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 obÌåÓý½Ó¿Ú 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 obÌåÓý½Ó¿Ú Canterbury Mornings 9am-12pm with John MacDonald on 100.1FM and iHeartRadio.
-
John MacDonald: How does reducing revenue equal a business-like approach?
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...
-
"Better than living in a car": Hipkins rebukes criticism of emergency housing motels amid increased OT reports
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...
-
John MacDonald: A Cantabrian's perspective on govt building changes
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...
-
John MacDonald: I'm not normally anti-bottle store, but...
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...
-
John MacDonald: Here's why we need two practical driving tests
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...
-
John MacDonald: Was the Treaty Principles debate worth it?
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...
-
Politics Friday: Is a Wellington to Lyttleton ferry just a "romanticised idea"?
There's a lack of enthusiasm for a ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton. According to Local Democracy Reporting, Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon believes...
-
John MacDonald: Trump's economic vandalism is staggering
I saw a brilliant cartoon the other day which had America’s founding fathers sitting around a table writing up the country’s constitution - and they had agreed that...
-
"A bloody nuisance": Christchurch struggles with bird poo problem
John MacDonald was joined today by Mayor Phil Mauger. They discussed the potential for Christchurch to be home to the delayed Erebus Disaster memorial – is Christchurch...
-
John MacDonald: Do politicians' religious beliefs matter to you?
If the MP for Ilam, Hamish Campbell, thinks he’s going to get away with not saying anything more about his involvement with this underground religious group, then...
-
John MacDonald: $12 billion on defence? I'm good with that
It would be great if we didn’t have to spend $12 billion on our defence force. But we do, and I’m good with it. To be honest though, while we’d known the Government...
-
John MacDonald: Is prison the wrong place for some offenders?
I’m liking what Sir Ron Young is saying about prison sentences today. He’s really challenging us, saying that we need to re-think what we do with people given sentences...
-
John MacDonald: I'm not going anti-America over the tariffs
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reckons people in Australia are going to feel dumped-on by the United States after yesterday’s trade tariffs announcement....
-
Politics Friday: Is there a need for greater housing density in Christchurch?
John MacDonald was joined in studio by Vanessa Weenink and Reuben Davidson to delve into some of the biggest political stories of the week. The US President has...
-
John MacDonald: Greater housing density is the future Christchurch
We were all standing up and cheering the Christchurch City Council three years ago, when it flipped the bird at the Government over housing intensification. Because...
-
John MacDonald: Here's how to get big events to NZ
The Prime Minister has lived up to his talk of being a great negotiator, saying “thanks but no thanks” to Team New Zealand. Because a great negotiator is always...
-
John MacDonald: New ferries by 2029? I'll believe it when I see it
Four more years. That's how long we’re going to have to wait for KiwiRail's new interisland ferries. But I reckon it will turn out being longer than that. The...
-
John MacDonald: Has the Grocery Commissioner checked out?
Where's the grocery commissioner? Wasn’t he going to get cheaper groceries for all of us? That was the idea. But he hasn’t. So is Nicola Willis going to do it? My...
-
John MacDonald: Duty of care? Do me a favour, Christian
Some people think a 90-day trial for new workers is tough, but what about a two-day trial? Which is what’s happened with Liam Lawson. And like his Red Bull teammate,...
-
Politics Friday: Labour's "crystal clear" in opposing Tamatha Paul's comments on Police
National’s Matt Doocey and Labour’s Megan Woods joined John MacDonald in studio to discuss some of the biggest political stories of the week. Green MP Tamatha...
-
John MacDonald: Roadside drug testing? Great. Will the police cope? Mmmm
I’m sure you’ll tell me if you think I’m stuck in the past, but I reckon that with the police now being expected to do roadside drug tests —as well as everything...
-
Ben Elton talks the 'inspiration of lunacy' and his 'Authentic Stupidity' tour
British comedian Ben Elton is returning to Christchurch this May, in what will be his final show in his Authentic Stupidity tour. He joined John MacDonald for a...
-
"Far too much": Christchurch Mayor shocked by Chalice repair bill
Christchurch's Mayor says he was shocked by the $400 thousand bill to restore Cathedral Square's Chalice. The City Council's investigating ways to reduce the cost...
-
John MacDonald: One stadium, one ticket price
Even though I live in Christchurch and pay rates in Christchurch, you’re not going to hear me saying that I should pay less to get into the new One NZ Stadium when...
-
John MacDonald: Meth use doubles and here's what needs to happen
I’ve never used meth. And I hope I never do. I say “hope” because I think that’s as certain as you can be about a drug like that. Because none of us know what’s...
-
John MacDonald: Are we really that scared of saying what we think?
At the same time as Winston Peters is declaring war on wokeism, we’ve got a Christchurch community board member saying we are too scared to say things these days...
-
John MacDonald: How to honour Chch Cathedral's past without being stuck in it
Here's an idea that I’m quite excited about. It’s quite raw – it only occurred to me at about 5:30 this morning. But I reckon it could be a solution to something...
-
Politics Friday: Another potential future for the Christchurch Cathedral
The future of Christchurch’s beleaguered cathedral is on the radar again – is there a chance it could be turned into a public use venue, or will it be lost to the...
-
John MacDonald: An apprenticeship is anything but second-best
I always have and always will be a huge fan of on-the-job training. Which is why I think it’s brilliant that we’ve got an education expert saying today that the...
-
John MacDonald: What's so bad about political parties having a go at council elections?
David Seymour says the ACT Party wants to put up candidates in this year’s local body elections because “it’s time for a clean-out”. Whatever his motivation is,...
