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Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays. It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking. If it’s news you’re after, backing John is the combined power of the Newstalk ZB and New Zealand Herald news teams. Meaning when it comes to covering breaking news – you will not beat local radio. With two decades experience in communications based in Christchurch, John also ...
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Don’t you get it? I’m not saying this to you – I’m saying it to the Christchurch City Council, which thinks there is no need to have locals on this new committee its setting up to oversee the red zone on the east side of Christchurch. This is the 600-hectare Ōtākaro/Avon River Corridor which has attracted all sorts of controversy since the governme…
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Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor talks roading plan, red zone governance, inner city noise limits
8:36
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger joined John MacDonald live in studio for their regular catch up. Community members of Christchurch’s red zone are outraged over their exclusion from a governance group overseeing the future development of the area – why have they been left out? The age-old question of who has the right to a quiet night has reared its …
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I’m 50/50 on this idea the Government’s got of letting people do citizens arrests. For security guards? Yes. For every other member of the public? It’s a definite no for me. Let’s start with security guards and why I think these powers would be good for them. How long have we been saying that they need more teeth to do their job? Ages. And what we’…
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Who would want to be Andrew Bayly today? The disgraced, now former minister, resigned because he touched a staff member during what he’s describing as an “animated discussion”. And now his political career is toast. As it should be, because in 2025, you just don’t touch people in the workplace. You don't touch people in the workplace when you’re ha…
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Spend up large. That’s my message to the Government. Go large, spend up big and drag our military into the 21st century. That’s not me having a go at the military, by the way. Anyone reading this at Burnham Camp, for example, might feel like I’m having a go at them. But I’m not. But, what I am saying, is that we need to be spending more on defence …
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Do you know why the Government has failed to meet all of its child poverty targets? The overarching reason I’m talking about here. Because this is really complex and there are all sorts of reasons why kids end-up living in poverty and why politicians, generally, fail to fix the problem. So the main reason why nothing seems to be achieved in this ar…
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Politics Friday with Matt Doocey and Duncan Webb: Christchurch Earthquake, Rangiora's after-hours clinic, child poverty, Chinese warships
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Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by Matt Doocey and Duncan Webb to delve into some of the topics listeners are most interested in. They mark the anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake, which occurred 14 years ago tomorrow. Rangiora’s after-hours clinic is still not underway, but some certainty has been gained after the Waimak…
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Adrian Orr. Champion of the people. Well, that might be going a bit too far. But the Reserve Bank Governor was speaking my language when he says that dropping the Official Cash Rate, like he did yesterday, is just the start and that the banks have to do their bit too. And I couldn’t agree more. He was having a dig at their profit margins. But for m…
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I reckon most of us, when we fill out the census papers, assume that the information we’re providing won’t end up in the wrong hands. I know there are some people who don't feel like that. People who just don't want to give personal information to anyone - especially the government. Or the state. The Wizard of Christchurch was known over the years …
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Labour Leader Chris Hipkins joined John MacDonald this morning to give his thoughts on some of the biggest stories of the week. The integrity of the public service is being called into question after Census data was allegedly misused – how will this impact trust in the future? Hipkins believes the GP shortage is the biggest factor impacting demand …
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Already, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is looking ahead to whenever a ceasefire might happen in Ukraine and has said that, if or when it does, he’d be happy to send troops in to keep the peace. It was too early for PM Christopher Luxon to confirm the Government's interest in sending troops to Ukraine once there’s a ceasefire during his regula…
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When I saw Brian Tamaki on the news last night, he looked more pompous than ever. Pompous - not pious. Because he was the one who instructed his so-called followers to disrupt that drag artist’s kids show and protest at the Auckland Rainbow Parade at the weekend. From the pictures I’ve seen, both of those events looked pretty ugly. His idea. Under …
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I’m starting to wonder whether it was just a fluke that we managed to build things like the big hydro dams back in the day without them falling over. Without them falling apart. Cracking under the pressure. Because, when you consider achievements like that, it makes it laughable that we don’t seem to be capable anymore of really simple stuff like f…
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Politics Friday: Matt Doocey and Tracey McLellan talk supermarkets, mental health funding, helicopters, school lunches
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Today on Politics Friday John MacDonald was joined in studio by National’s Matt Doocey and Labour’s Tracey McLellan. They discussed yesterday’s supermarket announcement: does the Government really believe another player will enter the scene, or is it all just talk? Why has some mental health funding been redistributed when New Zealand continues to …
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Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor on the rates decrease, user-pays water system, and the Port Hills blaze
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John MacDonald was joined by Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger for a chat about the biggest issues concerning residents. Christchurch City Councillors have adopted their Draft Annual Plan. It now proposes a 7.58% overall rates increase, down from the originally-drafted 8.93%. They achieved this not by cost cutting, as well as paying off less debt, res…
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Let me give a shout out to Christchurch City Councillor Melanie Coker, who has told her council colleagues that what they are doing by not paying-off debt to keep the rates rise this year lower and then stinging us with an even bigger increase next year, is misleading. That’s how she’s describing this smoke and mirrors way councillors are trimming-…
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If you thought Three Waters was a dog, how are you feeling now, with the news out today that the Christchurch City Council is looking at going all user pays on it when it comes to water? And this isn’t strictly a conversation about Christchurch. It’s a conversation about your philosophical position when it comes to water – something essential to al…
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A man of many stage names, Mark Lizotte, better known as Diesel, joined John MacDonald live from Australia for a chat. He’ll be taking to the stage in a couple of week’s time as a part of the line up for Selwyn Sounds. He and John talked about his career and it continuing to flourish with the release of new music and his pre-show habit of weather f…
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Whenever people used to bang on about Christopher Luxon being the next John Key —which, I think we all agree now, he isn’t— but whenever I used to hear that talk, I pooed-pooed it. All because of what the two of them did before they got into politics. And the fact that Luxon isn’t another John Key is why we’ve got two new political polls telling us…
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So the Government's doing all sorts of things to try and get rich migrants into the country - except one thing. Which it should be doing. Former immigration minister Stuart Nash was on Newstalk ZB this morning saying it's time to lift the ban on foreigners buying houses. And I agree with him. The so-called 'golden visa' the Government announced yes…
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After all his talk about asset sales, David Seymour has obviously been scratching his head like the rest of us, wondering what we’ve actually got left to sell. And he’s got Christchurch Airport in his sights. The Government —or the Crown— owns a 25% stake in the airport (which is the second largest in the country) and the ACT Party leader is saying…
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Politics Friday with Hamish Campbell and Reuben Davidson: Christchurch City Airport shares, Eastgate Mall crime, Cook Islands-China deal
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Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined in studio by Hamish Campbell and Reuben Davidson. David Seymour thinks the Crown should sell its share in the Christchurch City Airport – is it wise to sell off a profit-making asset? Eastgate Mall has made headlines for its crime this week, as MP for Christchurch East, will Rueben be asking for m…
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Be very nervous. That’s my advice regarding the Government’s big re-set for state housing provider Kāinga Ora. Don’t get me wrong. Some of the stuff it’s doing makes perfect sense. But, overall, there’s potential for it to be a real cluster. Let’s start with the positives, though. It seemed to me that, under Labour, Kāinga Ora had become some sort …
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I tell you what, I am almost torn on this talk today about New Zealand pulling out of the Paris climate agreement. The one we’re signed up to along with a truckload of other countries - and which US president Donald Trump has just exited. In fact, here are the numbers: we are one of out of 193 countries that are signed up members. That’s 193 out of…
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“There are dropkicks everywhere”. That's what someone said to me when we were talking about this situation around Eastgate Mall. This person I was talking to goes to Eastgate all the time and they were saying that they feel more nervous going to Riccarton Mall. And I agreed with them. Sometimes the atmosphere outside Riccarton Mall can be pretty th…
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A mate was telling me last night how surprised he was that he was breath-tested by the police yesterday afternoon. If he’d been riding an e-scooter, though, he would have been waived straight through. If he’d been riding an e-scooter he also wouldn’t have been drug-tested. He also wouldn’t have had to have the thing registered like any other vehicl…
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Politics Friday with Megan Woods and Matt Doocey: Should e-scooter companies pay ACC levies, banks, school lunch programme
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In the first Politics Friday of 2025, John MacDonald was joined by Matt Doocey and Megan Woods to dig into some of the biggest political stories of the week. New data reveals that ACC paid out almost $15 million for e-scooter injuries last year, a nearly 50% increase on the year before – is it time for the businesses operating them to pay levies? W…
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I like to think that I care about the climate and climate change. Well, I know I care. But, like most of us —if I’m really honest— I’m all a bit token on it. Which might be why I’ve got absolutely no problem with Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones taking on the big banks for refusing to lend money to the fossil fuel industry. I’m not like some p…
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Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor on his campaign plans for the next election, alcohol bylaws, speed limits, GP shortage
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Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger is in campaign mode after confirmation he's seeking a second term in October's elections. He'll battle Councillor Sara Templeton for the top job, the only other contender so far. In his first catch up of 2025, he discussed his motivations with John MacDonald, as well as thoughts on alcohol bylaws, changing speed limit…
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Generally speaking, when something isn’t making you any money, you try to get rid of it. That’s in business, especially. And it looks like that’s the approach National might want to take with state assets too. Christopher Luxon says he’s open to it, and I am too. To a point. And maybe not in the way Christopher Luxon is thinking. The Prime Minister…
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What do you think someone in their 40s is thinking about right now? I can think of a few things, and I bet it’s not retirement. Even though we’re being told today that that’s what someone in their 40s should be thinking about. But I bet they’re not. I reckon if someone is in their 40s and they’re a parent with kids at school, they’ll be cursing abo…
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Do you know what the most pointless piece of road safety advice is? Drive to the conditions. I get it and it’s well-meaning. But it’s pointless. A waste of breath. Because some people are incapable of doing it. And it would seem from some of the reports in the past 24 hours about those two buses which went off the road yesterday on the Twizel-Tekap…
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If you think the violence action plan announced by the Government yesterday has no relevance to your life - think again. It’s one of many plans that are part of this overall 25-year strategy to eliminate family violence and sexual violence. The big strategy was launched in 2021, which means it’s got about 22 years to run. It’s got a big price tag t…
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Even as a scooter rider, I think these motorcyclists who are kicking up a fuss about their ACC levies going through the roof don’t have a leg to stand on. It’s quite possible too that the motorbike guys will think that someone who rides a 2-stroke Vespa isn’t even a real motorcyclist. And they’re free to think that, but even though the ACC levy is …
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A regular weekly contributor to the show up until last year, Gerry Brownlee is finishing his first full year as Speaker of the House. Brownlee joined John MacDonald to reflect on his year amid the continuing drama in Parliament. He says has been a very democratic year in the chamber. When elected to the position this time last year, Brownlee said i…
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When Finance Minister Nicola Willis said “I have delivered” yesterday —after announcing the Government’s so-called plan for the Cook Strait ferries— what she really meant was: “I’ve had a gutsful of this lot fighting over it and I’m out.” She was throwing her arms in the air because she’s had enough of NZ First and ACT squabbling over what should h…
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A firm answer from Christchurch's mayor on whether the Cathedral restoration levy should go into reducing a rates increase. Households have paid $6.52 each year since 2018. Halswell councillor Andrei Moore wants it used to help a reduce a 8.4% rates increase, while the rebuild is indefinitely paused. Mayor Phil Mauger told John MacDonald he believe…
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I have never had a problem with greyhound racing so you’re not going to hear me singing the Government’s praises for banning the sport. But I am scratching my head. Because there are so many things about this move by the coalition that just don’t make sense to me. On one hand, the Government wants more people working, but it’s happy to see about 1,…
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Surely this is the final straw for Gloriavale. Or, more to the point, surely it’s the final straw for the Government. Because it is absolutely shameful that it still exists. This final straw, by the way, is the Court of Appeal ruling announced yesterday that the BNZ has every right to close the community’s bank accounts. For the simple reason that …
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John MacDonald: On why the government should be hitting the brakes on controversial bootcamps
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The minute the defence force said it didn’t want a bar of the new youth boot camps, the Government should have put the brakes on then and there. It didn’t, though, because it had talked a tough game before the election and like hell it was going to back away from that promise now. But it should have. So, let’s give the Government another chance and…
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I’ve been reading a report the OECD released this morning, and it’s occurred to me that, if we want our businesses to survive, there is a very simple thing we could or should be doing to help. When I say we, I’m meaning the government upfront. But, for this to happen, I think we’d all pretty much have to agree to it as well. That’s because it would…
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Politics Friday with Megan Woods and Matt Doocey: Electricity, police targets, Ayesha Verrall's comment
20:31
Today on Politics Friday, National’s Matt Doocey and Labour’s Megan Woods joined John MacDonald to dig into this week’s political news. Electricity prices are still rising – would ensuring businesses get a lower rate keep them from going out of business? Will National actually miss their police force target, or is it achievable in the 12 months rem…
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Let me paint you a picture. A picture of over-the-top traffic management. So you’re heading up Riccarton Road in Christchurch, and you get to the traffic lights near Hanson’s Lane where the Athol McCully garden shop used to be back in the day – just before the Woolworths supermarket. You get to that intersection and the lights are red. So you stop,…
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In relation to what happened in the Christchurch District Court yesterday, I could be telling you right now how outraged I am about All Black Sevu Reece getting a discharge without conviction for causing damage to a car and a garage after he was kicked out of a party for being a drunken pain in the backside. I could be thumping the table, going on …
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Chris Hipkins is expecting the next two years leading into the next election to be very competitive. Recent polls have Labour and National neck and neck, with Hipkins edging in front of Christopher Luxon in the preferred Prime minister rankings. The Labour leader says that they’re getting a very good reception out there, even better than they were …
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There is no way I would pay $8 to ride a bus, but we’re being warned today that that’s what we could end up paying in just three years. That’s because the Government has told councils right around the country that they need to find more money for public transport, so that they don’t have to rely so much on rates and government money to keep the bus…
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Chris Hipkins was talking tough at the Labour Party’s annual conference in Christchurch yesterday, saying he is determined to make the current Government a one-term government. And sounding like he reckons he’s the guy to topple them. Saying the party’s internal polling shows it slightly ahead of National and putting him slightly ahead of Christoph…
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Do you think the last government spoiled things for everyone? There’s a question! Let me clarify that a little bit. Do you think the last government spoiled things for every politician from here on in, with the way it handled the COVID-19 pandemic? Because if we believe the COVID report which came out yesterday, then Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson…
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Politics Friday: National's Matt Doocey and Labour's Tracey McLellan talk the Covid Inquiry, Capital Gains Taxes, and the texts from Mike King
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Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by National’s Matt Doocey and Labour’s Tracey McLellan to wrap this week’s political stories. They discussed Phase 1 of the Covid Inquiry and Kiwis’ shaken trust in the government, whether Labour will commit to a capital gains tax as they head into their party conference this weekend, and Matt Doo…
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‘If you think I’m a Jacinda Ardern puppet, you’re going to get a huge surprise’. Who’s saying that, do you think? It’s Professor Tony Blakely – the epidemiologist and public health expert who has chaired the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And I’m feeling the same way he’s feeling…
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