On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Monday 19th of October 2026, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Labour's health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall joins Andrew to discuss health policy ahead of the election. 

National wants to scrap the right to silence in child murder cases if re-elected, Victims advocate Ruth Money shares her thoughts.

Business Correspondent Vicky Pryce has the latest on Germany and France agree on EU car policy, with easing of vehicle emissions targets for the sector and more protection for their car industry and the UK's growth better than expected in August. 

Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on riots and looting in France and demonstrators and riot police fighting pitched battles in the centre of Tirana, Albania for the fifth day in a row. 

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

LISTEN ABOVE

On the Early Edition with Andrew Dickens Full Show Podcast Monday 19th of October 2026, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Labour's health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall joins Andrew to discuss health policy ahead of the election.&nbsp;
National wants to scrap the right to silence in child murder cases if re-elected, Victims advocate Ruth Money shares her thoughts.
Business Correspondent Vicky Pryce has the latest on Germany and France agree on EU car policy, with easing of vehicle emissions targets for the sector and more protection for their car industry and the UK's growth better than expected in August.&nbsp;
Plus, UK/Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey has the latest on riots and looting in France and demonstrators and riot police fighting pitched battles in the centre of Tirana, Albania for the fifth day in a row.&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

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

Full Show Podcast: 19 October 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/af115c5f-afad-4c9b-931d-b4e7011a5016/transcript

A suggestion National's promise to remove the right to remain silent could be expanded beyond cases involving children.

If re-elected, the party wants to remove the right, when a child under 12 is killed. 

The party admits the policy may breach the Bill of Rights Act, but says bringing accountability to unresolved cases outweighs the potential harms.

Chief Victims Advisor Ruth Money told Andrew Dickens the right to remain silent is also an issue in adult murders.

She says for example if there's two people in a house where someone's been killed, they can both remain silent and refuse justice for the victims family.

A suggestion National's promise to remove the right to remain silent could be expanded beyond cases involving children.
If re-elected, the party wants to remove the right, when a child under 12 is killed.&nbsp;
The party admits the policy may breach the Bill of Rights Act, but says bringing accountability to unresolved cases outweighs the potential harms.
Chief Victims Advisor Ruth Money told Andrew Dickens the right to remain silent is also an issue in adult murders.
She says for example if there's two people in a house where someone's been killed, they can both remain silent and refuse justice for the victims family.

Ruth Money: Chief Victims Advisor on National's promise to remove the right to remain silent

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/98976d18-0870-4fa3-aaec-b4e70119a031/transcript

The split voting thing. 

In the weekend papers were full of full-page ads paid for by RCR.  

This appears to be the vessel for Don Brash and Nick Mowbray to promote their tactical voting tactic to create an overhang that benefits the centre right. 

I don't like it the same way Don Brash doesn't like John Key telling people how to vote and of course their platform benefits in that they have money to buy the ads. 

People have accused me of not liking it because it benefits the centre right.  

No, I don't like how Te Pati Māori do it either. 

If the left were to do it, I wouldn't like it.  

If Jim Anderton, the multi-millionaire socialist, had tried it I would have called it out too.
 
And now national has said the sweetheart deal with ACT in Epsom is over.  

Again, people telling people how to vote.  

They're all as bad as each other. 

The problem is 2 votes. 

So, I looked at what might happen if we had just one vote that counted for both the electorate MP and towards a national total that could create a proportional parliament. 

And yes, it could.  

It could still cause an overhang if parties win more electorates than their national voting share entitles them to. 

But it would certainly stop all this jiggery pokery and attempts to game the system which just seems undemocratic to me. 

The split voting thing.&nbsp;
In the weekend papers were full of full-page ads paid for by RCR. &nbsp;
This appears to be the vessel for Don Brash and Nick Mowbray to promote their tactical voting tactic to create an overhang that benefits the centre right.&nbsp;
I don't like it the same way Don Brash doesn't like John Key telling people how to vote and of course their platform benefits in that they have money to buy the ads.&nbsp;
People have accused me of not liking it because it benefits the centre right. &nbsp;
No, I don't like how Te Pati Māori do it either.&nbsp;
If the left were to do it, I wouldn't like it. &nbsp;
If Jim Anderton, the multi-millionaire socialist, had tried it I would have called it out too. &nbsp; And now national has said the sweetheart deal with ACT in Epsom is over. &nbsp;
Again, people telling people how to vote. &nbsp;
They're all as bad as each other.&nbsp;
The problem is 2 votes.&nbsp;
So, I looked at what might happen if we had just one vote that counted for both the electorate MP and towards a national total that could create a proportional parliament.&nbsp;
And yes, it could. &nbsp;
It could still cause an overhang if parties win more electorates than their national voting share entitles them to.&nbsp;
But it would certainly stop all this jiggery pokery and attempts to game the system which just seems undemocratic to me.&nbsp;

Andrew Dickens: Split voting is undemocratic

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/64bc042c-9bc6-427d-a48e-b4e70118cdb2/transcript

After a decisive victory over the Wallabies last week, it's time for round two. 

The All Blacks secured the Bledisloe Cup, but pride is still on the line as the two teams clash at Sydney's Accord Stadium. 

Newstalk ZB's Elliott Smith told Andrew Dickens the Kiwi side will be wanting to go our and deliver a similar performance to what we saw at Eden Park, given they got back on track after three losses in South Africa. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

After a decisive victory over the Wallabies last week, it's time for round two.&nbsp;
The All Blacks secured the Bledisloe Cup, but pride is still on the line as the two teams clash at Sydney's Accord Stadium.&nbsp;
Newstalk ZB's Elliott Smith told Andrew Dickens the Kiwi side will be wanting to go our and deliver a similar performance to what we saw at Eden Park, given they got back on track after three losses in South Africa.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Elliott Smith: Newstalk ZB Rugby Commentator on the second Bledisloe Cup test

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/307f485d-e0a1-4220-89f6-b4e40178b9b2/transcript

Full Show Podcast: 19 October 2026

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