Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

I don’t know where Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis get this idea from that you can only do a hard day’s work if you’re physically in the office or on the premises, as opposed to working remotely from home.   Because, from my experience, there is a hell of a lot of time wasted in a lot of workplaces.   Nevertheless, the Prime Minister and the Public Service Minister are giving government worker...

ECAN regional council chair Peter Scott has to go.   You’ll remember the fuss earlier this year when he admitted to Newstalk ZB that he’d been farming illegally on his South Canterbury property without the appropriate consents.   And how, after that blunder, he disappeared for a while - ECAN spent $66,000 on a 10-week investigation - and then he was back again. All G.   Well, not “all G” actually,...

World-renowned illusionist and 'International Magician of the Year', Cosentino, is bringing his spectacular new live show Decennium to Christchurch in November. Decennium is a 90-minute stage spectacular, which was written, produced, and choreographed by Cosentino. He'll perform his most death-defying escapes that will thrill your senses, his greatest mind-boggling stage illusions and cutting-edge...

It seems to me that the Christchurch City Council has really got it in for the Arts Centre.   For starters, when the Arts Centre asked for $20 million in council support over the next 10 years, the council said “yeah, nah” and gave it just under $6 million instead.   Now, it wants to sting the Arts Centre $18,000 for increasing the number of food trucks operating there.    The council says the cha...

With nearly every Comanchero gang member in this country facing criminal charges, is this the beginning of the end for this Australian outfit’s New Zealand operation?   They set-up shop here six years ago and have been helped enormously by Australia’s 501 deportation programme, but it’s not as if the gang’s been operating here just to give these guys something to do once they get off the plane fro...

Nothing brings out the redneck in me as much as a judge handing out a concurrent prison sentence.   You know the situation. A person’s found guilty on, say, two charges —let’s say they get two-year sentences for each— but they don’t go to prison for two years plus two years (four years), instead, they serve the sentences concurrently. Meaning they’re serving both sentences at the same time.   It’s...

The Christchurch City Council has learned nothing from the cathedral debacle.   Because it’s now going to spend $19.5 million over the next four years, so that work can start on repairing and restoring the old provincial chambers building in the centre of town.    $19.5 million. Nearly twice as much ratepayer money as what was going to go into the cathedral. To get things started on a repair job w...

I’m glad I’m not working in the health system. Not that I’d be much use if I was, I’ve never been that great with blood.   But the reason I’m glad I’m not a doctor or a nurse or a GP or a specialist, is the big stick that’s being pointed at all those people by the Government with its new targets.   If I was starting a shift on a ward somewhere right now, I’d be thinking ‘here we go again’. Another...

This is not the first time I’ve said this, but we are the people’s republic of pushovers, aren’t we? The way we give overseas visitors free ACC cover.   Even more so when you consider the news that ACC wants to increase its levies by two or three times the rate of inflation over the next three years because it's taking longer and costing more for people to recover from their injuries.   It's got a...

If someone is 10 years old, they aren't legally allowed to smoke. They aren’t legally allowed to drink alcohol, and they’re not really allowed to have their own Facebook page, but they can be held criminally responsible for violent crimes such as murder or manslaughter.   And the new Chief Children’s Commissioner, Dr Claire Achmad, says that’s crazy and wants the minimum age of criminal responsibi...

John MacDonald was joined by Chris Hipkins for their regular catchup.   Labour's leader is siding with the Prime Minister in being open to exploring a social media ban for kids.   Australia's Government's examining banning under-16 year olds from using sites like Instagram, Facebook, and X.   Christopher Luxon has said he's looking into the policy.   Chris Hipkins told John MacDonald that he's on...

At last, Selwyn mayor Sam Broughton has come up with an idea that I actually agree with.   There was his push recently for the speed limit on the Southern Motorway to be bumped up to 120 kph, just because people are driving that fast anyway.   That wasn’t his finest hour.   But this idea he’s pushing today - that new road tolls need to be created and higher fuel taxes are needed because of a lack...

It might happen. It might not. What I’m talking about, is the way some people seem to think they have to jump to the defence of the super rich whenever anyone mentions the idea of a wealth tax. Which one of our country’s wealthiest people is actually advocating for today. This is Bruce Plested, who was a co-founder of the Mainfreight transport business and who’s done very well out of it. And, whil...

National’s Matt Doocey and Labour’s Reuben Davidson joined John MacDonald this week for Politics Friday.   They discussed Hagley College’s idea to trial a flexible model, with students working from home two days a week – how does this fit in with the Government’s plans for attendance?   Will increasing the visitor levy be the answer to funding issues, or will it be a silver bullet to the tourism i...

The Commerce Commission says the big supermarket operators are still creaming it.   They’re not making the changes the Commission wanted them to make. Their profits are still too high and the Commission is talking tough, saying it would like to be able to fine them up to $10 million if they keep ripping people off and ignoring what the Commission wants.   But I don’t think that $10 million fines w...

Monty Python star Eric Idle is making his way to Christchurch in his one man musical.   Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Live! is a nostalgic reflection on his love comedy, music, life, and what he calls “Mock and Roll”, a blend of comedy and music.   He joined John MacDonald live from Los Angeles to discuss the show that will be hitting the city on the 28 th of October at the Isaac Theatre...

A report into the viability of Christchurch hosting the Commonwealth Games took 14 hours to write, after it was requested in January.   The report, commissioned by Mayor Phil Mauger, from Council and Christchurch NZ recommended Christchurch avoid holding a standalone event.   Newstalk ZB has revealed it cost just over $1000 for staff time.   Mauger told John MacDonald the report was a big job for...

It is time for Christchurch to get real.   To get real and accept that we will never host the Commonwealth Games. Never host them on our own, and not even bother trying to be part of any national bid to host them in the future.   I’ve never shared Mayor Phil Mauger’s dream of getting the Games here again. His idea is based purely and simply on his rose-tinted memories of the ‘74 games here in Chri...

Let’s get this clear from the start: Transport Minister Simeon Brown is no knight in shining armour coming to the rescue of motorists up and down the country.   He’s not doing anything special or spectacular with this announcement that the Government wants to spend a record amount of money on our roads and transport.   $32.9 billion over the next three years. And, to be fair, it’s mostly roads. $5...

Life’s all about choices. And we need to make some. Outgoing Treasury boss Dr Caralee McLiesh says cutting costs here and there, like the Government is doing at the moment, isn’t going to be enough to really get the country's finances in order. And she reckons one of the things we need to do is make changes to the government superannuation scheme. I agree with her. Because we are dreaming if we re...

If you drive a petrol vehicle, how’s that $20-a-week tax cut looking now that the Government wants to sting you with road user charges?   I’m being a bit facetious. Because I actually think road user charges are much fairer than fuel taxes. Because, when you use a road, it makes no difference whether you drive an old dunger or something more modern - you’re still using it.   Because with road user...

This week on Politics Friday, Labour’s Megan Woods and National’s Matt Doocey joined John to dig into some of the biggest political stories of the week.   On the agenda was the proposed road user charges system – will it work? Is it fair? Can National and Labour agree on an infrastructure plan to ensure things get finished? And is importing LNG a longterm solution? What does the former Energy Mini...

I love the Government’s thinking on infrastructure planning.   It wants us to have a 30-year plan for big projects that politicians, generally, wouldn’t be able to muck around with. Which, of course, would give us all a lot of certainty.   It would also give the people who invest their own money in infrastructure certainty, as well.   So a great idea. Because we are seeing right now how hopeless w...

Finance Minister Nicola Willis is visiting Christchurch today and joined John MacDonald in studio to give her thoughts on a few topics.   They discussed National's infrastructure 30-year plan. Is she confident of getting cross party support?  What were her true thoughts when she was approached about putting more money into the Christchurch Cathedral, and will there be any money in future for it?  ...

It’s not quite as fast as Selwyn mayor Sam Broughton wants it. But the Government’s thinking about raising the speed limit on the Southern Motorway between Rolleston and Christchurch to 110 kph per hour - which would be the highest speed limit in the South Island.   Mayor Broughton reckons it should be 120, the Government thinks 110 is more like it, and I think it should stay at 100.   The mayor’s...