9 people were left in a critical condition after a knife attack on a train in the UK. It is believed that a man on the train, which was moving from Peterborough to London on a fast-track line, pulled out knives and started attacking passengers once it was on the move. UK Correspondent Gavin Grey told Andrew Dickens that the incident was not terror related. 'Originally counterterrorism police were investigating this. We are now being told it is likely not to be terror related.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The public service union says ACC has breached employee contracts with its working-from-home rule change. The PSA's taking the agency to the Employment Relations Authority. It says ACC gave the union only one hour's notice when it told staff four weeks ago they would have to come into work three days a week - up from two. PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons told Andrew Dickens that ACC promoted jobs with three working-from-home days. She says workers who got the roles now feel deceived. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Attracting the extra staff needed for 140 new hospital beds could be a challenge. The Government's announced new wards for Middlemore, Waikato, Wellington and Nelson hospitals, in addition to a new Hawke's Bay ward announced earlier this year. Health Minister Simeon Brown told Andrew Dickens funding has been approved to recruit the additional 350 staff needed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On Friday I interviewed a representative of oyster farmers in the Mahurangi area who were outraged at a wastewater dump by Watercare that had poisoned their oysters. They have to close for 28 days. One farmer has to dump 80,000 oysters. That’s not good for business or their cashflow. As the interview went on I found out that this is not an isolated incident. It’s already happened 39 times before this year. And even worse Watercare has the right to do a dump like this 200 times every year. I was flabbergasted. That seems like an awful lot of dumping. Then in the weekend I got a call from a local MP. She told me Watercare basically wrote their own consent. They needed to involve public consultation yet all they did was drop some leaflets at the Warkworth library. She's raised the issue with the mayor, the man who wants to make Auckland a global city, and Mr Fix it doesn't seem at all interested in fixing it. And now they dump the regions wastewater into the Mahurangi River and they’re allowed to do that 200 times a year. It’s killing the river. It’s destroying the oyster business. It’s decimated commercial fishing in the area. It’s a symptom of intensification in the area. It’s a symptom of the infrastructure being unable to cope with the new demand. And it’s a symptom of the Council not having enough money to fix the problem and no desire to help the affected businesses and to rescue a wrecked river. Honestly, I’d rather swim in the Thames or the Seine than swim in the Mahurangi in rural North Auckland. The issue has been swept under the carpet by Watercare and the authorities and it’s frankly just not good enough. Day by day clean green New Zealand is becoming a myth and a lie we like to tell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast 2025, the Government’s adding 140 new hospital beds across five hospitals from mid next year Health Minister Simeon Brown tells Andrew Dickens the difference it'll make to capacity. Andrew Alderson has the latest on the weekends sport. The PSA’s taking ACC to the employment relations authority, PSA National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons says workers have been blindsided over new work-from-home rules. Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on two people in critical condition after ten were injured by two men with knives on a train heading to London from Doncater 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.
The All Blacks are set to face Ireland in Chicago for the first match of their Grand Slam Tour. This will be the first time the two sides have faced each other in nearly a year, where the All Blacks beat Ireland 23 - 13. ZB's Voice of Rugby Elliott Smith told Francesca Rudkin that '[the game] promises to be a special occasion even if it's not tearing the headlines off the front pages.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Minister receiving advice on allowing babies to receive measles vaccine as the outbreak spreads. New Zealand has two new Auckland cases bringing the total to 13. A national immunisation week starts on Monday - to help bring it in under control. Minister Simeon Brown told Francesca Rudkin there is the potential that if children are immunised earlier than 12 months, their longer term immunity wouldn't be as good. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is Donald Trump testing the limits with his latest nuclear weapon testing comment? The US President posted on social media - saying he has no choice but to restart testing, because of other countries testing programs. If the US follows through it'd mark the first official nuclear weapon testing - apart from North Korea - this century. Geopolitical Analyst Geoffrey Miller told Francesca Rudkin that it's part of Trump's game. He says he's constantly playing this game of brinkmanship, where he'll go right to the brink before pulling back. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 31 October. 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.
Signs are looking good for Fonterra's major sell-off to get the green light this morning. By 10:45 today, the shareholders will decide if selling big brands like Anchor and Mainland to global dairy giant Lactalis is the right decision. Fonterra Shareholder and Supplier Garry Reymer told Ryan Bridge that the majority of shareholders seem to be in favour of the sale. 'I hear a few farmers who tell me they're gonna vote against it, but by and large the majority seem to accept,' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Opinion remains split on whether we have to renew our vehicles' Warrants of Fitness, too often. Proposals up for consultation from today would further stretch out WOFs for light vehicles, to once every two years. The one-year rule would continue for vehicles older than 10 years. AA Principal Policy Adviser Terry Collins told Ryan Bridge that they've surveyed their members to get their thoughts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You know how we're a free trade country? It’s our thing. We export, we earn, we sell, we get richer. And we want open supply chains and free movement of goods across borders, etc., etc. Well, today Trump and Xi of China are finally signing that deal—or at least the framework of a deal—to bring an end to this war. This should, in theory, benefit both of them. The region. And us. That's a good thing. We're also likely to sell our dairy consumer brands to the French today, in a deal worth $4 billion. That's a good thing. Yesterday, Westpac released some research—they reckon our GDP wasn’t actually that bad in June.They revised down their estimate from a 0.9% contraction to just 0.1%. They say it all came down to an accounting glitch related to the closure of the Marsden Point oil refinery. In all of these stories, two ideologies are playing out. Are we a free trade, open-the-door, globalist sort of country? Or are we the Winston Peters, protectionist, don’t-sell-your-milk-brands, keep-Marsden-Point-open type of place? Are we New Zealand First? Because the more countries out there protecting themselves, the stronger the argument becomes for us doing the same.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Belief that both employers and the Government need to up their game to ensure Kiwis are being hired before migrants. The Immigration Minster's getting tougher on employers hiring more migrants than unemployed New Zealanders. Erica Stanford says employers will be stripped of the chance to recruit migrants if they're not looking closer to home. Business NZ Immigration Specialist Rachel Simpson told Ryan Bridge the Ministry need to help businesses prioritise Kiwis. She says employers will always look locally but immigration is about the skills those people bring to the country. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Thursday 30 October. 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.
More MPs and longer parliamentary terms have been deemed key to modernising a decades old electoral system. Fresh New Zealand Initiative research found 30 years on from the introduction of MMP, our parliament is in the need of a four year term and 50 more members. That would take the Parliament to 170. Report author and Senior Fellow Nick Clark says MMP has delivered fairer and more representative parliaments. But he says these changes would create better balance between members and the executive. Clark says right now there is a huge number of ministers compared to members, making it harder for MPs to hold those ministers to account. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's early days for new curriculum changes, as not all subject documents have been uploaded. The Education Minister has unveiled proposed changes to content for Years 1-10, on top of the English and Maths refresh announced earlier - changing subjects like health and history. The Immediate Past President of the Auckland Primary Principals Association Kyle Brewerton told Ryan Bridge that only some documents are fully visible at the moment. He says his immediate reaction is there's a lot of content change and it's now the schools responsibility to feedback. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A former Labour leader says there'll be a sense a relief among many to see a new capital gains tax policy. Labour's announced the policy for next year's election campaign, targeting commercial and investment properties, but not family homes. The revenue would go into health, creating a Medicard scheme providing free GP visits. Phil Goff told Ryan Bridge the OECD has been calling out New Zealand for being the only country in the western world not to have the tax. He says Labour's putting it in place for the sake of fairness and making sure investment decisions aren't distorted by being the odd one out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday 29th of October 2025, The Government’s finally unveiled its new school curriculum for years 1 to 10, Immediate past President of the Auckland Primary Principals Association, Kyle Brewerton shares his thoughts. A new report for the NZ Initiative believes our MMP system needs 50 more MPs, report author and senior fellow at the NZ Initiative, tells Ryan why. Former Labour Party leader Phil Goff shares his thoughts on who leaked the capital gains tax. Plus UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on asylum seekers could be housed in military sites and UK ministers to look at complaints modern cars have headlights which are too bright. 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.
Did you catch the comments yesterday from Malaysia Deputy PM. He was talking to a kiwi delegation off in KL for ASEAN. "This will be your new market and we welcome any halal product from New Zealand." I have always been pretty sceptical about these trade missions, whether they actually achieve something or are just a giant junket. The truth is their a bit of both. On a trip to Vladivostok in Russia back in 2011, our PM got a sit down with Vladimir Putin. The guy was late. We waited in the rain for hours. And then he came in in, sat down, spoke in Russian, then had his body guards usher us out of the room. He and John Key spoke for about an hour. At the time, NZ was trying to cut a free trade deal with Russia - including Belarus and Kazakhstan. You just don't get that sport of access everyday. Of course, you wouldn't be doing that deal today. We suspended talks in 2014 with Ukraine. So I grew to accept these meetings actually do achieve something. Besides, the hotels and accommodation they'd scraped together in a hurry, ahead of the event. So overtime and rushed, the walls in pour provided accommodation wings was still wet with paint, and the lift broke down everyday. They're not always glamorous. Great fun all the same. But back to the Malaysian Deputy PM. If a Kiwi politician said that to a foreign company wanting to export here. It wouldn't mean much to importers here. But there, it's different. If there's anything I learnt about Asia is that's politicians have sway. They often control large contracts, have close relationships or control over parts of the economy you wouldn't seen in more western style democracies. So when the a leader in a country of 35 million, in a region with 700 million, says something like that. It's probably worth the trip. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Government's making moves on aged care reform - hoping to better meet New Zealanders' needs. It's establishing a Ministerial Advisory Group to recommend changes to the aged care funding model - expected by mid-next year. The group will also look at the changes needed to support integration between aged care and health and disability services. Associate Health Minister Casey Costello told Ryan Bridge most people want to stay at home for as long as possible, so they want to develop a system that supports this. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.