Articles by John MacDonald
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Christchurch's seven-year stench
Friday, 30 January 2026, 1:19pmTalk about déjà vu. The smell from the burnt-out wastewater treatment plant at Bromley has been a shocker this week and...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Why haven't we learned from our landslide history?
Monday, 26 January 2026, 12:50pmBefore the weekend, questions were already being asked as to why the campground at Mt Maunganui wasn’t evacuated before last...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: The ACC change that is long overdue
Friday, 23 January 2026, 12:35pmI reckon we should have signs up at our international airports saying: “Welcome to the people’s republic of pushovers”. Because...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Hey Labour, don't tell us you've changed - show us you've changed
Thursday, 22 January 2026, 12:46pmIf you bump into Chris Hipkins today, can you tell him he’s dreaming? Because, now that we know this year’s election is happening...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Rate caps won't make a difference
Wednesday, 21 January 2026, 1:21pmHats off to the Christchurch City Council. Which is telling the Government today that its idea of forcing a cap on council...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: What the PM should have said about the retirement age
Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 12:31pmIn his state of the nation speech yesterday, Christopher Luxon continued the great New Zealand tradition of kicking the retirement...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Pharmac funding weight-loss drugs is a no-brainer
Monday, 19 January 2026, 12:54pmThe personal responsibility brigade will be going ape over Pharmac looking into funding weight loss drugs. This wouldn’t...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Another kick in the guts for our volunteer firefighters
Friday, 12 December 2025, 2:48pmI’m glad I’m not a volunteer firefighter. Because, if I was, I would be brassed-off that an attempt to get volunteer firefighters...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: You can't put alcohol violence down to marketing
Tuesday, 9 December 2025, 1:02pmThese researchers calling today for a ban on alcohol marketing and sponsorship sound to me like they’re living in the past. Maybe...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: The Eagle has landed in Chch and should stay
Friday, 5 December 2025, 1:10pmThe eagle has landed. One of the police Eagle helicopters from Auckland is in Christchurch for the next two months as part...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Is Christchurch ready for a red zone re-think?
Monday, 1 December 2025, 12:56pmIs it time to have a re-think about what’s done with the residential red zone on the east side of Christchurch? I think it’s...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: 46 years and we still can't get the Erebus memorial decision right
Friday, 28 November 2025, 11:06amIt’s taken 46 years and we’ve still managed to stuff up the decision as to where to have a memorial for the 257 people who...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: We need to go further with Kiwisaver
Monday, 24 November 2025, 12:43pmI’m with the KiwiSaver providers who are saying we need to go further than just increasing contributions and we need to make...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Lessons for the future from the ferry deal
Thursday, 20 November 2025, 1:06pmFor me, one of the best things to come out of yesterday’s announcement about the Cook Strait ferries has nothing to do with...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: I'm paying attention to BusinessNZ, I hope you are too
Wednesday, 19 November 2025, 12:40pmI hope people are sitting-up and paying attention to what BusinessNZ is saying today. Especially the people who have their...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Is the EV bubble about to burst?
Tuesday, 18 November 2025, 1:03pmNew Zealand is about to become a dumping ground for dirty vehicles. That’s what the electric vehicle people are saying...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: I'm meh about the meth plan. But at least it's something.
Monday, 10 November 2025, 1:00pmAt least they’re doing something. But I don’t rate the chances of it working. That’s how I’m feeling about the Government’s...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: If ACC pulls the water safety funding, who gets harmed?
Tuesday, 4 November 2025, 12:43pmCan you believe the bean counters at ACC are taking the knife to its funding for Water Safety NZ? Their reasoning is that...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Netball's woes are more than just hoopla
Monday, 3 November 2025, 1:02pmMike Hosking’s interview this morning with reinstated Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua could only have gone one of...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Employers should be able to hire whoever they want
Thursday, 30 October 2025, 1:34pmEver since the 1930s, when American soldiers were based all around the world, people in many countries have been antsy about...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Another ham-fisted announcement from the Labour Party
Tuesday, 28 October 2025, 12:49pmSo another ham-fisted announcement from the Labour Party. In fact, it wasn’t even an announcement. Because of a leak, it...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: The Minister for the South Island is (rightfully) ducking for cover
Wednesday, 22 October 2025, 1:38pmThe Minister for the South Island is ducking for cover. I probably would be too, if I was him. Because he knows it’s going...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: How could anyone turn a blind eye to this?
Tuesday, 21 October 2025, 1:13pmSome days you hear about something which absolutely beggars belief. Today is one of those days. You hear about something...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Judith Collins is egging on parents and it needs to stop
Monday, 20 October 2025, 1:31pmThe Government is really spooked by this week’s mega strike. With about 100,000 people expected to walk off the job on Thursday. If...
