Homeowners will have to pay more for home insurance to help the Natural Hazards Commission.  

Associate Finance Minister David Seymour says levies will almost certainly need to rise further, with Cabinet set to decide on the changes in the coming months.   

Insurance consultant Dean Lester told Ryan Bridge that these changes could cost homeowners two to $300 more a year.  

The government says they'll carry $2 billion worth of risk but have about $500 million in the kitty. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

Homeowners will have to pay more for home insurance to help the Natural Hazards Commission. &nbsp;
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour says levies will almost certainly need to rise further, with Cabinet set to decide on the changes in the coming months. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Insurance consultant Dean Lester told Ryan Bridge that these changes could cost homeowners two to $300 more a year. &nbsp;
The government says they'll carry $2 billion worth of risk but have about $500 million in the kitty.&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

Dean Lester: Insurance consultant reveals impact of government changes on homeowners

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bb5425fc-c571-45fa-9c76-b2f20165c8be/transcript

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Wednesday the 25th of Feburary 2025, nurses at aged care facilities are going back to paper-based prescriptions after Medimaps data breach, Former Health NZ Chair shares his concerns. 

Christchurch bar owners say Anzac Day liquor laws will ‘shut the city down’ on the new stadium’s opening night, Jeremy Stevens Hospitality NZ Canterbury Branch President tells Ryan how much it'll impact bars. 

Pharmac's looking at funding two new Melanoma drugs, medical oncologist and Melanoma specialist Dr Gareth Rivalland tells Ryan how big of a difference the drugs would make. 

UK/ Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on trade minister Chris Bryant calling Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a "rude, arrogant and entitled man" and a baby boy has become the first child in the UK to be born using a womb transplanted from a dead donor.

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 Wednesday the 25th of Feburary 2025, nurses at aged care facilities are going back to paper-based prescriptions after Medimaps data breach, Former Health NZ Chair shares his concerns.&nbsp;
Christchurch bar owners say Anzac Day liquor laws will ‘shut the city down’ on the new stadium’s opening night, Jeremy Stevens Hospitality NZ Canterbury Branch President tells Ryan how much it'll impact bars.&nbsp;
Pharmac's looking at funding two new Melanoma drugs, medical oncologist and Melanoma specialist Dr Gareth Rivalland tells Ryan how big of a difference the drugs would make.&nbsp;
UK/ Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on trade minister Chris Bryant calling Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a "rude, arrogant and entitled man" and a baby boy has become the first child in the UK to be born using a womb transplanted from a dead donor.
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: 25 February 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/c16abd40-0f40-4fab-9a4e-b3fb011a90f0/transcript

Melanoma advocates hope a new Pharmac proposal will take the pressure off patients. 

Consultation's open on whether to expand access to two immunotherapy medicines for people with stage 3b and 4 melanoma from May.

Used pre-surgery, nivolumab and ipilimumab can lower the chance of cancers returning. 

Medical Oncologist and Melanoma Specialist Dr Gareth Rivalland tells Ryan about the difference it will make. 

Melanoma advocates hope a new Pharmac proposal will take the pressure off patients.&nbsp;
Consultation's open on whether to expand access to two immunotherapy medicines for people with stage 3b and 4 melanoma from May.
Used pre-surgery, nivolumab and ipilimumab can lower the chance of cancers returning.&nbsp;
Medical Oncologist and Melanoma Specialist Dr Gareth Rivalland tells Ryan about the difference it will make.&nbsp;

Dr Gareth Rivalland: Medical Oncologist and Melanoma Specialist on new Pharmac drug proposal

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bec03bd2-c267-49a5-9581-b3fb011ab3eb/transcript

This government has made fast-track a buzzword.

After yet another massive hack of private information on Sunday, it needs to put that buzzword into action sharpen up our privacy laws. Like, yesterday. 

Especially if we're talking about your health information getting stolen and potentially posted online by hackers for a ransom. 

The hackers it seems, are pretty much a mystery and never get caught. 

That ship seems to have sailed, and we can, at least for now, put that in the too hard basket. 

But the folks we can fine, which we currently don't, are the businesses asking for our information and not doing enough to protect it in the first place. 

If there was ever a need for better regulation and harsher penalties, it's with cases like this. What should be your private data. 

In New Zealand, Consumer says there is no express penalty or fine for a breach. 

The Privacy Commissioner has the power to issue a fine of $10k. Yes, just $10k. And that's only if a company doesn't report a breach of tries to hide it. 

The Aussies will whack you with a fine of up to AU$50 million. That makes ours look like a slap with a wet bus ticket. 

Companies should be scared to ask for your private information because the risk of it being nicked is evidently very high. 

In two months, we're had the largest ever hack in our history, through Manage My Health, and now this Medimap breach. 

Last week I went shopping for some new clothes, a few t-shirts and some shorts. I was asked for my name and email and address. Why? A mailing list no doubt. 

I didn't have to provide this data, but if I did, I'd pay 10% more for the clothes. I paid full price but couldn't leave with a receipt unless I handed over my email. 

Businesses want our information because they can sell us more stuff. But it should be illegal to ask unless the law requires it. 

And if the data they do have is stolen, that should be their problem under the law. 

The fines ought to reflect how serious the breach is. With health, it ought to be millions. 

They should be scared, like with health and safety laws, to even ask for your personal information.

It's not like this problem has suddenly sailed into port. 

That's why the legislation should be fast-tracked, bipartisan, and tough as nails. 

Otherwise, we can all look forward to another data breach coming to a town near you soon. 

This government has made fast-track a buzzword.
After yet another massive hack of private information on Sunday, it needs to put that buzzword into action sharpen up our privacy laws. Like, yesterday.&nbsp;
Especially if we're talking about your health information getting stolen and potentially posted online by hackers for a ransom.&nbsp;
The hackers it seems, are pretty much a mystery and never get caught.&nbsp;
That ship seems to have sailed, and we can, at least for now, put that in the too hard basket.&nbsp;
But the folks we can fine, which we currently don't, are the businesses asking for our information and not doing enough to protect it in the first place.&nbsp;
If there was ever a need for better regulation and harsher penalties, it's with cases like this. What should be your private data.&nbsp;
In New Zealand, Consumer says there is no express penalty or fine for a breach.&nbsp;
The Privacy Commissioner has the power to issue a fine of $10k. Yes, just $10k. And that's only if a company doesn't report a breach of tries to hide it.&nbsp;
The Aussies will whack you with a fine of up to AU$50 million. That makes ours look like a slap with a wet bus ticket.&nbsp;
Companies should be scared to ask for your private information because the risk of it being nicked is evidently very high.&nbsp;
In two months, we're had the largest ever hack in our history, through Manage My Health, and now this Medimap breach.&nbsp;
Last week I went shopping for some new clothes, a few t-shirts and some shorts. I was asked for my name and email and address. Why? A mailing list no doubt.&nbsp;
I didn't have to provide this data, but if I did, I'd pay 10% more for the clothes. I paid full price but couldn't leave with a receipt unless I handed over my email.&nbsp;
Businesses want our information because they can sell us more stuff. But it should be illegal to ask unless the law requires it.&nbsp;
And if the data they do have is stolen, that should be their problem under the law.&nbsp;
The fines ought to reflect how serious the breach is. With health, it ought to be millions.&nbsp;
They should be scared, like with health and safety laws, to even ask for your personal information.
It's not like this problem has suddenly sailed into port.&nbsp;
That's why the legislation should be fast-tracked, bipartisan, and tough as nails.&nbsp;
Otherwise, we can all look forward to another data breach coming to a town near you soon.&nbsp;

Ryan Bridge: Businesses should be scared to take our data

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/c79b09a0-8b7a-4c27-a3b0-b3fb01199a85/transcript

Dean Lester: Insurance consultant reveals impact of government changes on homeowners

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