On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday the 13th of Feburary 2025, The Government says Kainga Ora has exceeded savings targets, delivering $211 million in operating cost reductions, Associate Minister of Housing tells Ryan how they've made savings.

New Zealand First's announced they'll be campaigning for a referendum to put an end to Māori electorate seats, former Te Pati Māori co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell shares his thoughts.

The Sail GP is back in Auckland, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited CEO Nick Hill tells Ryan how big of a boost this will be for the city.

Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on Sir Jim Ratcliffe apologising for saying the UK is 'colonised by immigrants' and US President Donald Trump's multi-billion dollar lawsuit against the BBC has been scheduled to go to trial in February 2027, according to court documents.

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All eyes are on Auckland's waterfront this weekend - as Sail GP returns.

Thirteen teams on foiling catamarans will race around the Waitematā Harbour tomorrow and Sunday.

Last year's Sail GP drew in more than 25-thousand spectators - for Auckland's first time hosting.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive Nick Hill tells Ryan what they're doing to prepare.

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You know how everyone complains the lights at supermarkets are too bright? People reckon they do it on purpose.... it's a trick to make you awake and alert, no matter the time of day, so you keep shopping and buy more stuff.

Well, the opposite is true of movie theatres, right.

You go there and they dim the lights because it makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. The screen is a sensory overload - that's what you're paying for the. The lighting enhances that.

Well, can I just say that you shouldn't never go the movies early, before they've dimmed the lights.

I went to the movies the other day in the afternoon. My usual cinema was not showing anything at te time I wanted.

Off I go.. down to... wait for it... Queen Street.

$17 for parking. That's on me.

$40 for the ticket and coke... which went down smoothly after I choked on the price.

Anyway, the cinema's empty but the lights are on. Like flood lights. Like Supermarket lights.

There is precisely zero glamour about a Queen Street movie theatre in full glare.

It's like when they turn the lights on at a nightclub.

The seat was so worn in the backside and shoulders there was no tread left on the thing.

Then there were the stains...and I don't really want to go into those.

The carpet was all worn and tatty and under the seats - popcorn for Africa. It's like somebody vacuumed the bits you walk on and everything else they forgot.

Now. I'm not complaining about this. Believe it or, I just don't really complain about bad experiences at restaurants and stuff because I always think, if you don't like something, just don't go.

And I like going to the movies. Even though I knew it was a bit gross and tatty, I sat down and pretended I was at the Silky Otter.

All I'm saying to you this morning, dear listener, is you wouldn't shop in the dark, so don't visit the movies in the light.

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Draught beer excise tax has been frozen in Australia and there are calls for the same to be done here.

The goal is to relieve some pressure on local pubs.

It rises in New Zealand automatically every year, while beer consumption has fallen to the lowest on record.

Founder and Director at Abandoned Brewery Tim Ward told Ryan Bridge he questions what the tax is trying to achieve.

He says it's meant to offset alcohol harm and discourage consumption, but it's a blunt instrument.

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New Zealand homeowners are holding onto their properties for the longest period yet.

A report by Cotality NZ reveals the median hold period for profitable re-sales hit a record 10.1 years for the fourth quarter of last year.

Resale profits have also stabilised, with 88% of homes selling for more than their purchase price.

Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson told Ryan Bridge the housing market is pretty flat, so if you want to make some kind of gain you have to hold on for longer than in the past.

He says there’s a stark difference between those who hold on 10-20 years and have a higher chance of making a profit, versus those who sell after only three or four years, who have a higher chance of making a loss.

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Signs of fatigue - with another review of the country's Covid-19 response now in the works.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis new inquiry looks at the Reserve Bank's monetary policy decisions - including printing 55 billion dollars.

Findings are to be released just weeks before Election Day.

Massey University business professor Claire Matthews says there's potentially some value in it - but the timing feels like an election ploy.

She told Ryan Bridge we're also now six years past the start of Covid.

Matthews says the Reserve Bank has also already done a review and taken lessons from it - so how much more are we going to learn.

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Signs of fatigue - with another review of the country's Covid-19 response now in the works.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis new inquiry looks at the Reserve Bank's monetary policy decisions - including printing 55 billion dollars.

Findings are to be released just weeks before Election Day.

Massey University business professor Claire Matthews says there's potentially some value in it - but the timing feels like an election ploy.

She told Ryan Bridge we're also now six years past the start of Covid.

Matthews says the Reserve Bank has also already done a review and taken lessons from it - so how much more are we going to learn.

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The brutal death of that poor wee boy Malakai is a disgrace.

It's heartbreaking to think an adult could be so cruel to young child. Malakai was beaten, starved, thrown against walls... you name it.

Basically torture.

Now we have these debates popping up about it. Should the Minister front for interviews. Karen Chhour, herself a product of the foster care system, was criticised yesterday for attending a pre-planned lunch event to eat some lamb Parliament's lawn.

She should have, according to RNZ story, presumably been inside answering questions about why more wasn't being done about this boy's murder, which you might recall was back in 2021.

Kelvin Davis, you may also recall, came in for a hammering from the media when was Minister.

So, I think we should all be really clear, neither Karen nor Kelvin nor any politicians is responsible for the deaths of babies.

The fact he has no culprit for the death of Baby Ru in the Hutt is you could say the fault of the Police.

But ultimately, as with all these cases, fault ultimately lies with those who do the killing, and those who do the covering up. You know, the family who won't speak to Police. The partner who won't do in their other half.

They're the real culprits here.

Yes, there are things we can learn. Things we can do. Things we change.

We can change the name of the agency. We can add a red-flag system. We can appoint a Children's Commissioner.

But ultimately none of it does much good, does it?

We average around 10 or 11 kids killed by homicide ever year.

Ask OT, or CYFs before them, and they'll tell reports of abuse seem to be trending down, but they have a new thing called reports of concern which are going up.

We actually don't know if it's getting better or worse because of there's a data lag I know - incredible.

But you'd have to say, on the whole, the picture's not rosy, and no amount of stalking MPs round Parliament is going to fix it.

Any fix, surely, has to happen inside the home.

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