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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

11:10

Tony Hadley: English singer and former Spandau Ballet...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/24

The former frontman of English new-wave band Spandau Ballet, now a solo act, Tony Hadley is popping over to our shores early next year. He’s part of the line up for the 2026 Selwyn Sounds, performing alongside the likes of Ronan Keating, When The Cats Away, and Opshop. Hadley joined John MacDonald for a chat about his career, influences, and gave an insight into why Spandau Ballet won’t be reuniting any time soon. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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5:17

John MacDonald: Is climate change a major issue in...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/23

Phil Mauger is back on board the climate change bandwagon today – just like he was before the last election. I remember asking him three years ago what he thought the most pressing issue facing Christchurch was and he said climate change. And he’s at it again today. So is current city councillor Sara Templeton, who also wants to be the city's next mayor. It won’t be any surprise to anyone that Sara rates climate change as a top issue or a top priority. And good on her for saying so, because I

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10:03

Chris Hipkins: Labour leader responds to Luxon's...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/23

The Labour Leader has responded to Luxon’s heated comments in response to their jabs about the cost of living. The Opposition has criticised the Government’s flagship cost of living policy, raising a red flag over only 153 families getting the maximum credit across all four quarters. Luxon says Labour's crying crocodile tears, and that he’s not taking any lectures from "frickin Chris Hipkins" about not supporting working Kiwis. Hipkins told John MacDonald that Luxon is focused on attacking other

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5:50

John MacDonald: Philanthropic funding for new medical...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/22

Let's start with the positives in the news that the Government is pressing ahead with a new medical school at Waikato University. 120 new med students every year. You can’t argue with that. But that’s about it for me. I’m not going to criticise the Government for doing something to get more doctors, because we need them. Especially in rural and regional areas, which look to be the main focus of this new school. But I think it would have been way better for the Government to invest more in the

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5:32

John MacDonald: Pine re-planter says some will think...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/21

I’m going to start by quoting someone I’ve quoted before - Dr Nicola Day, who is a plant ecologist at Victoria University in Wellington. Knowing a thing or two about plants means she knows a thing or two about pine trees. And here’s how she describes them: “Pines are one of the most flammable plants on the planet." I referred to the same quote last year when the Government turned down a request to change the forestry rules, so that pine forests couldn’t be re-planted after the big Port Hills fire in

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6:05

John MacDonald: The Govt's moral obligation to get...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/17

Education Minister Erica Stanford is my politician of the day for announcing that the Government isn't going to be building any more of those terrible open-plan classrooms. But she’ll be my politician of the year if she goes further than that and finds money to put some walls and doors in the modern learning environment monstrosities that already exist. In fact, I think the Government is morally obliged to help any state school that wants to get rid of their open-plan classrooms. It’s morally

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5:45

John MacDonald: If you see Shane Jones, tell him he's...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/16

Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones says we live in uncertain times and, because of that, we need to crank up the Marsden Point oil refinery again. I agree that we live in uncertain times, but I certainly don’t agree that we should pour time and money into something which has had its day. Shane Jones isn’t the only person talking about it though. The Prime Minister has said too that the Government is considering reopening Marsden Point as part of its plan to strengthen the country’s fuel and

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5:33

John MacDonald: This is one piece of Rogernomics that...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/15

How about this for an idea? Instead of the tax people pay on the first $60,000 of their income going to the government, what if it went into a savings account to pay for healthcare and put food on the table when they retire? It’s an idea being pushed by former finance minister Sir Roger Douglas and University of Auckland economics professor Robert MacCulloch which, they say, is needed because of the ageing population. They reckon people could save as much as $21,000 a year, with some of the money

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5:54

John MacDonald: This guy should never drive again -...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/14

We can safely say that someone who rides their motorbike at 110 kph in a 50 kph area is a threat. We can also safely say that someone who rides their motorbike at 110 kph in a 50 kph area and runs a red light is a danger. We can also safely say that someone who rides their motorbike at 110 kph in a 50 kph area, runs a red light and kills two pedestrians is a menace. This is a real-life story. And, upfront, I’m going to say that the person responsible is someone who should never be allowed to ride a

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5:00

John MacDonald: Import gas or cross our fingers and...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/11

Not as straightforward as it sounds. That’s pretty much the message coming through loud and clear in this new report which says importing liquified natural gas to make up for our dwindling local supplies is do-able. But. You’ll remember how, last year, when we had factories closing and people paying through the nose for their electricity, talk turned to what could be done, especially given we are at-risk of not having the gas needed to generate power. So the Government brought up the idea of

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5:47

John MacDonald: Do we have a moral obligation to help...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/10

Do you think the Government and councils would be “morally bankrupt” if they stopped paying people out when their properties are so flood-damaged that they can’t live there anymore? And would you feel the same about people living in areas at risk of flooding being forced to pay more for flood schemes and sea walls because they’re the ones who benefit most? That’s what a panel of experts is recommending to the Government. But a climate policy expert is saying that would be, you guessed it, “morally

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4:39

John MacDonald: Boris Johnson fronted-up to a Covid...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/09

Labour leader and former Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins thinks phase two of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response is a platform for conspiracy theorists, and he is non-committal about turning-up to give evidence. The most committed I’ve heard him so far is saying that he’s working on some written responses. But if that turns out to be the extent of his involvement, then he can forget about being prime minister again. Because let me remind you of a couple of things. While it

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10:11

Chris Hipkins: Labour Leader on the Covid-19 Inquiry,...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/09

Chris Hipkins is doubling down on saying the Covid Response Inquiry's terms seems to provide a platform for conspiracy views. The Labour leader also said the second phase —that began this week— excludes looking at any decisions made when NZ First was in Government. Hipkins told John MacDonald opinions from the likes of Brian Tamaki and Liz Gunn deserve to be heard but shouldn't overshadow submission on other experiences. He says if the Government's genuine in wanting all voices heard, it's important

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4:45

John MacDonald: Why do families earning $200K-plus...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/08

Isn’t it funny how the Government likes to talk about government support needing to be based on need, but seems to forget about all that when it comes to those nice middle-class people. Of which I am one. I’m not claiming to be nice, but I am what you would call middle-class. Which makes me fully qualified to ask why a family bringing in $229,000 a year should get taxpayer support to pay for their kids’ early childhood education. It also makes me highly qualified to answer that question, and to

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5:26

John MacDonald: Detaining young shoplifters is a...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/07

The Government wants to free-up the laws relating to citizens' arrests. But should this include letting retail staff detain children and young people caught shoplifting? The Chief Children’s Commissioner, Dr Claire Achmad, is saying today that it shouldn’t. And I agree with her. But not for the same reason. She says allowing shop owners and shop staff to detain young people would contravene the right of children to be free from violence. She says that right applies to kids anywhere and everywhere

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5:48

John MacDonald: The hardline stance on student loans...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/04

I didn’t do any study after I left school —no university, no polytech— so I’ve never had a student loan. I know about debt though, thanks to the mortgage. And I reckon it would be very easy for me, as someone who has never had to pay off a student loan but who knows what it’s like to have the responsibilities of a mortgage, to dismiss what a former IRD prosecutor is saying today. A former IRD prosecutor who says we need to go a bit easy on New Zealanders living overseas who are way behind in their

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18:59

Politics Friday with Vanessa Weenink and Reuben...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/04

Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by National’s Vanessa Weenink and Labour’s Reuben Davidson to break down the biggest issues of the week. They discussed student loan repayments – is there something that can be done to bring overseas loan holders back to New Zealand? Global companies like Uber are paying minimal tax over here – are we being ripped off? And ACC is planning to be more scrupulous when paying claims due to pressure from the Government to run a tighter ship. How will

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6:21

John MacDonald: Snake oil political promises have...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/03

When there’s an election campaign happening, how much do you care about the cost of the policies the political parties are pushing? Or, more to the point, how willing are you to trust the politicians when they say they've done the numbers, and they all stack up? My willingness to trust them is very low. Which is why I think we will be all the poorer for ACT and NZ First voting down the plan for a publicly-funded outfit that would have done the numbers and worked out the actual cost of election

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8:55

Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor on the shuttle bus...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/03

Questions over Christchurch City Council planning to spend $200 thousand on a shuttle bus study. Environment Canterbury wants to stop the proposed resurrection of a free inner-city shuttle, saying 1800 bus movements each weekday is enough. A 2023 law change means ECan will get the final say. Mayor Phil Mauger admits he voted for the costly study. But he told John MacDonald ECan didn't mention anything until it was included in the annual plan. He says there's no use spending the money if it doesn't

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9:56

Graham Gouldman: 10CC singer and base player on the...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald ·

2025/07/02

Having sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, legendary English rock band 10CC is celebrating their anniversary in style, their world tour bringing them to New Zealand’s shores. They’ll be hitting up Christchurch on the 10th of July, performing at the Isaac Theatre Royal. Co-lead singer and base player Graham Gouldman joined John MacDonald for a chat about life in the band, as well as reflecting on his growing appreciation for the songs. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

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