Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

The All Blacks are preparing for the third test in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry. 

South Africa levelled the series in Cape Town, making this match effectively the decider, even though there is a fourth test in Baltimore. 

They're clashing at FNB Stadium in Soweto – the match kicking off at 3.10am Sunday.  

Former All Blacks Captain Sean Fitzpatrick told Ryan Bridge that the team is finishing well, so they're doing something right. 

He says they just need to get the crucial moments in the first 20 to 25 minutes right. 

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The property market's remaining subdued with a suggestion it'll be a while until there's real growth in prices. 

Cotality data shows values on average fell by 0.4% over August, marking the fifth declining month in a row. 

It notes global geopolitical tensions, the OCR lifting, and the upcoming general election is contributing to market uncertainty. 

Real Estate Agent Rawdon Christie told Ryan Bridge the high amount of homes for sale is also probably supressing potential price increases. 

But he says they saw a pretty healthy August, as vendors are meeting the settled market where it's at. 

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On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday the 4th of September 2026 the All Blacks take on the Springboks for their third test in Johannesburg, former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick tells Ryan what we can expect. 

House prices continuing to fall for the fifth month in a row, real estate agent Rawdon Christie shares her thoughts. 

The ACT Party is calling for an end to race-specific placements at medical school, Warwick Bagg, Auckland University Dean of Medical and Health Sciences shares his thoughts on the policy. 

Plus, UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on the King, President Macron and PM Burnham attended the unveiling of the Bayeux Tapestry last night at the British Museum. 

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ACT's plan to campaign on scrapping Māori and Pacific med school places is being seen by some as electioneering.

A review into Auckland and Otago university admission programmes is part of the ACT-National coalition agreement, but its findings haven't been made public.

An ACT spokesperson claims the scheme shows unjustified discrimination.

Auckland University Medical Dean Warwick Bagg told Ryan Bridge the findings should be released so the facts can be debated.

He says it's about giving Māori and Pacific students the highest chance to succeed, where the school system doesn't.

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Look don't mind confessing you, dear listener, that I don't read many books. 

I do listen to them on audio, I do read on holiday, but who has the time to actually sit down and get stuck into hundreds of pages? 

People don't even watch full movies anymore.   

You can't do much when you're checking your phone on average one billion times per hour. 

But I did happen to stumble across one of the best reads I've had in a while a few weeks back in Barry Crump's 'A Good Keen Man'. 

It's unpretentious. It's funny. It's outrageous. It paints a picture of New Zealand and New Zealanders that I think most can relate to. 

We generally get along with each other. We generally call a spade a spade. We don't like people who bullshit or cheat. 

We like a fair fight. We love the bush, the beach, the beautiful place we get to call home every day. 

I've now finished two other Crump books, and I am getting through the audio version of some short stories. 

What an adventure. If you haven't read or listened to them, you should. 

They should be compulsory reading for anyone wanting to become a New Zealander. 

I'm aware it's an election period. There's a lot of fighting and whinging. 

But really, if you take a step back, look at the people around you – your neighbours, your mates, your country. 

We're not doing too bad. We've got a lot to be grateful for. 

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Banks aren't expected to increase fixed rates after the latest OCR hike. 

The Reserve Bank raised the Official Cash Rate another 25 basis points yesterday, bringing it to 2.75%. 

Governor Anna Breman says they are moving it towards a neutral level of around 3%. 

Co-operative Bank CEO Mark Wilkshire told Ryan Bridge the hike was largely expected, so those rates were already built in. 

He says the increase will be passed through to variable home loans quite quickly, but they're not expecting to see fixed rates rise. 

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A warning to asset owners across the country to take lessons from Wellington's Moa Point disaster. 

The Government has released the findings of an independent Crown Review into the massive February malfunction at the wastewater plant. 

It doesn't blame a single technical fault, but finds decades worth of significant gaps in accountability and risk management from asset owners. 

Water New Zealand Chief Executive Gillian Blythe told Ryan Bridge maintenance woes became normalised, which caused problems to pile up. 

She says there are lessons around the fact there was fragmented accountability and misaligned authority.  

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Methanol producer, Methanex, has confirmed it is shutting the Taranaki plant that has run for 40 years. 

It says it's struck a deal to sell most of its natural gas entitlements under current contracts, starting in next year's first quarter. 

The company says continued decline in domestic natural gas, and no clear pathway to meaningful new supply, means continued operations in New Zealand aren't sustainable. 

Carnegie told Ryan Bridge says Methanex stepping back will free up some gas to be used elsewhere, but it's a bit like a snake eating its own tail. 

He says we're gaining that gas but losing a major manufacturer and exporter.  

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On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 3rd of September 2026, Co-Operative Bank CEO Mark Wilkshire shares his thoughts on the Reserve Bank hiking the OCR for the second time. 

The country's biggest gas user Methanex announcing its getting out of New Zealand, Energy Resources Aotearoa John Carnegie tells Ryan this is the economic cost the country is paying for a shrinking domestic gas supply.

We've finally got answers about what happened at Moa Point, Water New Zealand Chief Executive Gillian Blythe explains.

Plus, US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Iran saying the US bombed a wedding party in Sirik, killing at least four people and a women has been arrested for taking photos of jury members outside the courthouse in the Lindsay Clancy trial. 

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There's an air of arrogance and butt-covering to the stench that is Moa Point.  

In a nutshell, the council, its water management company, and the contractor were all a bit shit at their jobs.  

And Wellington's South Coast has been shat on – 14 billion litres of raw sewage, to be precise.  

None of them took charge of and ownership of the water treatment plant. And they didn't talk to each other or listen to some quite critical information and warnings.  

Anyone getting Mount Manganui vibes here?  

But the part that gets me, and should get us all, is the no show from ratepayer-funded bureaucrats ducking for cover.  

Council infrastructure leaders, who clearly are leaders in job title only, did not meet with the Crown Review team to tell them about their role in this shambles.  

They were asked for in-person meetings. They were asked to sit down in front of somebody and explain themselves.  

And they ran. They ducked. They gave written responses.  

14 billion litres of Wellington's digested breakfasts on the beach deserves more than written answers.  

It's like the politicians who dodged the Covid inquiry. Why would you do not front up in person unless you had something to hide? Why would you not speak in person, unless you were worried about what you'd say? 

Did lawyers and comms staff, at the ratepayers' expense, review all those written responses before you hit send?  

People don't necessarily lose trust in councils over mistakes. Mistakes happen to us all.  

Coverups and accountability dodgers – they're the ones who flush our trust down the toilet. 

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