Articles by John MacDonald
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Time to end the e-scooter free ride
Friday, 31 January 2025, 12:51pmA mate was telling me last night how surprised he was that he was breath-tested by the police yesterday afternoon. If he’d...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Banks vs Fossil Fuels - a cultural battleground
Thursday, 30 January 2025, 12:50pmI like to think that I care about the climate and climate change. Well, I know I care. But, like most of us —if I’m really...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Which assets to sell? What about these ones?
Wednesday, 29 January 2025, 12:32pmGenerally speaking, when something isn’t making you any money, you try to get rid of it. That’s in business, especially....
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Planning for retirement in your 40s? Really?
Tuesday, 28 January 2025, 1:38pmWhat do you think someone in their 40s is thinking about right now? I can think of a few things, and I bet it’s not retirement....
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Our hungry kids are the canaries in the mine
Monday, 27 January 2025, 1:18pmIf you’ve ever been worried about the level of crime in New Zealand but you don’t think you need to worry about new research...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Yes to more tourists. But...
Thursday, 23 January 2025, 1:16pmThere’s nothing wrong with backing yourself but, as a country, we have some pretty high and mighty ideas sometimes. A...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Here's why we have a teacher shortage
Wednesday, 22 January 2025, 1:23pmDo you know who’s to blame for the high school teacher shortage we’re hearing about today? You are. I am, as well. We’re...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: I'm still feeling pretty chill about Trump
Tuesday, 21 January 2025, 1:13pm"We will be the envy of every nation and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. I will, very simply,...
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Opinion
Best of 2024: John MacDonald - This is the most pointless piece of road safety advice
Friday, 20 December 2024, 12:23pmDo you know what the most pointless piece of road safety advice is? Drive to the conditions. I get it and it’s well-meaning....
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Timing of Lake Alice compo offer is wrong
Thursday, 19 December 2024, 1:13pmSome people think the Government’s offer of a $150,000 rapid payment to Lake Alice torture survivors is an insult, but I...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Kneejerk reactions won't fix the fiscals
Wednesday, 18 December 2024, 12:54pmIf New Zealand was a company staring down the barrel of running at a loss for at least the next five years and finding itself...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: It's time we had less local councils
Tuesday, 17 December 2024, 12:40pmThe Government thinks it’s getting all tough on it with local councils, but I think Christopher Luxon and Simeon Brown are...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Ending violence - a challenge for all of us
Monday, 16 December 2024, 1:14pmIf you think the violence action plan announced by the Government yesterday has no relevance to your life - think again. It’s...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Motorcyclist ACC levies a human rights issue? Really?
Friday, 13 December 2024, 1:24pmEven as a scooter rider, I think these motorcyclists who are kicking up a fuss about their ACC levies going through the roof...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Hey Winston! More fairy dust, less bull dust please
Thursday, 12 December 2024, 1:08pmWhen Finance Minister Nicola Willis said “I have delivered” yesterday —after announcing the Government’s so-called plan for...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: I'm scratching my head over the greyhounds being scratched
Wednesday, 11 December 2024, 1:28pmI have never had a problem with greyhound racing so you’re not going to hear me singing the Government’s praises for banning...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Our handling of Gloriavale is a national shame
Tuesday, 10 December 2024, 12:53pmSurely this is the final straw for Gloriavale. Or, more to the point, surely it’s the final straw for the Government. Because...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: The government should be pressing pause on boot camps
Monday, 9 December 2024, 1:30pmThe minute the defence force said it didn’t want a bar of the new youth boot camps, the Government should have put the brakes...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Here's one solution to the power price problem
Friday, 6 December 2024, 12:21pmI’ve been reading a report the OECD released this morning, and it’s occurred to me that, if we want our businesses to survive,...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Traffic lights aren't the solution for Church Corner
Thursday, 5 December 2024, 12:57pmLet me paint you a picture. A picture of over-the-top traffic management. So you’re heading up Riccarton Road in Christchurch,...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: The problem I’ve got with Sevu Reece
Wednesday, 4 December 2024, 12:58pmIn relation to what happened in the Christchurch District Court yesterday, I could be telling you right now how outraged...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: $8 bus fares? No thanks
Tuesday, 3 December 2024, 1:08pmThere is no way I would pay $8 to ride a bus, but we’re being warned today that that’s what we could end up paying in just...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: Can someone please tell Chris Hipkins he's dreaming?
Monday, 2 December 2024, 1:18pmChris Hipkins was talking tough at the Labour Party’s annual conference in Christchurch yesterday, saying he is determined...
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Opinion
John MacDonald: How I feel now about the vaccine mandates
Thursday, 28 November 2024, 1:06pm‘If you think I’m a Jacinda Ardern puppet, you’re going to get a huge surprise’. Who’s saying that, do you think? It’s...
