Moana Pasifika's future looks uncertain despite their fourth and most successful Super Rugby campaign. 

The Herald reports concerns centre around the charity Pasifika Medical Association Group which bought the franchise last year and a reduction in their Whanau Ora contracts. 

Those have previously been used to bolster Moana Pasifika's finances, a strategy reported as quietly contentious among Polynesian health service providers. 

Earlier this month, 15 players were released from this year’s squad. 

Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine told Ryan Bridge that sponsorships are never easy to come by. 

He says there’s a lot of revenue streams, but none of them are increasing, so it’s got to be furrowing the brows of those at Moana Pasifika HQ. 

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Some in the Auckland real estate sector are giving the Government's move to require taller apartments near key rail stations the tick of approval.  

The Resource Management Bill will be amended to force Auckland Council to allow apartments at least 10 or 15 storeys tall around City Rail Link stops. 

LJ Hooker Head of Network Campbell Dunoon hopes locals get behind what he believes is a good idea.  

He says everyone's been looking forward to the City Rail Link, and more accommodation around those hubs makes sense.  

But Dunoon says green spaces and carparks will need consideration. 

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On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 26th of 2025, the government announces it will be forcing Auckland Council to allow new developments of at least 15 storeys next to City Rail Link train stations, LJ Hooker Head of Network Campbell Dunoon shares his thoughts. 

Trouble could be brewing for super rugby's Moana Pasifika, Weekend Sport host Jason Pine explains.

A report from the Infrastructure Commission has found we're not getting bang for buck when it comes to spending on infrastructure, Infrastructure NZ CEO, Nick Leggett tells Ryan Bridge what needs to happen to create some tangible change. 

Plus US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on President Donald Trump again vowing “total obliteration” of Iran’s nuclear program during the NATO summit in the Netherlands.

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New Zealand isn't good at maintaining its infrastructure.

The Infrastructure Commission's released a 30-year draft plan revealing its first look at how New Zealand needs to invest in our future builds and upgrades to roads, hospitals, and buildings.

Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett told Ryan Bridge big parts of government don't have a record of what they own, and therefore no plan on how to maintain it. 

He says we're good at building things but not maintaining them.

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It's obvious to anyone paying attention that we don't have enough young people working to support the cost of health and Super for the elderly. 

This problem is going to get much worse in the coming decades. 

All this is spelled out in a Treasury report, which Thomas Coughlin published in the Herald today. 

This is not new. We've known this for a long time. 

Future governments will either have to take a sledgehammer to spending on health or raise the age of Super. 

The obvious answer is to raise the age of Super. It'll happen eventually, of course, just not while Winston's around. 

But the other thing we could cut is our expectations. 

Boys born in the early 1960s (who are reaching 65-years-old) could expect to live to around 79 years on average, and girls to around 83 years. Boys born in the early 2020s (the latest data available) could expect to live to around 88 years on average, and girls to around 91 years.

So we've added about 10 years to our lives. 

This is very expensive. This is only going to get better, or worse, depending on how you look at it. 

Now, I was speaking to a woman in her 70s this week who firmly believes when you reach the age of 80, you must choose: the pension or the health care. 

How can we afford to fill our hospitals keeping 80+ year-olds alive, and keep paying their pensions, and not send the country bankrupt? 

I know this sounds jarring. I know it sounds cruel. 

But isn't it fair to ask how we plan to fund the very expensive, long lives we are now planning to live? Which, by the way, was not the intention when the pension was set up, when it was universal - the age has blown out massively hasn't it?

I know. It sounds a little jarring. But if we're on the road to financial Armageddon, as this Treasury report makes clear, is not fair to ask how long we're wanting to stay on this road and exactly what our destination is? 

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News GPs can soon prescribe ADHD medication from the outset is being hailed as a community breakthrough.  

From February, GPs can offer a patient stimulant medications without them needing a specialist recommendation first.  

Specialist wait times vary across the country, but can surpass a year.  

ADHD NZ spokesperson Darrin Bull New Zealand has a major underdiagnosis issue, with only 2.2% of the population diagnosed with ADHD, compared to the 4-5% overseas. 

He says this change will give the community access to the help and support they need, and provide greater access to medication. 

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Teachers and principals are relying on other students to know if someone is bringing a weapon to school.  

Figures released under the Official Information Act show 526 students were stood down, suspended, or excluded for using or having a weapon at school last year. 

That's 80% higher than in 2018. 

PPTA President Chris Abercrombie told Ryan Bridge the experience of most schools tends to be the same.  

He says bag searches are very rare, and more often than not, students tell staff about the weapon. 

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The US President's received praise for his involvement in a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel. 

Both sides are claiming the other has breached the truce. 

Donald Trump scolded both for early violations but directed particularly stinging criticism at Israel over the scale of its strikes. 

US columnist Henry Olsen told Ryan Bridge it's a win for Trump, but earlier US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities may only have short term effects.  

He says if the nuclear programmes only been kicked into low gear, the next president will have a difficult decision to make. 

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On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 15th of June 2025, Trump's ceasefire deal between Iran and Israel has fallen apart, Washington Post Columnist Henry Olsen has the latest. 

The number of students being disciplined for using or having a weapon at school has more than doubled, PPTA President Chris Abercrombie shares his thoughts.

From February GPs will be able diagnose and treat ADHD, Darrin Bull ADHD New Zealand Spokesperson, shares what a difference it will make. 

Plus, UK/ Europe Correspondent Gavin grey has the latest on the ‘Historic’ NATO summit beginning in The Hague.

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US President Donald Trump has landed in the Netherlands for his first NATO summit since 2019.

World leaders are gathering for the alliance meeting in The Hague to agree on increases in defence spending. 

The new target will be to spend 5 percent of the size of their economies, measured by GDP, on "core defence" along with defence-related areas such as security.

UK and Europe correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge Trump going to be delighted with these targets.

He says it looks like all 32 leaders are set to commit to spending the five percent.

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