Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald
9am-12pm Weekdays
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 understanding of and connections to the Christchurch and Canterbury commercial sector.
Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings 9am-12pm with John MacDonald on 100.1FM and iHeartRadio.
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John MacDonald: Snake oil political promises have just been given a life line
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...
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"No use spending the money": Christchurch Mayor suggests rethinking $200k shuttle bus study
Questions over Christchurch City Council planning to spend $200 thousand on a shuttle bus study. Environment Canterbury wants to stop the proposed resurrection...
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"The power of music": 10CC's Graham Gouldman on performing, making music
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...
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John MacDonald: Will police and judges deliver what the Govt wants?
The Government has obviously decided that its law and order week. It started with tougher sentences for people who attack first responders and prison officers –...
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John MacDonald: Ferry privatisation would just be excusing KiwiRail's shortcomings
I don’t like this idea David Seymour’s pushing of privatising the Interislander ferry service and getting a private operator to run it, instead of KiwiRail. And...
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John MacDonald: Aren't ED assaults just as bad as first responder assaults?
The Government’s plan for tougher sentences for people who don’t think twice about assaulting first responders and corrections officers is great. But I think there...
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Politics Friday: Why are doctors unhappy with the Govt's virtual GP service?
Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by National’s Vanessa Weenink and Labour’s Megan Woods to delve into the biggest stories of the week. Parliament's...
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John MacDonald: How would you feel about paying more tax?
How do you feel about the prospect of paying higher income tax rates and more GST? I think it’s inevitable. So does the Inland Revenue Department. Because of our...
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John MacDonald: Attention motorists, more user-pays is on the way
The Infrastructure Commission's draft 30-year plan is the kind of big picture thinking we’ve been saying is needed, instead of the ad-hoc, politically driven approach...
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Not in anyone's best interest": Hipkins pushes for diplomacy in the Middle East
The Opposition Leader has laid out his view of what's needed for peace in the Middle East. A wavering ceasefire remains between Israel and Iran after scolding from...
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John MacDonald: Weapons in schools are the canary in the mine
If we choose to ignore or downplay this new information out today about kids taking weapons to school, we’ll be doing it at our peril. Because what do you hear...
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John MacDonald: Capping council rates isn't a solution
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger is in campaign mode for this year’s elections, saying that he thinks the Government might be onto a winner with its idea of forcing...
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John MacDonald: Get the Kiwis out of Iran and Israel - and leave it at that
The US air strikes on Iran yesterday are a disaster. A disaster that New Zealand needs to stay well clear of. Before yesterday, the prospect of it happening was...
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John MacDonald: The Govt.'s into local decision-making - when it suits
The Government’s been making it increasingly clear over time that it doesn’t really give two-hoots about local democracy. But, in the last 24 hours, it’s gone...
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"Blown away": Christchurch Mayor "disappointed" by Govt's power to overrule councils
Christchurch’s Mayor is back with John MacDonald to discuss the biggest stories from the week that was. The Government is giving the Housing Minister the power...
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John MacDonald: We need a one-size-fits-all life jacket rule
How weird is it that there are different rules or expectations regarding life jackets, depending on where you are in the country? I’m not the only one who thinks...
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John MacDonald: A closer look at our mental health hospitals is overdue
It was bad enough that a patient at Hillmorton Hospital who had threatened to kill was still allowed to come and go and ended up killing an innocent woman at her...
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John MacDonald: Police cameras yes - with a couple of provisos
I’ve surprised myself a little bit with my reaction to the news the police are looking at introducing body cameras. Generally, I’m all for it. But the civil liberties...
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John MacDonald: Australia might have AUKUS-buyer's remorse
Donald Trump won’t be too happy with Helen Clark right now, because she’s saying she doesn't want New Zealand to be an ally of the United States ever again. I’m...
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"Bullsh*t": Labour MP hits out at Tourism NZ's new marketing campaign
Matt Doocey and Duncan Webb joined John MacDonald in studio for Politics Friday. They discussed Helen Clark’s recent comments around New Zealand’s relationship with...
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John MacDonald: Wool carpet is great - but not everywhere
I’m all for the push to have wool carpet used in government buildings but I think it’s a mistake putting it in state homes. Kāinga Ora has announced that, from...
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John MacDonald: People should have known about mentally-unwell gardener
I’m not exactly sure where to start with this, because it is just so tragic and there is so much to it. I could start by ripping into the people who run Hillmorton...
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"Made their point": Hipkins says Te Pati Māori needs to focus on the big issues
Labour's leader says Te Pati Māori should focus on the issues most New Zealanders care about. Parliament last week voted to hand down the harshest suspensions...
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John MacDonald: The Govt needs some skin in the solar game
How would you feel if the Government came out and said solar energy is the future and it was going to throw everything at it? Because that’s something I think...
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John MacDonald: We need to get real about housing intensification
“A complete balls up”. How about that for what might be quote of the day? That’s how Christchurch city councillor Andrei Moore is describing the council’s handling...
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John MacDonald: The modern learning environment - pipedream turned nightmare
Imagine a school having $800,000 in the bank. Imagine all the things a school could buy with that amount of money. This is a state school I’m talking about, not...
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"No commercial find of gas since 2005": Natural gas debate continues
John was joined by Matt Doocey and Tracey McLellan this week for Politics Friday. They discussed the situation with Shirley Boys High School, who have spent $800,000...
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John MacDonald: There's nothing special about supermarket specials
I love this idea the Commerce Commission and the Grocery Commissioner have come up with, of supermarkets giving us everyday low prices instead of the ever-changing,...
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"I'll listen to anything": Christchurch Mayor open to capping rate increases
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger joined John MacDonald this morning for their regular catch up. In the wake of Raf Manji’s comments about capping rate increases,...
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John MacDonald: Privacy Commissioner says facial recognition's okay, but...
I am really torn. Because when it comes to facial recognition technology, I’ve always been of the view that if you’re not doing anything wrong, there’s nothing to...
