The number of New Zealanders choosing to get divorced is outpacing those getting married.  

Stats NZ data shows a 3% drop in marriages and civil unions last year compared to 2024.  

In the same period, divorces were up 5%.  

Family Lawyer Jeremy Sutton told Ryan Bridge marriages are more likely to end in divorce after 25 years.  

He says if you're together for a longer period of time, you'll change and are more likely to get sick of each other. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

The number of New Zealanders choosing to get divorced is outpacing those getting married. &nbsp;
Stats NZ data shows a 3% drop in marriages and civil unions last year compared to 2024. &nbsp;
In the same period, divorces were up 5%. &nbsp;
Family Lawyer Jeremy Sutton told Ryan Bridge marriages are more likely to end in divorce after 25 years. &nbsp;
He says if you're together for a longer period of time, you'll change and are more likely to get sick of each other.&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

Jeremy Sutton: Family Lawyer on the divorce rate outpacing the marriage rate

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/36f5021f-e182-4b8c-8a94-b44001793e5d/transcript

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday  5 May.

Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 5 May. 
Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 05 May 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/dccc8a96-209c-4bb5-a41c-b4410018fbf0/transcript

A union says the taxpayer pays the price for any cost blowout to the Cook Strait ferry replacement programme.  

A Treasury review last year found “back-to-front” planning and decaying port infrastructure's left the project exposed to delays and higher costs.  

Maritime Union Secretary Carl Findlay told Ryan Bridge Ferry Holdings was set up to sort all of this out.  

He says they should've pulled together the Port of Wellington and Picton, both councils, and KiwiRail so they're all on the same page. 

Findlay says they’ve known about these issues for several years, and from his understanding, nothing’s been done at either port to accommodate the ferries. 

Ferry Holdings says the groups planning shows costs are within the allocated budget.  

LISTEN ABOVE  

A union says the taxpayer pays the price for any cost blowout to the Cook Strait ferry replacement programme. &nbsp;
A Treasury review last year found “back-to-front” planning and decaying port infrastructure's left the project exposed to delays and higher costs. &nbsp;
Maritime Union Secretary Carl Findlay told Ryan Bridge Ferry Holdings was set up to sort all of this out. &nbsp;
He says they should've pulled together the Port of Wellington and Picton, both councils, and KiwiRail so they're all on the same page.&nbsp;
Findlay says they’ve known about these issues for several years, and from his understanding, nothing’s been done at either port to accommodate the ferries.&nbsp;
Ferry Holdings says the groups planning shows costs are within the allocated budget. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Carl Findlay: Maritime Union Secretary on the potential delays and cost blowouts to the Cook Strait ferry replacement programme

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/624164c9-4fd3-4094-b2d9-b44001801dce/transcript

Renewed attacks by Iran and the United States threaten to see the war in the Middle East “spiralling out of control”. 

The ceasefire seems to be on shaky ground, but some experts are saying that despite the optics, they are progressing towards a peace deal.  

US Correspondent Toni Waterman told Ryan Bridge that proposals to end the war had been exchanged through the weekend. 

“But certainly this announcement by the President [Donald Trump] on Sunday to start guiding these ships through the Strait of Hormuz has opened up another area in this conflict because the strait is really Iran's main leverage point right now.” 

Trump’s new “Project Freedom” aims to help neutral commercial ships get out of the Persian Gulf, where they have been stranded by the closure of the Strait. 

Waterman said experts were warning that even if the US successfully guided those ships through the Strait, it would not be a permanent solution as they would not return as long as fighting continued. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

Renewed attacks by Iran and the United States threaten to see the war in the Middle East “spiralling out of control”.&nbsp;
The ceasefire seems to be on shaky ground, but some experts are saying that despite the optics, they are progressing towards a peace deal. &nbsp;
US Correspondent Toni Waterman told Ryan Bridge that proposals to end the war had been exchanged through the weekend.&nbsp;
“But certainly this announcement by the President [Donald Trump] on Sunday to start guiding these ships through the Strait of Hormuz has opened up another area in this conflict because the strait is really Iran's main leverage point right now.”&nbsp;
Trump’s new “Project Freedom” aims to help neutral commercial ships get out of the Persian Gulf, where they have been stranded by the closure of the Strait.&nbsp;
Waterman said experts were warning that even if the US successfully guided those ships through the Strait, it would not be a permanent solution as they would not return as long as fighting continued.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Toni Waterman: US Correspondent on the US saying military ships have been sailing through the Strait of Hormuz

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6b783c2c-19b6-4c0d-983c-b44001313b0a/transcript

Jeremy Sutton: Family Lawyer on the divorce rate outpacing the marriage rate

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