Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

Canterbury Civil Defence Controller James Thompson joined John MacDonald on Canterbury Mornings with the latest information we need to know ahead of today's expected damaging wind storm. The region is under a red wind warning locally, along with parts of the Southern North Island. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon joined John MacDonald to get the latest from their district on storm preparation and damage. There are also reports that people set off fireworks in the area last night.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister for the South Island is ducking for cover. I probably would be too, if I was him. Because he knows it’s going to be very difficult to defend the pitiful share the South Island is getting from the Government’s latest $1.2billion funding round for new roads and roading upgrades. The south island has been virtually shut out, with just 6 percent of the money going to projects here. The Ho...

Some days you hear about something which absolutely beggars belief. Today is one of those days. You hear about something that makes you wonder what the hell has happened to society. Sometimes it can be overseas. Or it can be something here in New Zealand. Today is one of those days. Because I am blown away by this coroner’s report which has just come out, into the death of a four-year-old girl in...

The Government is really spooked by this week’s mega strike. With about 100,000 people expected to walk off the job on Thursday. If it wasn’t spooked, we wouldn't have Public Service Minister Judith Collins writing this open letter to patients, students and families affected by the doctors, nurses, teachers, prison staff and other healthcare workers going on  strike. It’s a letter which, I th...

The Opposition Leader's again expressing concern about Te Pati Maori, but not yet ruling out working with them.   Toxic culture claims by Eru Kapa-Kingi were followed by the party releasing documents accusing him of threatening Parliamentary staffers.   They also show his mother, recently demoted Whip MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, was warned about risking budget overspend.    Chris...

Isn’t it weird that, in the past 25 years, we have spent millions and millions and millions of dollars on road safety campaigns, but there have, generally, been no changes in that time to the penalties handed out for bad and dangerous driving?  I tried to find out exactly how much has been spent, but I realised that was quite ambitious.  Nevertheless, I can safely say that it’s hundreds...

I’m right behind the call being made today for helmets to be made mandatory at recreational ice skating and roller skating rinks.  For it to be a legal requirement that if you want to go and have a skate with your mates, you have to wear a helmet.  Because if it’s good enough for helmets to be compulsory on bikes, then why isn’t it good enough for helmets to be mandatory when someone’s o...

If you voted in this year’s local body elections, congratulations. You can consider yourself a member of a very exclusive club. Because, this year, voter turnout around the country was the lowest it’s been in 36 years. Which is pitiful. So pitiful that I don’t even think my idea of having just one main voting day - like we have for central government elections - would make much of a difference. In...

Shihad frontman Jon Toogood joined John MacDonald ahead of the Christchurch Full Metal Orchestra concert. He talked about performing with Phil Rudd of ACDC, his passion for heavy music and the joy it brings the crowds, and how his health has become a priority in his later years.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phil Mauger has been re-elected as Mayor of Christchurch. He joined us on the show following his win, and discussed the key issues he wants to focus on. Where will cut debt? Who will be his deputy? And does he think Wayne Brown is correct that Auckland is our only international city? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch's incumbent mayor believes debt is the Council's biggest challenge.   Phil Mauger says if re-elected he's committed to tackling the Garden's City's growing debt by selling off assets like the Lichfield Street carpark.   Mauger told John MacDonald the current debt level is $2.5 billion, and he wants it under control.   He says 25 cents of every rate dollar goes into debt...

I support the NZ Drug Foundation’s push to decriminalise drug use and drug possession.   The key point here is “use” and “possession”. It’s not saying let the dealers and manufacturers away with it, it’s saying we need to take a much more compassionate approach and treat drug users as people in need of help, instead of treating them as criminals.   I’m picking your response will probably...

Is it good enough that the victim of a nasty assault in Christchurch has had to hound the police for four weeks to find out what’s going on with their investigation?  This is someone who lost several teeth in the assault which happened in broad daylight inside The Palms shopping mall.    Is it good enough?  He and his family don’t think so, saying today that it’s left them feel...

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has had a gutsful. And I don’t blame him. I’d be the same if I had protesters outside my place and especially if I had a window smashed, which is what happened at his Auckland home last night. And I reckon the time has well and truly come for us to decide where it is appropriate for people to protest, and where it isn’t. Outside people’s homes is a no-no for...

Christchurch mayoralty hopeful Sara Templeton says her Green values wouldn't define her leadership of the city.  The three-term city councillor and former Green Party member has been challenged on her alignment and the fact Green mayors like Tory Whanau and Aaron Hawkins have been in office just one term.  Templeton told John MacDonald the focus should be on Christchurch, which needs som...

Much has happened this week, so National’s Hamish Campbell and Labour’s Tracey McLellan joined John MacDonald to delve into the biggest issues.  They discussed whether the Government should underwrite power prices to reduce bills, the viability of Treasury’s solutions to the financial crunch, and the results of the Herald’s annual Mood of the Boardroom survey.  Plus, the ever-hot topic t...

I got an email from the power company this week, telling me about my weekly electricity use and how much of that is used during my eight hours of free power on Saturdays and Sundays.  Despite doing all the washing and drying during the 16 free hours of power each week, it was only 20%.  No wonder the bills are so expensive. And that’s without teenagers chewing through the power like it u...

What’s your message to the new Reserve Bank Governor?   Dr Anna Breman is moving from Sweden to take up the job and will begin her five-year term at the start of December.   I thought it was interesting to hear her say yesterday that one of the first things she plans to do is to travel around the country to meet and listen to people.   She says she wants to meet people in regular ho...

You know how the Prime Minister does a very good job of batting away poll results and saying that his focus is fixing up the joint after the last lot and that he’ll wait until election day to be judged? I don’t think he will find it quite as easy to do that with these results out today from the NZ Herald’s annual Mood of the Boardroom survey. The annual survey of about 150 business leaders – 125 o...

Is it good enough? When you hear a doctor at Christchurch Hospital say that patients are dying in the waiting room and car park because the place is so overloaded, is it good enough? I’ve been talking to someone who was there at the weekend and saw first-hand how overloaded it actually is, which I’ll tell you about shortly. But is it good enough that we have Dr Dominic Fleischer saying that patien...

Would you be happy to pay $110-a-year for a residential parking permit, so you could get a park outside your place whenever you wanted? Some Christchurch City Council candidates think you would. Especially, if you live in the central city or in a suburb close to town where on-street parking can be a real problem. The council is already looking into it. That’s how we have an idea how much it would...

My confidence is shot and my patience is wearing thin. That’s my answer to the question I’ve got for you. Which is: How would you rate your level of confidence in and patience with the Government? After yesterday’s GDP result, the knives are well-and-truly out. We’ve got former Finance Minister Sir Roger Douglas saying Nicola Willis isn’t up to the job and should resign. Add to that a new poll res...

I wonder if the person who called me a tofu-eating, sandal-wearing, treehugger yesterday will have a bit of a re-think when they see what I’ve got to say about Environment Canterbury declaring a nitrate emergency.   I’m with Federated Farmers, which is saying it’s nothing more than a political stunt. But it’s not just that, it’s a very naive political stunt. Because show me one of these so-ca...

Another warning from Labour for its potential coalition partner Te Pāti Māori.  MP Takuta Ferris has twice attacked ethnic Labour party volunteers who sign-waved in the Tamaki Makaurau by-election, claiming they were taking a Māori seat away from Māori.   Party president John Tamihere echoed Ferris' comments yesterday, despite the party previously apologising.   Chris Hipkins told J...