x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays.It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking.If it’s news you’re after, backing John is the combined power of the Newstalk ZB and New Zealand Herald news teams. Meaning when it comes to covering breaking news – you will not beat local radio.With two decades experience in communications based in Christchurch, John also has a deep

news politics

All Episodes

5:00

John MacDonald: I've got a solution for the power...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/13

This poll out today saying nearly half of us are more concerned about power prices than we were a year ago, is nonsense. Because I reckon we’re all concerned about it, not just nearly half of us. If you’re not concerned about your power bill, then I’ll have what you’re having thanks. Only 8% of people who took part in this survey by Curia said they were less concerned. I’ll have some of what they're having, as well. More to the point, as well as being worried about the prices, we should be just as

en-US

5:18

John MacDonald: There will always be cars and idiots

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/12

There are two things certain in this world. There will always be cars and there will always be idiots. That’s why this move by the Government to make it easier to seize and destroy cars won’t get rid of the boy racer problem. But it’s better than nothing and good on the Government for doing it. At the moment, the police can only seize or destroy a boy or girl racer’s car if they offend three times. We’re talking about three offences, in particular: taking part in illegal street racing; fleeing from

en-US

5:30

John MacDonald: The Pope won't change the world, but...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/09

I don’t often quote Albert Einstein, but I’m going to today. “Those who believe that politics and religion do not mix, understand neither.” And if the new pope didn’t understand that before today, he will now. Because Cardinal Robert Prevost —who will be known as Leo XIV— has only just been elected and already he’s being lobbied by politicians around the world. He’s the first pope to come from the United States, and the pressure on him to start making noises on global issues has been pretty much

en-US

18:48

Politics Friday with Megan Woods and Vanessa Weenink:...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/09

John MacDonald was joined this morning by Megan Woods and Vanessa Weenink, to delve into some of the biggest issues of the week. It’s been a big week for Weenink, who holds the electorate seat for Banks Peninsula – she gave an update on the State of Emergency in the area, and her thoughts on the response. Pay equity was the big topic of the week – it's been revealed National Party members were told about the plan last week – how did Weenink feel at the time? And David Parker believes it’s time for

en-US

5:29

John MacDonald: The one problem I have with MMP

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/08

I’ve always been a fan of MMP. And I still am, but there’s one thing about it that I do struggle with – the list MPs. I know it took some of us a while to totally understand why we have list MPs. I understand – but I don’t necessarily like it. Which is why I thought retiring Labour MP David Parker raised some good points about MMP in his valedictory speech in Parliament. He reckons we should replace it with something else. His preference is the single transferable vote system, and he thinks we

en-US

8:20

Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor on the State of...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/08

Banks Peninsula's State of Emergency remains in effect, with warning of more severe weather on its way for much of the country. The emergency was declared a week ago during record rain and flooding. Orange warnings have now been issued for more heavy rain for several parts of both islands, heading from south to north over the next two days. Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger told Canterbury Mornings the State of Emergency will be reviewed again at 4pm. He says they worry rain tomorrow may impact

en-US

5:38

John MacDonald: Don't crow about giving women the...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/07

Next time I hear one of our government politicians banging on about New Zealand being the first country in the world to give women the vote, it will sound very hollow. Because while that might be something to crow about, what the Government’s doing in relation to equal pay for women, isn’t. You’ve got to, at the very least, give Brooke van Velden credit for taking one for the team yesterday and announcing that the Government is pulling the plug on any current pay equity claims and making it harder

en-US

5:44

John MacDonald: Do we all really need the pension at 65?

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/06

It was very clever of the Government announcing that it was going to pump $12 billion into defence before saying anything about where the money’s coming from. A lot of us got all excited about the defence money because, even if you’re a pacifist, you would have to agree that our defence force has been running on the smell of an oily rag for a very long time. That’s just a fact. And we kind of accepted that there would have to be trade-offs. We just didn’t know, and we still don’t know, what those

en-US

5:44

John MacDonald: What to do about the illegal tobacco...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/05

Here’s a stat for you: 25 percent of cigarettes sold in New Zealand are from the black market. They’re being smuggled into the country and criminals are making millions selling them on Facebook Marketplace and construction sites. All over the place. And you probably don’t have to go far to find a dairy selling them, either. That figure has been put out by the tobacco industry in New Zealand. Although, there was an expert saying this morning that he reckons it’s not quite as bad as the tobacco

en-US

4:49

John MacDonald: Less ministers and govt. departments?...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/02

I love the way David Seymour is describing the size of cabinet and the number of government departments. He says the whole lot are "a big, complicated bureaucratic beast". And he is spot on. Here are the numbers that say it all: we have 82 portfolios, 28 ministers, and 41 separate government departments and agencies. If that doesn’t sound like a complicated beast, I don’t what does. So no argument from me. No argument also from Oliver Hartwich, who is Executive Director at the NZ Initiative think

en-US

4:41

John MacDonald: You thought it was expensive now to...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/05/01

If you think it’s expensive to travel around the country now, it’s about to get more expensive with KiwiRail ditching one of its ferries. But even though flying isn’t cheap, KiwiRail can forget about me making any interisland ferry bookings. Because why would ya? Two dungers —either of which can be out of service on any given day— no thanks. This all goes back to the decision by the Government not long after it came to power to pull the plug on the mega ferry project that Labour seemed to have an

en-US

5:40

John MacDonald: How does reducing revenue equal a...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/04/30

Get ready for what we now know will be a winter of discontent after the announcement by Nicola Willis that she is slashing government spending. Which shows us once and for all, that the income tax cuts were a dreadful mistake. Because it’s not just ideology driving these budget cuts - it’s need. The Government has much less money coming in the door through taxation - which means it’s got much less to spend. And, maybe conveniently, the Finance Minister’s announcement yesterday came 48 hours before

en-US

8:05

Chris Hipkins: Labour Leader talks emergency housing,...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/04/29

The Labour Leader is pushing back against criticism of emergency housing motels amid an increase in reports of concern to Oranga Tamariki. It estimates its seen a 45% increase in reports in the year to April, and data shows that as of March 31st, there were 1,391 children overdue to be given a social worker. Chris Hipkins is rebuking the idea the situation is a legacy of the previous Labour Government, telling John MacDonald that economic circumstances often result in a rise in negative statistics,

en-US

6:12

John MacDonald: A Cantabrian's perspective on...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/04/29

I reckon a lot of us in Canterbury won’t be as excited as people elsewhere in the country about the Government’s plan to let builders, plumbers and drainlayers sign-off their own work. I say that because of the bare-faced lies a lot of us were told by builders after the quakes. So this is going to apply to the construction of simple, standardised houses to try and reduce the need for so many council inspections and to speed-up building times. The Government reckons there’s about 3,000 homes that

en-US

6:12

John MacDonald: A Cantabrian's perspective on govt...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/04/29

I reckon a lot of us in Canterbury won’t be as excited as people elsewhere in the country about the Government’s plan to let builders, plumbers and drainlayers sign-off their own work. I say that because of the bare faced lies a lot of us were told by builders after the quakes. So this is going to apply to the construction of simple, standardised houses to try and reduce the need for so many council inspections and to speed-up building times. The Government reckons there’s about 3,000 homes that

en-US

5:19

John MacDonald: I'm not normally anti-bottle store,...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/04/28

I’ve surprised myself with my reaction to this plan to open a bottle store right across the road from the bus interchange, in central Christchurch. But I think it’s a terrible idea. And it’s a gut thing. Seeing all the stuff that goes on in the central city, my gut tells me that that’s probably the last place you’d want a bottle store. I’m surprised by the way that I feel about it because, normally, I’d probably look at this proposal and think that if people are going to buy booze, they'll buy

en-US

5:06

John MacDonald: Here's why we need two practical...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/04/14

Is it ever-so-slightly ironic that, on the same day that the first highway in the South Island had its speed limit increased to 110 kph, we had the Government announce that it wants to make it easier for people to get their driver’s licence? The highway is the main drag that runs between Christchurch and Rolleston. And the proposed driver licence changes are a range of things to make it easier and quicker for someone to get their full licence. There’s some good stuff in there. But I’m not liking

en-US

5:29

John MacDonald: Was the Treaty Principles debate...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/04/11

The Treaty Principles Bill is history. Done and dusted. But ACT leader David Seymour, who came up with the bill in the first place, has no regrets. And it’s not done and dusted, as far as he’s concerned. He could bring it back again. But I think what he’s most likely to do is make it a campaign issue in next year’s general election, or try to get a more explicit equality provision in the Bill of Rights Act. All he’s saying is: “I accepted that they've decided on this particular bill at this point

en-US

18:34

Politics Friday with Vanessa Weenink and Tracey...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/04/11

There's a lack of enthusiasm for a ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton. According to Local Democracy Reporting, Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon believes the Government should consider reinstating the service, which ran from 1895 to 1976. National Party's Vanessa Weenink told John MacDonald the idea is harking back to the old days. She says she’s unsure what the business case would be, and is unsure if it would work out. Labour's Tracey McLellan says it's a romanticised idea. She told

en-US

18:34

Politics Friday with Vanessa Weenink and Tracey...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/04/11

There's a lack of enthusiasm for a ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton. According to Local Democracy Reporting, Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon believes the Government should consider reinstating the service, which ran from 1895 to 1976. National Party's Vanessa Weenink told John MacDonald the idea is harking back to the old days. She says she’s unsure what the business case would be, and is unsure if it would work out. Labour's Tracey McLellan says it's a romanticised idea. She told

en-US

1,140 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

PBS News Hour - Full Show

PBS NewsHour

CD Voice

China Daily

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Noa Levi

Jeffrey Epstein: The Coverup Chronicles

Bobby Capucci