Grim readings from the Treasury's half year economic and fiscal update.

The government's books will stay in the red until at least 2029, a year later than previously predicted. Although the government says it will aim to return to surplus a year earlier. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is blaming the opposition for the bad result, saying in the past five years Labour added more than $100 billion to our debt.

Labour's Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds has pushed back.

LISTEN ABOVE

Grim readings from the Treasury's half year economic and fiscal update.
The government's books will stay in the red until at least 2029, a year later than previously predicted. Although the government says it will aim to return to surplus a year earlier.&nbsp;
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is blaming the opposition for the bad result, saying in the past five years Labour added more than $100 billion to our debt.
Labour's Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds has pushed back.
LISTEN ABOVE

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

Barbara Edmonds: Labour Finance Spokesperson dosen't take blame for the worse than expected economic update

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f41e2135-71d3-48fc-9459-b2490117c9b9/transcript

Iran's new Supreme Leader will likely be a prime target for the US and Israel. 

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son - 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei will succeed his father - slain over a week ago. 

Israel has launched a "wide-scale wave" of strikes against Iran - while it's retaliated with more Gulf nations under attack. 

Turkey say NATO air defences have shot down another Iranian missile, entering its airspace. 

Financial Times Middle East Editor Andrew England told Ryan Bridge Khamenei's appointment is a sign the regime is doubling down. 

Iran's new Supreme Leader will likely be a prime target for the US and Israel.&nbsp;
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son - 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei will succeed his father - slain over a week ago.&nbsp;
Israel has launched a "wide-scale wave" of strikes against Iran - while it's retaliated with more Gulf nations under attack.&nbsp;
Turkey say NATO air defences have shot down another Iranian missile, entering its airspace.&nbsp;
Financial Times Middle East Editor Andrew England told Ryan Bridge Khamenei's appointment is a sign the regime is doubling down.&nbsp;

Andrew England: Financial Times Middle East Editor explains who is Mojtaba Khamenei?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/181888e1-abd7-4f02-b79f-b4080120686c/transcript

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast 2025, ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner shares her thoughts on how the New Zealand economy will react to the war in Iran. 

A new Westpac report says we need to send more public health procedures to the private system, NZ Private Surgical Hospitals Association CEO Chris Roberts shares his thoughts.

Iran has appointed a new supreme leader, Financial Times Middle East editor Andrew England tells Ryan what we should know about about him. 

Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on fuel rations beginning in Western Australia in response to Iran war and hundreds of people evacuated to Darwin in Northern Territory floods, with loads of crocodile sightings.

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 2025, ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner shares her thoughts on how the New Zealand economy will react to the war in Iran.&nbsp;
A new Westpac report says we need to send more public health procedures to the private system, NZ Private Surgical Hospitals Association CEO Chris Roberts shares his thoughts.
Iran has appointed a new supreme leader, Financial Times Middle East editor Andrew England tells Ryan what we should know about about him.&nbsp;
Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on fuel rations beginning in Western Australia in response to Iran war and hundreds of people evacuated to Darwin in Northern Territory floods, with loads of crocodile sightings.
Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 10 March 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/4c9c8d58-5c8c-4b1a-826d-b408011a9706/transcript

The war in Iran is not a shocking event in the sense that we knew it was coming.

Trump has been not so much hinting but sounding a fog horn for months. As we’ve been covering on this show, he’s been amassing military assets in the region since the end of January. 

So not surprising. What has surprised is Iran hitting their neighbours, the Gulf states, so hard, including oil fields and refineries. 

This has surprised markets. Hence what we’re seeing in Asia and at home.

Same goes for the price of oil. Yesterday when we talked about that Goldman Sacks estimate of $100 a barrel by the end of the week. We got there by the end of Monday.

Remember they also warned of $150 a barrel by the end of the month? Let’s hope we’re not there by Friday. 

Oil and fertilizer run our agriculture sector. I listened to a grain farmer in Christchurch yesterday say daily harvesting costs would increase by $2000-$3000. Already. 

We are not immune to the price spikes, but we’re also not very well insulated from them either. 

We’re reliant on energy imports to keep us afloat now more than ever. Marsden Point used to refine 70% of our petrol and 90% of our diesel. Extracting oil and gas became a cardinal sin under Labour.

You don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone.

The international shocks, which as we all know, aren’t now so shocking, are also driving a surge in support for economic nationalism and self-reliance. Think New Zealand First.

To this government’s credit it has extended our emergency oil back-up supplies and done deals with the Singapore's of the world, so we don’t run out. As a back stop, we’re about to do LNG. But again, that’s imported and subject to shocks.

The more global events we have, the more we yearn for self-reliance and greater energy independence. 

Our world-beating exports keep us afloat, but what use are they without a reliable supply of reasonably priced inputs that help produce them?

The war in Iran is not a shocking event in the sense that we knew it was coming.
Trump has been not so much hinting but sounding a fog horn for months. As we’ve been covering on this show, he’s been amassing military assets in the region since the end of January.&nbsp;
So not surprising. What has surprised is Iran hitting their neighbours, the Gulf states, so hard, including oil fields and refineries.&nbsp;
This has surprised markets. Hence what we’re seeing in Asia and at home.
Same goes for the price of oil. Yesterday when we talked about that Goldman Sacks estimate of $100 a barrel by the end of the week. We got there by the end of Monday.
Remember they also warned of $150 a barrel by the end of the month? Let’s hope we’re not there by Friday.&nbsp;
Oil and fertilizer run our agriculture sector. I listened to a grain farmer in Christchurch yesterday say daily harvesting costs would increase by $2000-$3000. Already.&nbsp;
We are not immune to the price spikes, but we’re also not very well insulated from them either.&nbsp;
We’re reliant on energy imports to keep us afloat now more than ever. Marsden Point used to refine 70% of our petrol and 90% of our diesel. Extracting oil and gas became a cardinal sin under Labour.
You don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone.
The international shocks, which as we all know, aren’t now so shocking, are also driving a surge in support for economic nationalism and self-reliance. Think New Zealand First.
To this government’s credit it has extended our emergency oil back-up supplies and done deals with the Singapore's of the world, so we don’t run out. As a back stop, we’re about to do LNG. But again, that’s imported and subject to shocks.
The more global events we have, the more we yearn for self-reliance and greater energy independence.&nbsp;
Our world-beating exports keep us afloat, but what use are they without a reliable supply of reasonably priced inputs that help produce them?

Ryan Bridge: On oil shock, people want more self-reliance

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/2775ed93-e53f-4a4c-b230-b408011b992c/transcript

Barbara Edmonds: Labour Finance Spokesperson dosen't take blame for the worse than expected economic update

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