A retired lieutenant can't see how a boost in defence funding will fill missing skills and trades. 

New Zealand's injecting $12 billion into defence over four years – $9 billion of which is new spending.  

It includes enhancing our strike capabilities, replacing the Boeing 757 fleet, and upgrading our javelin anti-tank missiles. 

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Hayden Ricketts told Andrew Dickens the navy, army, and air force already have more vehicles than they can staff. 

He says a commitment to spend more money on gear is great but without more personnel, the plan will fall apart. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

A retired lieutenant can't see how a boost in defence funding will fill missing skills and trades.&nbsp;
New Zealand's injecting $12 billion into defence over four years – $9 billion of which is new spending. &nbsp;
It includes enhancing our strike capabilities, replacing the Boeing 757 fleet, and upgrading our javelin anti-tank missiles.&nbsp;
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Hayden Ricketts told Andrew Dickens the navy, army, and air force already have more vehicles than they can staff.&nbsp;
He says a commitment to spend more money on gear is great but without more personnel, the plan will fall apart.&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

Hayden Ricketts: Retired Lieutenant Colonel on the Government's new $12 billion defence spending plan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/9e64c8b4-628a-415b-ac1b-b2b801715937/transcript

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast 2026, Todd Energy getting up to $23.5 million in government loans for gas security projects, Energy Resources Aotearoa CEO John Carnegie shares his thoughts. 

The Government’s splashing another $5 million on regional tourism, Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell tells Ryan what the money will go to in Rotorua.

Europe is shaking in it's boots after the far right party AFD's win in Saxony-Anhalt, Sky News Europe Correspondent Alastair Bunkall has the latest out of Germany.

Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on a leaked text shows huge amount tipped for Solomon Islands from the Australian Government and American football fans descend on Melbourne for an historic NRL match at the MCG.

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 2026, Todd Energy getting up to $23.5 million in government loans for gas security projects, Energy Resources Aotearoa CEO John Carnegie shares his thoughts.&nbsp;
The Government’s splashing another $5 million on regional tourism, Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell tells Ryan what the money will go to in Rotorua.
Europe is shaking in it's boots after the far right party AFD's win in Saxony-Anhalt, Sky News Europe Correspondent Alastair Bunkall has the latest out of Germany.
Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on a leaked text shows huge amount tipped for Solomon Islands from the Australian Government and American football fans descend on Melbourne for an historic NRL match at the MCG.
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: 08 September 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/613a11a3-1cc7-4aa7-b505-b4be012ac3d7/transcript

The Government is dishing out a total of five million dollars, towards attracting more tourists into regional New Zealand.

The third round of Regional Tourism Boost funding includes 975-thousand-dollars for a national campaign, led by Auckland Unlimited, targeting visitors from the US and Canada.

Two lots of almost 995-thousand dollars will also be handed out, to attract Chinese visitors to both the North and South Islands respectively.

Other initiatives will focus on attracting Australian tourists to areas like the top of the South Island, Wellington, and Taupo - by putting our food and wine on display. 

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell tells Ryan Bridge how this will help Rotorua's tourism. 

The Government is dishing out a total of five million dollars, towards attracting more tourists into regional New Zealand.
The third round of Regional Tourism Boost funding includes 975-thousand-dollars for a national campaign, led by Auckland Unlimited, targeting visitors from the US and Canada.
Two lots of almost 995-thousand dollars will also be handed out, to attract Chinese visitors to both the North and South Islands respectively.
Other initiatives will focus on attracting Australian tourists to areas like the top of the South Island, Wellington, and Taupo - by putting our food and wine on display.&nbsp;
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell tells Ryan Bridge how this will help Rotorua's tourism.&nbsp;

Tania Tapsell: Rotorua Mayor: on the Government investing $5 million for local tourism

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/3631ebcf-6727-4f27-818b-b4be012c6a3f/transcript

We've got another report from another ratings agency, Moody's.  

They've taken a look at our credit, they've taken a look at our economy, much the same as the S&P one we spoke about last week. 

But here's a few things this country cannot afford to forget.  

We are a trading nation; we have a small population. Unless we sell stuff to the rest of the world, which the world then pays us for, we are a backwater. 

We are a money-go-round; we are a low-income poor cousin at the bottom of the Pacific. 

Dairy, meat, kiwifruit, honey, you name it. If we don't have strong export industries, we're basically buggered. We need more of them, of course.  

We have tourism, let's not whinge too much about the campervans. 

The world's cooked at times, and there'll be another Hormuz before long. 

Hell, the current Hormuz isn't over yet and that means we need storage for diesel, which we're doing, but we need more of, for gas, which Genesis is looking at, and Todd and Uncle Shane are trying to find, and data centres.  

I know they're controversial, I know people hate them, but they shouldn't be.  

If done well, and by well, I mean they wash their own faces, then tick tick.  

The other thing we desperately need are roads that don't wash out when it rains. Petrol taxes pay for that, so let's maybe not cut our nose off to spite our face in that regard. 

It's pretty simple really, we need to keep doing what we're doing, we need roads to get our stuff to port, we need oil to keep the country moving, we need ships coming and going and we need something new on the horizon always. 

We've got another report from another ratings agency, Moody's. &nbsp;
They've taken a look at our credit, they've taken a look at our economy, much the same as the S&amp;P one we spoke about last week.&nbsp;
But here's a few things this country cannot afford to forget. &nbsp;
We are a trading nation; we have a small population. Unless we sell stuff to the rest of the world, which the world then pays us for, we are a backwater.&nbsp;
We are a money-go-round; we are a low-income poor cousin at the bottom of the Pacific.&nbsp;
Dairy, meat, kiwifruit, honey, you name it. If we don't have strong export industries, we're basically buggered. We need more of them, of course. &nbsp;
We have tourism, let's not whinge too much about the campervans.&nbsp;
The world's cooked at times, and there'll be another Hormuz before long.&nbsp;
Hell, the current Hormuz isn't over yet and that means we need storage for diesel, which we're doing, but we need more of, for gas, which Genesis is looking at, and Todd and Uncle Shane are trying to find, and data centres. &nbsp;
I know they're controversial, I know people hate them, but they shouldn't be. &nbsp;
If done well, and by well, I mean they wash their own faces, then tick tick. &nbsp;
The other thing we desperately need are roads that don't wash out when it rains. Petrol taxes pay for that, so let's maybe not cut our nose off to spite our face in that regard.&nbsp;
It's pretty simple really, we need to keep doing what we're doing, we need roads to get our stuff to port, we need oil to keep the country moving, we need ships coming and going and we need something new on the horizon always.&nbsp;

Ryan Bridge: Standing still is not a strategy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5068bf32-5a36-4606-a5ae-b4be012af2cd/transcript

Hayden Ricketts: Retired Lieutenant Colonel on the Government's new $12 billion defence spending plan

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