New Zealand's economic recovery could be more of a crawl, or a climb, than a bounce. 

The job market remains tough, with unemployment now at a ten-year high. 

EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald told Ryan Bridge it's going to take a while for improved conditions and Government policy changes to flow through to the job market. 

ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith says while jobs are being created, we're still about 30-thousand jobs shy of where we were three years ago. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

New Zealand's economic recovery could be more of a crawl, or a climb, than a bounce.&nbsp;
The job market remains tough, with unemployment now at a ten-year high.&nbsp;
EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald told Ryan Bridge it's going to take a while for improved conditions and Government policy changes to flow through to the job market.&nbsp;
ASB Senior Economist Mark Smith says while jobs are being created, we're still about 30-thousand jobs shy of where we were three years ago.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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.

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.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Alan McDonald: EMA Head of Advocacy, Finance and Strategy on unemployment

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f60f975a-9735-44fe-9e6c-b3e7011f894f/transcript

Westport’s only air link could be cut within months. 

Originair won’t guarantee its Westport-Wellington service beyond May after failing to secure Government and local funding. 

NZ Airports Association CEO Billie Moore says Westport is one of the last remaining airports still co-owned by the taxpayer. 

She told Ryan Bridge taxpayers already cover half the airport’s annual shortfall, just to keep essential services running. 

Moore says the public contribution needs to be beneficial. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Westport’s only air link could be cut within months.&nbsp;
Originair won’t guarantee its Westport-Wellington service beyond May after failing to secure Government and local funding.&nbsp;
NZ Airports Association CEO Billie Moore says Westport is one of the last remaining airports still co-owned by the taxpayer.&nbsp;
She told Ryan Bridge taxpayers already cover half the airport’s annual shortfall, just to keep essential services running.&nbsp;
Moore says the public contribution needs to be beneficial.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Billie Moore: NZ Airports Association CEO on the potential closure of its Westport-Wellington service

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/9a7d0da5-7df8-4340-aa24-b3e701678ea7/transcript

A Wellington City Councillor says he's frustrated to see yet another example of the capital's water infrastructure failing. 

Heavy rain flooded the city's wastewater treatment plant's lower floors, causing sewage to leak into Tarakena Bay, writing off equipment and forcing the plant to shut down. 

Untreated wastewater is currently flowing into the southern coast, with Wellington Water saying it could take days to fix. 

Wellington Eastern Ward Councillor Sam O'Brien told Ryan Bridge it's an ongoing issue, and this isn't an isolated thing. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

A Wellington City Councillor says he's frustrated to see yet another example of the capital's water infrastructure failing.&nbsp;
Heavy rain flooded the city's wastewater treatment plant's lower floors, causing sewage to leak into Tarakena Bay, writing off equipment and forcing the plant to shut down.&nbsp;
Untreated wastewater is currently flowing into the southern coast, with Wellington Water saying it could take days to fix.&nbsp;
Wellington Eastern Ward Councillor Sam O'Brien told Ryan Bridge it's an ongoing issue, and this isn't an isolated thing.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Sam O'Brien: Wellington Eastern Ward Councillor on the Moa Point sewage leak

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/d0bc780b-109e-4bc5-b15d-b3e70162326f/transcript

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday the 5th of Feburary 2025, unemployment’s jumped to a 10-year high of 5.4%, EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald tells Ryan what the outlook is for the rest of the year. 

Wellington's water is contaminated after an equipment failure flooded multiple floors of the moa point wastewater treatment plant, Eastern Ward Councillor Sam O'Brien tells Ryan what's being down to stop the contamination. 

In less than 18 months in, Originair could be axing its Westport to Wellington route, NZ Airports CEO tells Ryan why the airline can't stay afloat. 

Plus US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Trump's "border tsar" saying he will reduce the number federal immigration and border patrol agents in Minneapolis and Bill Gates interview on Epstein allegations. 

Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.          

LISTEN ABOVE

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday the 5th of Feburary 2025, unemployment’s jumped to a 10-year high of 5.4%, EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald tells Ryan what the outlook is for the rest of the year.&nbsp;
Wellington's water is contaminated after an equipment failure flooded multiple floors of the moa point wastewater treatment plant, Eastern Ward Councillor Sam O'Brien tells Ryan what's being down to stop the contamination.&nbsp;
In less than 18 months in, Originair could be axing its Westport to Wellington route, NZ Airports CEO tells Ryan why the airline can't stay afloat.&nbsp;
Plus US Correspondent Mitch McCann has the latest on Trump's "border tsar" saying he will reduce the number federal immigration and border patrol agents in Minneapolis and Bill Gates interview on Epstein allegations.&nbsp;
Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Full Show Podcast: 05 February 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/1518fc4f-261f-424d-a805-b3e7015eaab0/transcript

Alan McDonald: EMA Head of Advocacy, Finance and Strategy on unemployment

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