Hopes new progress in language learning will go beyond early childhood education. 

The Government's widening access to ENRICH for a further 450 centres. 

The programme is now backed by three decades of evidence - with practical tools to increase toddler-teacher communication. 

Advocates for Early Learning Excellence Chair, Kelly Seaburg told Ryan Bridge it paves the way for a zero-to-18 years literacy pathway. 

She says strong foundational language leads onto early literacy and structured curriculum. 

Hopes new progress in language learning will go beyond early childhood education.&nbsp;
The Government's widening access to ENRICH for a further 450 centres.&nbsp;
The programme is now backed by three decades of evidence - with practical tools to increase toddler-teacher communication.&nbsp;
Advocates for Early Learning Excellence Chair, Kelly Seaburg told Ryan Bridge it paves the way for a zero-to-18 years literacy pathway.&nbsp;
She says strong foundational language leads onto early literacy and structured curriculum.&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

Kelly Seaburg: Advocates for Early Learning Excellence Chair on the ENRICH programme

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/cdb05b45-aa3d-4b2b-bd25-b47b012bfa43/transcript

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 3rd of July 2026, seems like the Government is moving to put restrictions Indian immigration, Sonny Lam, Immigration expert at Queen City Law shares his thoughts. 

The All Blacks take on France in the first test of the season at the sold out One New Zealand stadium, Chief Executive Venues Otautahi, Caroline Harvie-Teare tells Ryan how big of a deal this will be for the garden city. 

Erica Stanford's rolling out a big expansion of early language support in ECE centres, Advocates for Early Learning Excellence Chair Kelly Seaburg shares her thoughts on the programme. 

Plus, UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on Sir Keir Starmer apologising on behalf of the British state for its role in historical forced adoptions in England and Wales and the ringleader of a Rochdale grooming gang that targeted girls as young as 12 has been released from prison. 

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 Friday 3rd of July 2026, seems like the Government is moving to put restrictions Indian immigration, Sonny Lam, Immigration expert at Queen City Law shares his thoughts.&nbsp;
The All Blacks take on France in the first test of the season at the sold out One New Zealand stadium, Chief Executive Venues Otautahi, Caroline Harvie-Teare tells Ryan how big of a deal this will be for the garden city.&nbsp;
Erica Stanford's rolling out a big expansion of early language support in ECE centres, Advocates for Early Learning Excellence Chair Kelly Seaburg shares her thoughts on the programme.&nbsp;
Plus, UK Correspondent Vincent McAviney has the latest on Sir Keir Starmer apologising on behalf of the British state for its role in historical forced adoptions in England and Wales and the ringleader of a Rochdale grooming gang that targeted girls as young as 12 has been released from prison.&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 &nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 03 July 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/eac12d2b-916e-420e-a001-b47b012abd1a/transcript

The Government's looking to "move on" from free school lunches for every kid in a poor school. 

David Seymour told me this week they're looking at making changes, potentially tightening things up. 

At present, if your kid's school is signed up, your kid automatically gets a lunch. The only way to stop that is to actually contact the school and opt out on an individual basis. 

I reckon they'll change this so parents will have to 'opt in'. 

This makes much more sense. 

If it's true that half the lunches aren't being eaten, then why waste that resource? It's taxpayer resource. 

If the food was good enough for the 50% of kids who did eat it, then why wasn't it good enough for the 50% who didn't? 

It's obvious. They're not hungry. There is an alternative. 

If there really is a problem with the quality of the lunches, producing fewer of them will lower costs and perhaps allow quality to improve further. 

I must say, it seems odd that all the meals must be hot when all most Kiwis pre-the Previous Labour Government were raised on a lunch of cold sandwiches. 

Hot meals were dinner only. 

Anyway, to those frustrated by the media coverage of these stories this week, and there've been many of you, it seems like change is coming, which should mean only those kids who are actually hungry will get fed by the State. 

The Government's looking to "move on" from free school lunches for every kid in a poor school.&nbsp;
David Seymour told me this week they're looking at making changes, potentially tightening things up.&nbsp;
At present, if your kid's school is signed up, your kid automatically gets a lunch. The only way to stop that is to actually contact the school and opt out on an individual basis.&nbsp;
I reckon they'll change this so parents will have to 'opt in'.&nbsp;
This makes much more sense.&nbsp;
If it's true that half the lunches aren't being eaten, then why waste that resource? It's taxpayer resource.&nbsp;
If the food was good enough for the 50% of kids who did eat it, then why wasn't it good enough for the 50% who didn't?&nbsp;
It's obvious. They're not hungry. There is an alternative.&nbsp;
If there really is a problem with the quality of the lunches, producing fewer of them will lower costs and perhaps allow quality to improve further.&nbsp;
I must say, it seems odd that all the meals must be hot when all most Kiwis pre-the Previous Labour Government were raised on a lunch of cold sandwiches.&nbsp;
Hot meals were dinner only.&nbsp;
Anyway, to those frustrated by the media coverage of these stories this week, and there've been many of you, it seems like change is coming, which should mean only those kids who are actually hungry will get fed by the State.&nbsp;

Ryan Bridge: Only hungry children should be fed by the State

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/1a730b84-6bf6-42d6-95fc-b47b012aec8c/transcript

House prices still seem to be going in the wrong direction. 

Cotality’s latest Home Value Index shows the national median fell 0.2% in June. 

Average values are down 0.8% for the previous quarter, 0.9% year on year, and 17.5% on the early 2022 peak.  

Real estate agent Rawdon Christie told Ryan Bridge that prices in the second half of the year are likely to be influenced by three main factors. 

He says expectations around interest rates, whether listing numbers tighten, and buyer confidence heading into spring will impact things going forward. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

House prices still seem to be going in the wrong direction.&nbsp;
Cotality’s latest Home Value Index shows the national median fell 0.2% in June.&nbsp;
Average values are down 0.8% for the previous quarter, 0.9% year on year, and 17.5% on the early 2022 peak. &nbsp;
Real estate agent Rawdon Christie told Ryan Bridge that prices in the second half of the year are likely to be influenced by three main factors.&nbsp;
He says expectations around interest rates, whether listing numbers tighten, and buyer confidence heading into spring will impact things going forward.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Rawdon Christie: Real estate agent on house prices continuing to fall in Cotality's latest Home Value Index

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/d58e1a17-8585-4160-b741-b47b0004fd3f/transcript

Kelly Seaburg: Advocates for Early Learning Excellence Chair on the ENRICH programme

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