Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

Canterbury tourism officials are in talks with the Government about how to make it easier to host SailGP races in the future.   A dolphin sighting forced the cancellation of one of the two days of races at last month's Lyttleton event.   Christchurch’s Mayor Phil Mauger says that changes may be needed.   He told John MacDonald that that could include looking at the current marine mammal legislatio...

When I was in Wellington a few weekends ago, a couple of things happened.   One: I was walking down Cuba Street in the central city and it occurred to me how ironic it is that we have probably one of the most conservative governments we’ve had in New Zealand for quite some time, and it’s based in one of the country’s funkiest cities. If not, the funkiest city.   The second thing also happened when...

It was a tragic Easter for some, with seven people dying on the roads - the highest Easter toll in three years, and the second highest in 14.   The worst was on State Highway 8 at Pukaki. Three people died at the scene and a fourth person died in hospital.   I know exactly where that crash happened because we drove that stretch of road countless times when the kids were rowing, and we were up and...

One thing I know with absolute certainty is that I could never be a schoolteacher.   A few more people might be saying that today after the news that the behaviour of school kids in New Zealand has worsened over the past two years, making them among the worst-behaved in the OECD.   And I hope that parents around the country are hearing this news and thinking about what they can do to sort out this...

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We are the People’s Republic of Pushovers.   This time, we’ve been pushovers over this apparent cyber-attack on Parliament and spying on our politicians by China.   It happened two-and-a-half years ago, but it was only yesterday when we heard about it. It was something of a staged announcement with the United States and Britain, which were also targeted....

The leader of the Opposition says he finds the West Coast Christian community Gloriavale abhorrent.   A new documentary series exploring the origins and controversies surrounding the secretive commune has begun airing on TVNZ.   Some members have fled in recent years and several are taking Gloriavale to the Employment Court over claims of mistreatment.   Labour's Chris Hipkins told John MacDonald...

I am astounded by what’s come out of this review into how well-prepared Civil Defence was prior to Cyclone Gabrielle and its immediate emergency response.   It wasn’t well prepared at all, it seems. And the worst-case scenario was not planned for.   How many years is it since the earthquakes in Canterbury? Thirteen years since February 22nd. Longer since the September quake.   And here we are in 2...

Do you know what Sir Russell Coutts needs to do?   He needs to pull his head in.   Because if his behaviour on Friday wasn’t ungracious enough - saying that a lack of flexibility and what he called “minority groups” having too much say, made Lyttelton non-viable for hosting the SailGP races - yesterday was just nuts.   What happened on Friday was a bit of a bombshell, because no one knew it was co...

Josh Junior is a member of the New Zealand team competing in the Sail GP this weekend.  A former Grinder onboard, Josh has recently taken up a newly established role in the 'coaching box'. Josh explained the role and how technology is helping sailors go faster than every before.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Thompson is the Managing Director of Sail GP World Wide, quite the title to hold.  He joined John MacDonald live at the Sail GP village ahead of a huge weekend of racing. Thompson talked about the evolution of Sail GP, why it has become so popular, and the journey to get to Lyttelton this year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was only November last year when the owner of the Marsden Point oil refinery told the incoming government to forget about any idea of re-opening the Marsden Point Oil Refinery.   The Government obviously wasn’t listening though, because the Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones has announced an inquiry into getting the refinery up-and-running again.   He says: “Despite the desire we all share t...

If you think Chris Cahill from the Police Association is talking out of his ear, well, he’s not. And I’ve got a story to prove it.   And it shows just how nuts this blanket cost-cutting right across the public sector really is, especially when it comes to the Police.   On the very day that we’re finding out how much of a problem retail crime is in New Zealand. This is courtesy of stats obtained by...

There seem to be three main points of view when it comes to the Government’s crackdown on cruddy state housing tenants.   We’ve got some people living in Kāinga Ora properties saying they don’t think much will change because we’ve been too soft, for too long.   The Green Party isn't happy. It’s describing the crackdown as “politics of punishment”. They say it will do irreparable damage to communit...

Can I just remind you of something. During the genocide of European jews during World War 2, which we know as the Holocaust, about six million people were murdered by the Nazis.   And the property, homes, and jobs belonging to them were redistributed to the German occupiers and other non-Jews.   Yesterday, our Deputy Prime Minister likened what happened back then to co-governance. That greatly mis...

It's Politics Friday, National’s Matt Doocey and Labour's Reuben Davidson joining John MacDonald to discuss this week’s biggest political stories.   On the docket was the future of the Green Party, following the new allegations that have arisen regarding one of their party members. Is a wealth tax in the cards for Labour?   And how is it acceptable that Rolleston College has students sitting in ha...

Should we be bonding new doctors so they can’t just disappear overseas as soon as they leave medical school?   One doctor is saying today that we should. But I think he’s dreaming.   This is after the news that the Government’s new health targets for things like emergency departments and cancer treatment have a six-year timeframe.   The Health Minister didn’t talk about timeframes when he made the...

Who would be a cop? Not me. Especially after all the things we’ve been hearing about how disgusted they are with the pay offer that’s landed on the table from the Government.   The government that was all pro-cop before the election. But now seems to be putting the screws on the police just as much as the last government did.   I was at the traffic lights the other day and there was a cop car next...

Labour's leader is backing the Police union in claims the latest Government pay offer is insulting.   It includes a $5000 pay increase backdated to last November and two 4% salary bumps this year and next.   The Police Association has called it a kick in the teeth.   Chris Hipkins told John MacDonald that the union rejected an offer which his government put to police before the election.   He says...

This is a moral dilemma and, maybe, an over-reaction at the same time.    At Wellsford, the local Head Hunters chapter had a charity motorbike ride. They raised $2,500 and decided to donate the money to the local volunteer fire brigade - which is raising funds to buy an all-terrain vehicle.   They reckon that one of these things would be a very handy addition to their kit. Because, if they’re deal...

David Seymour was talking a load of old nonsense yesterday, wasn’t he, when he announced the tax changes for landlords? Now let me make it clear, right from the start, I am not anti-landlord. Because imagine where we’d be if we didn’t have people willing to take risks, buy properties, and make them available for other people to live in. So we need landlords. Good ones, anyway. But the ACT leader a...

The Government says it wants to see less people living in emergency accommodation in motels. My response to that: who doesn’t?   It also says it might pay landlords to take on tenants currently living in motels. My response to that: you’re dreaming.   And I’m not just saying that. I’ve got official numbers to back it up. Numbers that have come to light since the announcement yesterday by Social De...

The only problem I’ve got with the sentence handed-out yesterday to Christchurch man David Benbow for murdering his childhood friend, Michael McGrath, is the fact that he’s going to be eligible for parole.   It’s going to be a while away. Because he’s been sent away for 17 years before he can be considered for parole. But I don’t think he should be eligible at all.   And why’s that, do you reckon?...

There's a push to introduce a no body, no parole law to New Zealand.   Former prison guard David Benbow has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years, for the murder of Michael McGrath.   McGrath's body has never been found since he went missing in 2017.   His brother, Simon, told John MacDonald that a no body, no parole law is needed, and offenders should on...

We must be the number one country in the world for deferred maintenance. Some of us do it with our own house. And we’ve certainly done it with Premier House. To the point where Christopher Luxon won’t even live there - even though it’s the Prime Minister’s official residence. We’ve learnt over the weekend that, to bring the place up to scratch, would cost about $30 million. But, in times like thes...

We’re about one month away from the halfway mark in the current term of the Christchurch City Council and its latest residents survey is a shocker.   For starters, people do seem to be very happy with things like libraries, recreation services, rubbish collection. All that stuff. People, generally, are also pretty happy with things like the reliability of the water supply.   83% of people are happ...