Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

A former department store owner is said to have raped and sexually assaulted a string of women who worked for the chain.  More than 20 women have claimed they were sexually assaulted by former Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, five of whom have said they were raped.  The women say the assaults were carried out at the company’s offices, in Al-Fayed’s apartment in London, or on trips overseas.   UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge that Harrods not only failed to intervene, but also helped cover up abuse allegations when Al-Fayed was in charge.  The department store’s current owners say they’re “utterly appalled” by the allegations, and the store sincerely apologises.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are coming up to a big test this weekend, facing off against Australia in the first match of the Bledisloe Cup.   It’s been almost two weeks since their back-to-back losses against South Africa, so what went wrong and do they have the time to fix it?  Former All Blacks captain Ian Fitzpatrick told Ryan Bridge that if the All Blacks can start like they did against the Springboks in Johannesburg, then they’ve got a good chance.  He said you can say what you like about the previous games, but this is a different beast altogether.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are expectations that cuts to the Official Cash Rate are now going to keep on coming.  Yesterday's Stats NZ figures show our GDP contracted 0.2% in the three months to June.  In the March quarter, 0.1% growth was recorded.  ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley says the numbers show inflation's falling within the Reserve Banks expectations.  He told Ryan Bridge they're now going to continue cutting the OCR to get it from 5.25% to around 3%.  Tuffley says if they cut a quarter every meeting, we'll reach that target by October next year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A barrister has doubts about increasing the threshold for the right to a jury trial.   Currently a defendant can choose between a jury or a judge-alone trial in cases where the maximum penalty is two or more years in jail.   The Government's seeking feedback on increasing this to three, five, or seven years, in a bid to address court delays.   Philip Morgan KC told Ryan Bridge he questions the number of jury trials that will drop because of the threshold change.  He says that's because he thinks the number of jury trials where the maximum penalty of the offence is two or three years in jail, is very small.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've not seen Luxon this tetchy and brassed off before.  "Guys, no disrespect, but it's not about the frickin targets, it's actually about the outcomes, and the outcomes here are actually reducing violent crime."  He was being asked about the national gang list which the cops have been sanitising. Hygienically cleaning it apparently to remove the dead and those who've said goodbye to thug life.  The reason he's worked up is the targets: they're off track and he's being peppered, or assaulted, depending on how you look at it, with questions.  This morning in the Herald, beneficiary numbers are projected up, not down. The Jobseeker target is a reduction of 50,000 people, but the forecast is an extra 11,000, which is set to peak in January 2025.  So the question for the government, and all of us, is whether the targets are worth it?  Politically for Luxon they're clearly causing some frustration. Is the political cost of constant updates and inquisition worth the end result? The answer is of course yes.  Ask anyone who's successful how they got there and they'll usually say small, intentional planned steps in a particular direction.  Things don't just happen in life - you make them happen.  We all have targets in our own lives. Where do you want to be in ten years? I want to run a marathon by the time I'm 40, I want to retire at 55, whatever. If you don't set a target, it'll likely never happen – that's what happened with the last lot.  Make no mistake, these targets will be the making or breaking of Luxon. The key issue that will unseat him 2029.  He's set the goals, now he needs to meet them, and perhaps be a little more relaxed about the questions along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 20th of September. New Zealand's GDP has dropped, but it's not quite as bad as the forecasts. So where to from here and when will we start to see growth? ASB's Chief Economist Nick Tuffley joins the show.  A new solution to tackle backlog in the count system - the Government wants to reduce the number of jury trials to save time. KC Phillip Morgan speaks to Ryan about the proposed changes.  Former All Blacks Captain Ian Kirkpatrick speaks to Ryan about NZ's chances of winning against the Wallabies this weekend, following two back-to-back losses against South Africa.  Christopher Luxon's getting a bit tetchy and brassed off by questions about his targets - he's set the goals, now he needs to meet them, and perhaps be a little more relaxed about the questions along the way.  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.

Technology is at the forefront of priorities for the new Retail Crime Advisory Group.   The group will offer the Government ideas on law and order legislation.   Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has appointed four sector leaders alongside dairy and business owner group leader, Sunny Kaushal.   They include Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young.  She says enabling facial recognition technology is of particular interest to the sector.   She hopes it can be implemented with robust privacy safeguards.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An economist says another GDP contraction today would be in-line with the idea we've been in a rolling recession for almost two years.   The March 2024 quarter showed just 0.2% growth.   BNZ is picking a 0.4% contraction in the second quarter.   Chief Economist Mike Jones told Ryan Bridge the Reserve Bank's anticipating a 0.5% contraction, so it would take a real clanger to throw it off course.   He says the bigger piece of news for interest rates in New Zealand and the Reserve Bank might be what the US Federal reserve does with interest rates.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White House says it wasn't aware of the simultaneous pager explosions across Lebanon before the attacks.  Thousands were injured and at least 12 killed when pagers, used by political group Hezbollah, detonated yesterday.   Today —a day later— at least nine people are dead and 300 injured after walkie talkies exploded.   Hezbollah believes Israel is responsible   US correspondent Benji Hyer told Ryan Bridge there was a quick phone call between the defence secretaries of Israel and the US minutes before pagers started exploding.  He says Israel told the United States they would be conducting an operation in Lebanon, but no further details were shared.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The eight week murder trial of Philip Polkinghorne is nearing a verdict, with the jury beginning deliberations this morning.  The judge summed up the case yesterday.  The Auckland eye surgeon's accused of killing his wife, Pauline Hanna; his defence argues she took her own life.   Herald reporter Craig Kapitan told Ryan Bridge the jury only has two decisions - if it was murder or suicide.  He says it likely won't be a quick decision, and if the jury need to deliberate past today, court won't sit tomorrow.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tory Whanau's admission she sold her car to help keep on top of the bills is ironic, given she's the mayor of a city now famous for its double-digit rate hikes.  Wellington City Council saw an 18.5% rise this year and 13% the year before. Wellington Regional Council is up 25% this year.  They reckon over the next four years many will be paying an extra $3000 a year.  I hope the Mayor's got a bike she can sell, or some furniture, or a nice handbag - something she can whack on Trade Me to stay afloat.  People are commenting that a salary of $190,000 a year is more than enough to live on in Wellington. I don't know her personal information and frankly I don't want to, this is not about her. This is about us, voters. Taxpayers and ratepayers.  We're all in this forced ship being sailed by captains half of us didn't vote for on what can sometimes feel a bit like the Titanic.  We can all work more, work smarter, invest more, grow our eggs a bit more, and many of us do. The median net worth of a kiwi household in 2021 was around $400,000.  Some take great risks to grow theirs, and they deserve the rewards. Many fail and we don't talk about that much.  Many have mortgaged their family home, and you'll find them inside there at night time, light on in the bedroom, not sleeping with the stress of how they'll make it work. Keep the lights on, innovate, keep staff on, hire more staff, even.  Others work one, two, three or more jobs to improve their lot.  And most people aspire to create more wealth, not out of shear selfishness, well some do, sure. But for most it's about providing for their family. Leaving something behind for their kids. Being set-up so their husband or wife is taken care of if they die early.  For most, wealth is not evil, it's actually the act of loving those around you, those you care for.  Which is why when politicians come knocking, demanding the so-called 'wealthy' pay more not just in income tax, but also taxes on imaginary money i.e. wealth taxes and the like, we get so tetchy.  We're like my dog when you try get close while she's eating dinner – bark. Get away. It's mine. Hands off.  The irony in this story is that Tory Whanau is part of the Greens who advocate for exactly this type of approach.  They say tax is love, not wealth is love. And sure, when money is spent well and services delivered, maybe tax is love.  But cycle bridges to nowhere, half a million-dollar bike racks, contractor and consultant money scrambles, they don't feel like love to me. They feel like abuse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 19th of September, GDP data is coming out today, and the forecasts aren't good. Ryan speaks to BNZ's Chief Economist Mike Jones.  The jury is out on the Polkinghorne murder trial. When could we see a verdict, and what are the chances of a hung jury? NZ Herald Court Reporter Craig Kapitan joins the show to explain.  The new Ministerial Advisory Group for retail crime has some new members, so what are their plans and how are they going to make a difference? Retail NZ's Carolyn Young speaks to Ryan.  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.

There's an urgent need to promote resilience among Aotearoa's youth.   A new paper from Auckland University's think tank Koi Tū reveals 21% of 15 to 24 year olds are experiencing high levels of psychological distress.   It highlights suicide as the leading cause of death among youth and notes our suicide rate is one of the highest in the developed world.   Researcher Seungyeon Kim says we need programmes and spaces that help our young people to connect and feel safe.   She says parents and caregivers can focus on having interactions that are warm, attentive and responsive to the young person's need.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a belief the economic climate is to blame for more youths fronting court over criminal charges.  The Ministry of Justice's annual criminal convictions and sentencing statistics reveal more than 1,700 youths between 10 and 17 years of age had charges finalised in court.  It found theft was the most common offence type.  Youth Development worker Aaron Hendry told Ryan Bridge a key driver is poverty, and the Government's policies are creating an environment where these crimes would increase.  He says more young people are being pushed into hardship, so it's not surprising to see the data.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report has found Government vastly overestimated the cost of new home insulation standards.  Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk is considering rolling back the H1 insulation requirements brought in last year amid reports they add up to $40 thousand to build costs.  But research by New Zealand Certified Builders and others, shows the requirements can add as little as $2,200 to the cost of a three-bedroom house.  Research author Nick Clements told Ryan Bridge the Government's approach looked at the very maximum, which isn't realistic.  He says they instead looked at the minimum they could do to meet the standard.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's why we should care about what sounds like a bit of an obscure trip from some U.S. officials to Beijing this week.  They are going to meet to talk to their counterparts about a wave of Chinese goods flooding world markets.  China, obviously, has enormous manufacturing capacity and enormous machine behind it, and the output has gotten too large for the world to absorb.  The strategy by China, they reckon —and this is why the U.S. officials are going there— the strategy is demand at home is a bit weaker for them, so they pump up production and they ship the excess offshore.  The idea is they would build more resilient supply chains throughout the world, they'll get us hooked on cheap goods.  I mean, we're like crack addicts at a dollar store, aren't we?  Think about Temu, Shein, those types of websites. In the process they are squeezing other manufacturers around the world – including the United States, which is why they're sending a delegation to go and say “stop that please”.  It's also why you're seeing a tariff response from Europe, from the U.S., even some friendly Asian states like Indonesia are starting to put tariffs on China.  The goal seems to be to subsidize these manufacturers, flood the market around the world, build resilient supply lines, hook us in on these cheap goods and in the process, destroy the competition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 18th of September, Kiwi youth are facing more criminal charges according to the latest justice figures. Youth development worker Aaron Hendry joins the show to discuss the findings.  New insulation standards could cost as little as $2,200 extra for a new build 3-bedroom house, but why is that so much lower than the $40,000 to $50,000 the building and construction minister says it would cost? YourQS author Nick Clements joined Ryan to explain.  New research has found that in 2022 and 2023, more than one in five 15-24 year olds experienced high levels of psychological distress. So how do we build resilience in our kids? Research author Dr Seungyeon Kim explains.  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.

It’s not just New Zealand who’s been experiencing an icy start to Spring.  Australia has seen record low temperatures across the southeast, with an icy blast catching several states unaware.   Canberra marked its coldest September morning on record, with Monday hitting –6.9C, and many regions were hitting below 0.  Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio told Ryan Bridge that the system has come almost from Antarctica, and the temperatures are sitting about five to eight degrees lower than average.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More children in this country are being hospitalised for preventable diseases.   A new Cure Kids report reveals hospital admissions for respiratory, skin and rheumatic conditions, mental health issues and dental diseases, remain unacceptably high.   It identifies social factors —like child poverty, housing conditions and inequitable access to care— as key drivers, and notes Māori and Pasifika children are disproportionately affected.  Chair of Child Health at Auckland University Stuart Dalziel told Ryan Bridge that we need to look at which children we’re failing, and if there is a failing on the basis of race, we need to ask why.  He said that the answer may not be specifically race-targeted policy, but there does need to be policy, and we need to be very clear about where there is failings so they can be corrected.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More profit appears to be on the horizon for dairy farmers, with conditions faring better than expected. Dairy NZ's lifted its revenue forecast to $8.84 per kilogram of milk solids, with a break even of $8.09. Head of Economics Mark Storey says the combination of improved farmgate milk prices and declining interest rates show a healthier situation for the sector. But he says the costs of electricity, feed, and maintenance have kept driving farm working expenses up. He says overall expenses are staying stubbornly high, so the inflation hasn't come out of the system just yet. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.