labour will need to lead the next government for a number of reasons, which we've canvassed on this program many times, so why wouldn't you protest vote Te Pāti Māori in 2026?  Despite Willie's protestations about the Nats supporting ACT's bill in the first reading, Casey Costello made a really interesting point in the debate about Labour's own track record on Treaty principles.  They did a deal with New Zealand First, the Treaty Principles Deletion Bill, back in 2005 on first reading and then later voted it down.  Does that sound familiar?  Yes, that's because it is. It's because the same thing is happening now on the right.  Te Pāti Māori, they are a winner.  They have shrewdly led this debate for their base from premeditated, dramatic Instagram ops in the House, to fronting the party adjacent led protest across the Harbour bridge, to encouraging voters to sign up to the Māori roll during Waititi’s speech against the bill yesterday.  They have outmanoeuvred and outgunned Labour on all fronts, and they won't care what Middle New Zealand's reaction is to the antics in the House.  Therefore, politically, it's a win.  Luxon: winner, of sorts. Flying the coop to Peru and avoiding all this chaos turned out to berpobably the best idea he's had in a little while.  Seymour: winner, for his base who support this bill the result speaks for itself. It passed, even if only the first reading.  The biggest loser: Parliament and decorum.  Barry Soper, on with Heather yesterday, said this was an unholy mess, the likes of which he had not seen in the House before. It's hard to argue with that.  The question now is whether the same antics will be used to disrupt the Justice Select Committee.  And if so what, if anything, will and can be done about it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 15th of November, could DOC start charging you for access to conservation land? The Government is seeking feedback on the proposal - Megan Dimosantos from the Federated Mountain Clubs speaks to Ryan about what it could mean.  It was a chaotic day in the House yesterday as the controversial Treaty Principals Bill passed its first reading. Former treaty negotiations minister Chris Finlayson speaks to Ryan.  A new type of geothermal power generation could be on the way. GNS Lead Geothermal Scientist Dr Isabelle Chambefort explains how it works.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International tourism continues its slow recovery to pre-Covid levels.  Overseas visitor arrivals were at 3.23 million for the year to September, which is up on the same month last year, but well below 2019's almost 4 million.  ASB Senior economist Mark Smith told Ryan Bridge that part of our struggle is that the global economy still recovering from Covid.  He says the most important reason is that costs remain stubbornly high – New Zealand's a reasonably expensive destination, and airfares are still very high.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's taking a new approach to Public-Private Partnerships for infrastructure projects.   There will be a reduced risk for private partners and guidance for agencies on how to lower the cost and time burden in the bidding process.  Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett was Mayor of Porirua, when a Public-Private Partnership was established to build Transmission Gully.  He says it's good to see the Government embracing the model, alongside a method to compare PPPs for specific projects to other funding models.  Leggett says it should be about finding the best funding model for value, not just prescribing PPPs for every project.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

60,000 Cantabrians are set to descend on the Canterbury A&P Showgrounds for the Christchurch Show.  The three-day event kicks off today in place of the usual New Zealand Agricultural Show.  The previous board had called it off due to financial struggles before local company, Event Hire came to the rescue in June.  Director Phil Anderson told Ryan Bridge they're hopeful to turn a profit, although a show like this is costly.  He says this event in particular has been a strong learning curve, with heavy amounts of infrastructure required.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden has welcomed Donald Trump back to the White House in a meeting in the oval office.   It's a traditional courtesy that the outgoing president welcomes the incoming president, a courtesy Trump didn’t afford Biden in 2020 after his loss.   Today, the pair both spoke about a smooth transition of power.   US correspondent Mitch McCann told Ryan Bridge there were a lot of smiles and handshakes.  He says it was a little unexpected, seeing as they usually seem to despise each other. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There were two numbers out yesterday that prove that no one likes us.  Number one - 87%. We're still plateauing in the high 80s for tourism, that's on pre-Covid levels.  And number two - 55,000 for the year to September, that was our net migration loss of New Zealand citizens, which is a new record.  Not only are we that unsexy to foreigners —they won't come here and have a piece— but our own people are off flirting up a storm with the likes of Australia.  And they're not even flirting – it's not a weekend thing, they have left us. It's divorce.  Sure, we're getting more people in terms of overall migration, meaning an overall net positive number.  But next year, many economists predict for the first time in a long time, excluding Covid, we will hit net zero migration. We need migrants to support our economy here, and we need tourists to support our economy here as well.  So what's happened to us?  Did we stop brushing our hair and cleaning our teeth?  Do we look like some antipodean mole at the bottom of the world that you'd rather skip over?  The Aussies are rebounding much better than us on tourism, and they're taking all of our young workers.   And you look at all the places that are so overcrowded by tourists they're introducing limits – in Florence, just yesterday, they announced that they're banning key boxes to stop Airbnbs in the city.  Rome, Amsterdam, Athens, Phuket, just to name a few, they're all doing similar things.  Last year, we ranked 157th out of 180 countries on growth and things haven't improved much there since.  We are a very expensive place to come, and we are at the bottom of the world.  The heart of the matter though is we've lost a bit of our mojo.  Apart from cutting spending and focusing on the basics, which are important, what is this country's big plan to grow our economic future and fortunes? What industries are we targeting?  Until we can answer that big question we will still look a little bit ugly to the rest of the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 14th of November, tourism numbers appear stuck well below pre-Covid levels, and a record number of Kiwis are leaving the country. Could we see net migration reach zero next year? ASB's Mark Smith talks to Ryan.  A new public private partnership framework has been released by the Government - what are the industry hoping to see come out of it? Infrastructure NZ's Nick Leggett joins the show.  The Christchurch Agricultural Show starts today after being saved in a last-minute deal earlier in the year. Event Director Phil Anderson gives a preview of what to expect this year.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT is calling for an end to taxpayer-funded election ads.  They’re calling for the Government to consider ceasing the “broadcasting allocation”, given to election campaigns to buy television and radio ads.  MP Todd Stephenson suggested it in the Justice Select Committee’s inquiry into the 2023 election, and the report was made public this week.   He told Ryan Bridge the taxpayer doesn’t need to be forking out just over $4 million every year for political parties to pay for their TV and radio ads.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After days of mounting pressure, the Archbishop of Canterbury is stepping down over his handling of abuse allegations.  Justin Welby —the leader of the Anglican Church— has been under fire following the release of a report into abuser John Smyth.  Smyth, who is believed to be the most prolific child abuser associated with the Anglican Church, died in 2018 without facing justice.  Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge the report's found Welby failed to take appropriate action.  Specifically, he says the report found Welby hadn't followed up rigorously on reports of abuse of 100 young boys and men that go back as far as 2013. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Commuter chaos.  It's one of the prices we must pay for living in a democracy.  I know this won't be popular with Aucklanders this morning or others around the country where this hīkoi is heading, but it's a cost we must bear.  They're closing two lanes of the Harbour Bridge this morning, and if you've got kids getting to an NCEA exam, then you will be fuming about this.  But let's remember, this is a one-off protest.  It's not like those dickheads from the public rail or whatever they were in Wellington. Remember them? They repeatedly shut down the motorways. They did it time and time again. They repeatedly stopped the ambulances from getting to call outs, the kidney patients from getting to dialysis.  They deserved to be swept to the curb, and it seems like for the most part they have been, which is a good thing.  This is a one off from a group of people who feel, rightly or wrongly, that they're getting a hard time from this government. They feel they're not being heard in our democracy.  And whether you agree with that or not is beside the point, the point is we live in a democracy and the right to protest is, well, a right.  It can be an annoying one, but the minute you say you can't do it, we all lose.  If we learned anything through Covid, it's that this whole system is rather fragile when people feel ostracized or maligned – we do better to listen rather than suppress and silence debate and dissent. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 13th of November, the Auditor General's report into last year's election has been released. The results have prompted ACT MP Todd Stephenson to call for an end to the broadcast allocation that sees taxpayer money used for television and radio campaign advertisements.  Traffic chaos could be on the way for Auckland with the hikoi heading across the bridge, but it's the price we have to pay for living in a democracy.  Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian Government is pushing ahead with regulating of social media and AI, despite the incoming Trump administration's opposition to both.  It's in the process of developing "guardrails" for high-risk uses of AI.  Donald Trump is promising to repeal American regulation of AI, claiming it hinders innovation and imposes radical left-wing ideas.  But Correspondent Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge the Australian Government believes the public wants action.  She says the Government's planning to work with other countries if possible, but is prepared to act alone.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Survivors are hoping the Government won’t stuff it up when it comes to the abuse-in-care reparations.  Abuse survivor Jim Goodwin says the Government's apology is a huge moment for many people.  But, he told Ryan Bridge, today's words will need to be followed through with actions.  Goodwin says he's worried about how the Government will provide support for survivors and what they'll do to prevent future abuse-in-care.  He says that compensation is important but it’s only part of what survivors need.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who's got a trillion dollars to spare this morning?  That's the value of our new climate change tab from COP29 – the climate change conference.  This year all the officials, the politicians, the experts, the industry, every man and his dog, has flown to Azerbaijan to lecture everybody not in the room about climate change.  And they're already cranking the classics through the stage:  We're at a turning point, the Paris Agreement’s at a crucial tipping point because Donald Trump's going to pull out, even though we've been through this crucial tipping point before.  This is the problem with COP-insert-number-here: no one really listens.  Every year they make the same pilgrimage and give the same speech, and every year we shrug our shoulders and wonder why doesn't the number ever match the year?  Shouldn't it be COP24?  Oh well, back to the mall for another coffee at Robert Harris. I also need to pick up some presents from Kmart for the grandkids this Christmas.  If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing every year over and over and expecting a different result, then these guys are beyond nuts.  The big push this year is finance.  They wanted rich countries, supposedly like ours, to pay $100 billion a year to poor countries to stop them from burning coal and adapting to climate change by 2020.  Well, we missed that goal and now they want a trillion dollars a year.  That's 1000 billion, or four Elon Musk's.  Despite all the talk, and flying around, and threats, and end of day speeches, global emissions went up last year reaching record levels.  Do we care about climate change? Yes.  Enough to change our habits in a major way? No.  We keep electing leaders to fix other things like inflation, and until that changes, or all of our houses actually do catch fire, we'll be at the mall down at Robert Harris not listening to Azerbaijan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra is expected to receive global interest when it sells off some of its most well-known brands.  The dairy giant has confirmed plans to sell its consumer arm, including brands like Anchor, Mainland Cheese, and Kapiti Ice Cream.  The sale could bring in up to $3 billion.  Forsyth Barr Senior Analyst Matt Montgomerie told Ryan Bridge he expects large dairy companies like Nestle would make a bid if it's put to a trade sale.  He says there could be multiple buyers at play, or the brands could be sold through an IPO.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.