Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

John MacDonald spoke to Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel for the first time since the Court of Appeal water bottling decision, and got her reaction. Also discussed was the Coastal Pathway, Local Government New Zealand, stormwater and flooding. LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I feel very sorry for Green Party MP James Shaw. I almost called him Green Party "co-leader" but, of course, as of the weekend he's not after the party voted to kick him out and put it to the vote to find out whether members want him to continue or want someone else. He has already confirmed today that he is going to put his hat back in the ring and try and get re-elected back into the job. Which...

Now before you accuse me, I’m going to stick my hand up and say ‘yes, my finger is in the pie; yes, my snot is in the trough; and yes, I’m riding the gravy train’. I think that covers all the things that might get thrown at me for what some people will probably think is my defence of the huge increase in government spending on advertising over the last few years. The commercial media company I wor...

John MacDonald: At last, a cap on water bottling madness See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Ego: Comedian and one half of The Paul Paul Comedy Night coming to a theatre near you See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John MacDonald: The Government are just like the All Blacks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis.: National Party Deputy Leader on Three Waters payment, inflation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s occurred to me that the old phrase “what goes around, comes around” pretty much sums up inflation in five words. The more money going around, the more it comes back to bite us with higher inflation. And it’s happening in countries all over the world. Our latest inflation rate came out yesterday - 7.3 percent. Certainly not the lowest, and certainly not the highest. The most recent inflation f...

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel spoke to John MacDonald on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings and commented on the decision to go ahead with the new stadium build at a fixed price. MacDonald asked about the recent decision to drop fines given to protestors in Cranmer Square, and who the Mayor is backing in the upcoming local elections.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

It was a funny old day in Wellington yesterday. There was a media conference that was scheduled to happen, that didn’t happen. And there was another one that wasn’t scheduled, that did happen. The one that did happen was the Government front-footing today’s inflation figure with the announcement that it’s extending the fuel tax discount and half-price public transport until January. The one that d...

John MacDonald spoke to All Blacks great, Frank Bunce, about his feelings watching the All Blacks game on Saturday. Bunce said he was 'frustrated' and the game was a hard watch for the former centre. MacDonald also asked his thoughts about coach Ian Foster, and if he had faith he could turn things around. Also, could Scott Robertson turn things around overnight if he was given the job now?  LISTEN...

John MacDonald spoke to Labour's Duncan Webb and National's Gerry Brownlee about the big topics of the week on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings. MacDonald asked them what they thought on the council's decision to build Te Kaha Stadium, the possibility of Christchurch becoming a super city, the new anti-gangs laws and the latest Covid developments. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

So a monumental decision by the Christchurch City Council yesterday, with a 13-3 vote in favour of spending another $150 million and getting on with the job of building the new Te Kaha stadium. As we know, it followed the announcement last month that there’d been a budget blowout, pushing the price tag up to $683 million. I think the council made the right decision yesterday and I’m delighted that...

Something about this fixed-price contract for building the new Christchurch stadium, Te Kaha, just doesn’t stack up for me. In fact, the whole fixed-price thing doesn’t stack up, as far as I’m concerned. The gist of it all, is that the Board overseeing the project has managed to negotiate a deal which will make the Australian construction and civil engineering company that is the lead contractor f...

Politicians either love the word "crisis" - or they hate it. Generally, it’s opposition politicians who love it and it’s the ones in government who can’t bring themselves to say it. Remember all the dancing-on-a-pinhead the Government did earlier this year over the cost of living crisis? It was like pulling hens’ teeth getting them to admit that. And we’re seeing it again today - this time it’s he...

We probably shouldn’t be surprised that the number of cyclists using Christchurch’s cycleway network has flatlined since the Covid pandemic, but does it mean it’s time for a bit of a re-think as to whether we need more of them? I think a re-think is definitely needed. Here’s what’s being spent: $301 million on 101-kilometres of cycleways. The Christchurch City Council’s putting in $114 million, th...

Yesterday, I asked Christchurch mayoral candidates Phil Mauger and David Meates what they thought was the biggest challenge facing Christchurch. And what a let-down that was. Phil Mauger answered first, and he said Bromley. The Christchurch suburb that has become synonymous with the appalling odour that’s been coming from the burnt-out wastewater plant and the longstanding composting plant. Unfort...

John MacDonald spoke to Labour's Megan Woods and National's Gerry Brownlee about the big topics of the week on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings. MacDonald asked them what they felt the biggest issue facing Canterbury was in their opinion, whether the Prime Minister's trip is paying off, their reaction to recent Covid case numbers in New Zealand and Boris Johnson's resignation in the UK. LISTEN ABOV...

If you are like me, and you are a fan of the new Christchurch stadium Te Kaha going ahead, a word of warning - don’t count your chickens just yet.  The results of the city council’s consultation process following the budget blow-out are in, with 77 percent of the 30,500 submissions in favour of the Council pouring in another $150 million to make up the difference and make the thing a reality.  The...

Today on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings John MacDonald spoke to Christchurch City mayoral candidates, Phil Mauger and David Meates. With the future stadium being a major issues for residents, MacDonald asked their position on whether we should go forward, pause or stop the project. He also raised the question about Christchurch potentially becoming a super city, amalgamating with Waimakariri and...

If you’ve got an outstanding parking fine from the Christchurch City Council, don’t bother paying it - just get yourself a meeting with the mayor and it will disappear. Just like that. In fact, not just parking fines, any money you might owe the Christchurch City Council - call them up today, book in some time in the Mayoral Lounge, and you’ll walk out the door owing nothing. You might be one of t...

National Party Deputy Leader, Nicola Willis, joined Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings host John MacDonald today on the show. They discussed council's decision to drop fines against the Freedom and Rights Coalition following their protest earlier this year, the current Covid situation and how it will impact New Zealand, and should Boris Johnson be out of the big job in the UK with today's news? LISTE...

Cantabrians were furious yesterday with news that the Freedom and Rights Coalition group have had $50,000 worth of fines dropped by the Christchurch City Council. This followed their protests through streets of Christchurch and occupation of Cranmer Square earlier this year. Destiny Church pastor and leader of the protests, Derek Tait, called Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings to defend the dropping...

If you don’t think we need fluoride in our drinking water, think again. And if you don’t think we need a tax on sugary drinks in this country, think that one over again too. Because new research out from the University of Otago shows we desperately need both. The numbers say it all. By the age of five, at least a third of all kids in New Zealand have had tooth decay. For Maori, it’s 60 percent and...

I’ve been appalled over the past few weeks by a case in the Christchurch District Court of a local couple accused of neglecting the man’s elderly father, who has advanced dementia. “Neglect” is a bit of an understatement. The 90-year-old was locked in a dark room for up to 16 hours a day, with no way to go to the toilet - he had to use a plastic bag or a plastic urinal, or just to go to the toilet...