On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Monday 19th of April 2025, the strait of Hormuz is shut again, Trump says his team led by JD Vance is heading back to Pakistan for more talks, Former US Ambassador in the Middle East David Satterfield tells Ryan when we can expect the war to end. 

The Green's are taking a mass national electrification plan to the next election, NZGBC Director of market transformation, Sam Archer shares his thoughts on if the plan is viable or not. 

Chief Economic Advisor at the UK centre for Economics and Business Research and Former UK Government Advisor, Vicky Pryce has the latest on oil prices coming down again due to likelihood of new talks between Iran and the US, the IMF growth scenarios.

Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on one of London’s most famous parks re-opens as police continue investigating whether items found near the Israeli embassy are connected to a video posted on social media claiming the building was going to be targeted by drones carrying dangerous radioactive substances and Pope Leo says he was not seeking to debate Donald Trump when he criticised "tyrants" for spending billions on wars in a speech a couple of days ago.

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It's too early to tell whether National should switch leaders. 

We've had one poll last night with the left-bloc winning. 

If that case were to eventuate, it probably wouldn't eventuate in the way it's being reported. 

New Zealand First would step in to rescue Labour from Te Pati Māori and soften the power of the Greens.

If there wasn't enough support on the right to form a government, you can't tell me Winston wouldn't do a deal with his devil to keep the left honest. 

Back to Luxon and the leadership. 

He's had a bad poll. But there have been plenty of late with the right keeping the Treasury benches. 

That's why most of his cabinet keeps his support. That and the fact nobody else at the round table seems confident enough they'd actually do a better job and improve those numbers. 

Until it's clear not just in one poll, but a trend of polls, that these guys wouldn't be part of a cabinet because they wouldn't have the numbers to form one in the first place, then the leadership won't change. 

There's still plenty of time before election day, and a lot will change by then too. 

Jacinda didn't need long to turn transform Little's vote into enough support to seize power. 

This idea that all must be decided this Tuesday or next, before Luxon's trip to Singapore, ahead of the budget that follows it, is a red herring. 

Caucus would be making a decision without the enough time to gather the facts, and without confidence in a decent replacement. 

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There's worry the new Warrant of Fitness regime will mean more dangerous vehicles on the road.  

Vehicles of almost every age will get their warrants extended, with 14-year-old cars only needing a WOF every two years, rather than annually.  

The Motor Trade Association say one in three cars between eight and 10-years-old currently fail.  

Head of Advocacy James McDowall says it may not even end up saving people money if they rack up more damage and need costly repairs. 

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Increasing reports of horrendous abuse directed towards staff at emergency departments. 

Figures released under the Official Information Act show more than 7,500 reports were logged last year, matching the year before, but up significantly on 2023. 

Just over 1000 reports came from emergency departments. 

Nurses Society Director David Wills told Ryan Bridge the assaults vary in severity but are all distressing for staff. 

He says it's everything from verbal abuse to spitting, biting, pushing, and occasionally sexual assault. 

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Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Friday 17 April.
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A lift in beneficiaries could suggest recent policy decisions are taking us in the wrong direction. 

At the end of March, just over 409 thousand people were on a main benefit, almost 3% more than the year prior.

Jobseeker numbers are up 2.6%.

Auckland University Associate Economics Professor Susan St John told Ryan Bridge many of the ways we've tried to bring down spending have impacted the labour market.

She says until we can recognise we're in a deep recession it's going to get worse, and we need the Government to step up, otherwise we're stuffed. 

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There's been a bit of hand-wringing this week about the fuel situation and some of it is justified. 

If you're running an airline, it's bad. If you're paying $4 bucks to fill a truck with diesel, also bad. 

But we're not yet out of fuel, or even close to out of fuel. Which is not the same as saying we won't one day be out of fuel, or having to ration before we get there, that is still a possibility.

This week we've had some economists and pundits come out and hit the panic button. 

Oil will start to flow from elsewhere. Europe has already replaced half its lost jet fuel stockpile from Nigeria and America. 

But these things take time, and as we've spoken about on this show many times, that ultimately means cost. 

Two things became clear this week: Carney in Canada and Albanese are both onboard with oil, more domestic production. They're looking at proposals in Queensland and Carney's promising to build roads to oil wells in Canada. 

Climate has taken a backseat. Needs must. 

Second thing: people have confidence in the Government's fuel response. It's basically a high-trust model they're operating. 

If you want evidence, it's what you don't see, not what you do see. No panic-buying, no jerry cans, no queues outside Mobil. 

The same can't be said for other countries.

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A significant milestone for New Zealand apple brand Envy – the first to surpass a billion dollars in global sales.  

The Royal Gala and Braeburn mix was first bred in 1985, and is now grown in more than 13 countries and sold in 55 markets around the world.  

T&G Managing Director Shane Kingston told Ryan Bridge it won't be long until sales hit the two billion mark. 

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A tax expert believes new Inland Revenue recommendations fly in the face of long term fiscal forecasts. 

The report lays out a range of suggestions, including a capital gains tax and increasing the Goods and Services tax from 15%.  

It warns this would disproportionately affect those less fortunate, so should be paired with cash transfers to poorer workers.  

Independent tax expert Geof Nightingale told Ryan Bridge the aim is to ease the Government's deficit. 

He says you can borrow, which isn't sustainable long term, or you can cut expenditure and raise taxes. 

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On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 16th of April 2025, Pharmacists are being given more powers to help take the pressure off GPs, Director of Mangawhai Pharmacy Lanny Wong tells Ryan how big of a difference this will make. 

The Envy apple has cracked $1 billion in global sales, a first for a New Zealand apple brand, T&G Managing Director tells Ryan Bridge how the brand became so successful. 

Inland Revenue is floating higher GST and a Capital Gains Tax, Independent tax expert Geof Nightingale shares his thoughts. 

Plus, US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Trump saying to watch out for an "amazing two days" as diplomats work to arrange a second round of peace talks and Trump renewing his threat to dismiss Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

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