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PODCAST

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

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All Episodes

2:08

Waseem Alzaher: Cannabis Clinic CEO on the changes to...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/14

An industry expert is welcoming changes to medicinal cannabis licences, but wants the industry given a greater push. Cannabis flower exports increased from 49 kilograms in 2021 to more than 2300 last year. Medsafe is now exploring changes to its regime, potentially allowing more permanent licenses. Cannabis Clinic CEO Waseem Alzaher told Ryan Bridge New Zealand holds itself to a particularly high standard, applying pharmaceutical standards seen nowhere else in the world. LISTEN ABOVESee

en-nz

34:23

Full Show Podcast: 15 April 2026

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/14

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday 15th of April 2025, tourism’s roaring back now sitting at 92% of pre-covid levels, Mat Woods CEO of Destination Queenstown & Lake Wanaka Tourism, tells Ryan what we can do to keep tourism booming. David Seymour’s pushing to turn New Zealand into a cannabis export powerhouse, Cannabis Clinic CEO Dr Waseem Alazaher tells Ryan if new changes will be a big help for exporting. Independent economist Cameron Bagrie shares his thoughts on

en-nz

2:41

Mat Woods: Destination Queenstown & Lake Wanaka...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/14

Queenstown's asking for a bed-tax as tourist numbers roar back. Stats NZ data shows the country's now at 92% of pre-Covid levels, with February visits up more than 53 thousand annually. Chinese tourist numbers jumped the most in February, followed by Australia and Taiwan. Destination Queenstown and Lake Wanaka Tourism Chief Executive Mat Woods told Ryan Bridge a bed-tax for tourists would come in handy country-wide. He says for tourism to be our number one export, we need to be maintaining and

en-nz

2:17

Ryan Bridge: The Nats will eventually back a bed tax

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/14

Tourism Minister Louise Upston is getting advice from officials on a bed tax. ChristopherLuxon told us that last week. They're not being explicit about it yet, but the idea is a no-brainer and will eventually happen. In the Auckland deal Luxon did with Wayne Brown last week, they promised to investigate one. Wayne took this to mean the thing would be introduced by 2027, though we have an election before then obviously. We've just had new visitor numbers drop, we're back to 92% of pre-Covid numbers

en-nz

3:06

Nicola Coom: Cancer Society CEO on the funding and...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/13

The Cancer Society says widening access to cancer infusion treatment is a win for rural communities. The Health Minister announced $210 million from Budget 2024 will go into 14 new sites and expanding 14 existing ones. Small towns including Dargaville and Te Kuiti will get new facilities by 2028. Cancer Society Chief Executive Nicola Coom told Ryan Bridge that with the price of fuel at the moment, anything that reduces travel time is a win. She says it puts treatment closer to rural communities,

en-nz

3:46

Carolyn Young: Retail NZ CEO on the growing illicit...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/13

Retail NZ is warning time's running out to counter a tobacco black market crisis. The group's released a new report detailing the rise in illicit tobacco, including reports from retailers of sales happening near their premises. The group wants an Illicit Tobacco Taskforce setup to bring Customs, Police and Health officials together to fight the growing problem. CEO Carolyn Young told Ryan Bridge that when organised crime infiltrates the legitimate market it changes the landscape, and brings with

en-nz

3:46

Henry Olsen: American Pollster on Donald Trump's...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/13

United States President Donald Trump may have to resort to bombing Iran again, according to an American columnist and pollster. Henry Olsen told Ryan Bridge that Trump will not be satisfied until Iran ends its nuclear programme. "I think Trump may eventually have to go back to bombing. "Trump has already committed American prestige and his personal prestige to the ending of the nuclear programme." The President is always clear about his goals during negotiations and has been "very clear" about that

en-nz

2:24

Ryan Bridge: Religious leaders' messages work better...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/13

Trump's at war with the Pope again, this time over Iran. Last time it was over Gaza. Usually the pontiff is a bit more low-key, just praying and kissing babies and cruising round in the white robe in the Pope-mobile, like Batman but less cool. Not Leo. Leo has spoken out, telling Trump to end the war and saying he does not fear the President. This is a humanitarian appeal, but its delivery its a little more political than past statements because of the way the US President is being name-checked

en-nz

34:18

Full Show Podcast: 14 April 2026

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/13

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 14th of April 2025, A US blockade of Iran's ports is underway in the strait of Hormuz, American pollster and Washington Post columnist Henry Olsen shares his thoughts. More access to cancer treatment is on the way, with a big nationwide expansion of infusion services Nicola Coom Chief Executive Cancer Society, tells Ryan how big of an impact this will have. Retail NZ is sounding the alarm on illegal tobacco; Chief Executive Carolyn

en-nz

2:57

Mark Mitchell: Emergency Management Minister on...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/12

Emergency Management Minister, Mark Mitchell, says Cyclone Vaianu could've been much worse - and Kiwis prepared well. Gisborne and some other East Coast communities are still cut off with sections of State Highways 2 and 35 closed, due to fallen trees, flooding and slips. The last of MetService's strong wind warnings and watches for Wairarapa and the Tararua District are set to ease at 7 this morning. Mark Mitchell told Ryan Bridge several thousand houses were evacuated across the North Island. He

en-nz

34:31

Full Show Podcast: 13 April 2026

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/12

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 13th of April 2025, Former CIA Intelligence Officer Glenn Carle shares his thoughts on the US failing to make a peace deal with Iran. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell tells Ryan whether or not we dodged a bullet with Cyclone Vaianu. Andrew Alderson has the latest on the weekend's sport. Plus UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on suggestion blockade in the strait of Hormuz may be enforced by allies of the US and

en-nz

2:01

Ryan Bridge: Did we over hype Cyclone Vaianau?

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/12

The storm for the most of the North Island was a fizzer. The TV news struggled to find pictures of anything actually happening other than a few trees down and reporters breathlessly doing pieces to camera in the wind. In Auckland where I live most shops were closed and they didn’t need to be. There is a risk of the boy who cried wolf. But I also don’t think need to have an existential national conversation about whether this was over-hyped. The forecasters do their thing. They tell you what is

en-nz

1:58

Vincent McAviney: UK Correspondent on the Russian...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/09

The UK wants to know why three Russian submarines have apparently been examining the country's vital underwater cables and pipelines. British Defence Secretary John Healey says the subs were tracked over several weeks operating in the north Atlantic. Russia denies the claims. More than 90% of the UK's day-to-day internet traffic travels via undersea cables. Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney told Ryan Bridge there's been no apparent damage; rather, the British Government is putting Russia on

en-nz

4:03

Alexander Cornwell: Reuters Senior Middle East...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/09

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered officials to hold talks with Lebanon, but rejects any reports of a ceasefire there. He says Israel's military will continue to strike Hezbollah with force and won't stop until security is restored, but a Lebanese official says it won't negotiate under fire. Reuters senior Middle East correspondent Alexander Cornwell told Ryan Bridge if the talks between Israel and Lebanon take place, they'll need some kind of guarantor for it to work. He says

en-nz

3:28

Simon Laube: Early Childhood Council Chief Executive...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/09

Early childhood centres are lifting their game, with fewer falling below quality standards. Education Review Office monitoring shows 47% of standalone services didn’t meet the quality threshold, down from 64% a year earlier. Early Childhood Council Chief Executive Simon Laube says the reviews are just snapshots and eventhe best centres go through staff changes and have to rebuild quality. He told Ryan Bridge that the reviews are sensitive, so anything that’s slightly out of place will appear on the

en-nz

34:17

Full Show Podcast: 10 April 2026

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/09

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 10 April. 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.

en-nz

2:33

Ryan Bridge: Energy security will be hot this election

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/09

Energy security is shaping up to be the hottest item on this year's election agenda, and with good reason. Ask any business who's about to renew an energy contract, any transport business who's battling the price of diesel, or any factory or mill thinking about mass layoffs and shutting up shop. In Hawke's Bay, CEOs are organising an energy summit in June. Their business leaders voted energy as their top concern. Bombing in the Middle East might be in pause, bar Beirut, but the energy price battle

en-nz

3:14

Malcolm Nance: Former US Navy Senior Chief on the...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/08

The ceasefire with Iran has to hold, according to an intelligence foreign policy analyst, otherwise the entire global economy will collapse. The reduction in energy resources from the war was like “doing one of those Vulcan pressure holds on your carotid artery”, former US Navy senior chief Malcolm Nance told Ryan Bridge. “You can't hold it forever, you're then going to start killing the system… [US President Donald Trump] had to take this deal.” The US-allied Gulf states had lost trillions of

en-nz

3:19

Glen Dobson: Drug Detection Agency CEO on the...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/08

Drug traffickers have their eyes on New Zealand as Customs deals with a massive influx in border seizures. A Cabinet paper shows the volume of intercepted drugs more than quadrupled between 2018 and 2024, going from 1.5 to 6.5 tonnes. Drug Detection Agency Chief Executive Glen Dobson told Ryan Bridge officials are stepping up. He says we're being actively targeted by organised crime groups, and recommends greater cross-agency consultation. But Dobson says greater seizures are also a success

en-nz

2:43

Mark Wilkshire: The Co-operative Bank CEO on RBNZ...

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge ·

2026/04/08

The Reserve Bank expects inflation to spike this quarter but says it's still too early to say by how much. The central bank's opted to keep the Official Cash Rate unchanged at 2.25% for now. It's forecasting inflation will surge to 4.2% in the June quarter but admits that forecast doesn't take into account the fall in fuel prices after yesterday's Iran ceasefire announcement. The Co-operative Bank CEO Mark Wilkshire shares his thoughts with Ryan Bridge. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for

en-nz

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