Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

Lloyd Cole is an internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter known for his distinctive voice, evocative lyrics, and a musical career that spans decades. With hits like "Rattlesnakes," "Lost Weekend," and "Perfect Skin," he has solidified his place in the hearts of music lovers worldwide.    Lloyd will be performing in Christchurch this December, and joined John MacDonald on Newstalk ZB Canterbury...

Do you know what the real reason is for today’s big health strike? The real reason why thousands of senior doctors and dentists at hospitals around the country are walking off the job for two hours? According to them, they’re striking because their pay hasn't kept up with inflation and so they’re going backwards; and they say if the pay doesn't improve, the hospital system will go downhill further...

I seriously doubt that many of the promises being made by Labour and National will ever see the light of day.    The minor parties are promising things too. But it’s Labour and National I’m focused on because it’s going to be either one of those parties that leads the next Government.   The latest major party policy came out at the weekend with Labour’s promise to extend publicly-funded dental car...

What’s that old line? If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.   And that’s how I’m feeling about the National Party’s new tax plan, now that I’ve had a day to think about it.   Even more so, after listening to Finance spokesperson Nicola Willis on Newstalk ZB this morning.   I’ll come back to that. But first, in terms of how much better-off National reckons we...

Aussie rocker, Mark Gable, is one of the original founding members of Choirboys who will be part of the stellar line up at Selwyn Sounds next March.   A lively personality, Mark kindly took time to talk with John MacDonald and share his musical and personal journey. The highs and lows of stardom and his views now on their smash hit, Run To Paradise .   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for...

I know David Parker’s got a job to do. As Attorney-General, he’s got a job to do and part of that job is to run a fine-tooth comb through new laws to see if they stack up and won’t be more trouble than they’re worth.   What I mean by that, is making sure they don't have so many holes in them that anyone who wants to could get all legal on it and either get away with whatever the law is designed to...

Does Christopher Luxon know something we don't? Because that's the only reason I can think of, for him being so cagey. Did you hear him talking to Mike Hosking this morning? I thought it was Monday when I woke up - but no, it’s Groundhog Day. Another day and the National Party leader still has his head in the sand. Just like he did yesterday. Just like he did on Saturday. Just like he did on Frida...

How would you feel about the Mama Hooch predators getting out of prison in just eight or nine years’ time?   It’s on the cards after the judge who sentenced Roberto Jaz to 17 years and Danny Jaz to 16-and-a-half years yesterday said they had to serve at least half of that time before they could be considered for parole.   From what I saw in the media reports, I thought Judge Paul Mabey was brillia...

Today on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings, John MacDonald was joined by Tracey McLellan and Gerry Brownlee for Politics Friday. They discussed policies release by both parties this week, what is going on with our health system that we need to close our after hours services, and will this be an election campaign marred by ugliness?   LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

Senior New Zealand Herald Journalist, Anna Leask, has followed the Mama Hooch case from the beginning and joined John MacDonald on Canterbury Mornings. She describes the powerful victim statements in court yesterday from the victims of Danny and Roberto Jaz, the significance of the sentence and the complete lack of remorse shown by the brothers in court.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener...

Since when have we been so deluded in this country to think that we are the best drivers in the world?   Because that’s what it looks like, with this idea of banning overseas visitors from driving on the Milford Road. Otherwise known as State Highway 94 - which runs from Te Anau to Milford.    What’s happening, is the Department of Conservation wants an assessment of Milford Sound transport option...

John MacDonald was joined by Christchurch Mayor, Phil Mauger on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings. Will council assets now be on the sale rack despite the pre-election promises? Where is he at with the line by line budget review? And boy racers have been back in the spotlight - what could council do to stop this issue, or is it a losing battle? LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

The people at Orana Park have had a gutsful of boy racers because animals there have been getting really spooked by the noise the boy racers are making when they’ve been meeting up outside the park to do skids and burn-outs. You’ll know the type of noise they’re talking about. All the revving and screeching of tyres. And what’s been happening, is some animals have been so freaked out by it, that t...

Let’s start with a quote. “You can take it from me that under my watch as mayor, I will not be selling any of these assets.” Guess who said that before last year’s council elections? None other than Phil Mauger who, of course, went on to become mayor. So that’s what he was saying less than a year ago about what he called “the family assets”. But guess what he’s saying now about things like the air...

I remember when I was a kid at school and thinking that some of the stuff we were being made to do was such a waste of time. You know what I’m talking about. “Why on earth are you making us do this? This is not going to be any use to me when I get out of this place - so why are we bothering with it?” Which, a lot of the time, was probably youthful arrogance as much as anything. Although, the old t...

I reckon Labour has completely lost the plot this week. It started on Monday with its daft idea of taking GST off fruit and vegetables. And then, yesterday, it announced that it wants to sting us for more tax on fuel to help pay for all the new roads it wants to build. A plan which I think National is quite rightfully calling a copycat plan - given that, what Labour is talking about, is pretty muc...

I know you won’t disagree with me that Lauren Dickason’s story is a complete and utter tragedy. Found guilty of murdering her three daughters - two-year-old twins Maya and Karla; and their six-year-old sister Liane - at their home in Timaru in September 2021. Nearly two years ago. Just weeks after the family had moved to New Zealand from South Africa. As it’s been reported, of all the evidence and...

I would say that, for most of this year, I’ve thought it nutbar that we have still had to isolate for seven days if we get Covid. That’s all changed though. Because, as of midnight last night, there’s no more isolation and masks are out the window in most places too. Although, healthcare facilities are still on the list of places where we’ll kind of be expected to wear one. I say “kind of” because...

If you believe Grant Robertson's sales pitch for taking GST off fruit and vegetables, you’ll believe anything. Because we know he has always been opposed to the idea. Today, though, he's saying he's “come around to the idea". Which is hardly a ringing endorsement, is it? What he really means is he’s come around to the idea because Chris Hipkins says it's his way or the highway. There might, I supp...

On Wednesday, a caller to the show - Murray - brought Winston Peters into the conversation. And we ended up agreeing on a $5 wager as to whether or not Winston Peters would be back in Parliament after the election. I said $5 he won’t. Murray said $5 he will. Now I don’t know if Murray has a hotline to the outfits that do the political polls - because, if he does, I’ll claim insider trading - but,...

I was asked yesterday whether I'll ever be happy with any policy announcement by any political party.   And, wouldn’t you know it, just 24 hours later it’s actually happened. And it’s the ACT Party of all parties that’s managed to do it.   Because it’s released details of its Justice Policy which I’m finding pretty hard to argue against.   I’ll be honest with you. Even though I like the sound  of...

Most of the time when you see a young person on their phone, do you jump to the conclusion that they’re just wasting time? Or maybe you assume they’re planning their next ram raid or whatever. Well if that’s you, then you will love National’s plan to ban mobile phones in all schools. No ifs or buts. No phones at lunchtime. No phones during recess. No phones at school. That’s what’s going to happen...

If I said to you, there was one thing all the political parties need to stop doing straight away, what do you think it would be? One thing that pretty much every party is doing. The ones on the left. The ones on the right. The ones in the middle. They’re all doing it. What do you think it would be? It would be these ridiculous promises that, if they’re part of the next government, we’ll be paying...

Are you the sort of person who goes to the dentist like clockwork, even if you think there’s nothing wrong? Or, are you like most people, and only go when you’re in agony or when you break a tooth trying to eat a Mintie or something like that? I’m not even one of those types. So maybe there are three types. The ones who go to the dentist even if they think there’s nothing wrong. The ones who only...

If you’re sick of people being let off the hook because of their past, how do you feel about people getting off the hook because of their future? This is nothing new, of course. We’ve all heard stories about law students, for example, doing something silly on a night out, getting arrested, going to court, and not being convicted because what they did wasn’t bad enough to damage their career prospe...