/on-air/christchurch/rss 九一星空无限 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:06:33 Z en /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/dion-kerr-canterbury-golf-ceo-reflects-on-the-2025-season/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/dion-kerr-canterbury-golf-ceo-reflects-on-the-2025-season/ Golf continues to flourish across New Zealand, and Canterbury is no different.  Dion Kerr, Chair of Canterbury Golf, joined Lesley Murdoch to reflect on 2025 – the growing participation, new events and initiatives, and the progress made across the game.  In association with the Elmwood Trading Company.  LISTEN ABOVE   Sat, 13 Dec 2025 02:44:11 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/rob-penney-crusaders-head-coach-on-being-named-coach-of-the-year-crusaders-season/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/rob-penney-crusaders-head-coach-on-being-named-coach-of-the-year-crusaders-season/ Rob Penney's capped off his zero-to-hero transformation with the Super Rugby title winning Crusaders mentor named coach of the year.  True to form, Penney deflected the spotlight, crediting the Board, Management, fellow coaches, and senior players for the team’s and ultimately his success. Still, he’s deeply proud of the turnaround from 2024 and excited for what’s ahead in 2026.  He joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat about his time as coach and the milestone the Crusaders are chasing.  LISTEN ABOVE   Sat, 13 Dec 2025 02:32:20 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-another-kick-in-the-guts-for-our-volunteer-firefighters/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-another-kick-in-the-guts-for-our-volunteer-firefighters/ I’m glad I’m not a volunteer firefighter. Because, if I was, I would be brassed-off that an attempt to get volunteer firefighters the same ACC cover as full-time firefighters has gone nowhere. A petition calling for the change has been rejected by a parliamentary select committee because it doesn’t want to set a precedent. The committee is trotting out all the usual platitudes but the fact remains that volunteer firefighters have just had another kick in the guts. A bit of background: Katherine Lamont from the Queenstown volunteer brigade started the petition after another volunteer developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but couldn't get any help because he’s a volunteer. That’s because volunteer firefighters don’t get the same ACC cover and benefits as full-time firefighters. Which means if they suffer from any mental health issues because of their firefighting work, or if they get some kind of gradual injury from their firefighting work, or develop cancer because of their firefighting work, they can forget about any ACC entitlements. Whereas, full-time firefighters get all of that covered. Which is so wrong. Especially when you consider that volunteers make up 86 percent of the front-line Fire and Emergency New Zealand workforce and are often first responders in emergencies. In 2023, volunteer firefighters responded to callouts for 70 percent of all motor vehicle crashes, 71 percent of all medical emergencies and 81 percent of vegetation fires. That’s according to Katherine Lamont from the Queenstown brigade who saw how much of a rort this is and started the petition to try and get a better deal for the volunteers. But Parliament’s education and workforce committee has said no. Because it doesn’t want to set a precedent - because it doesn’t think it’s practical for all volunteers to get ACC workplace coverage. The committee says: "While we are sympathetic to the petitioner's arguments, we are concerned about the precedent that extending ACC cover to volunteer firefighters might set.” I don’t buy that for a minute. Because is the committee saying that, if volunteer firefighters got full ACC cover, then we’d have people doing meals on wheels demanding the same? So that’s what the committee says about its reason for rejecting the petition. Then the weasel words start: “We would like to take the opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to all those who volunteer for this important and challenging work." Do me a favour! Heartfelt gratitude would be recognising these people properly. Telling them that, if their “important and challenging work” means one day they find themselves suffering from PTSD, or some other serious injury or cancer because of that "important and challenging work”, then they will be looked after. That would be “heartfelt gratitude”. Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:48:39 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-you-wont-get-me-liking-any-social-media-ban/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-you-wont-get-me-liking-any-social-media-ban/ Australia pressed go yesterday on the social media ban for kids under-16 and a Parliamentary select committee here thinks we should do the same. I don’t. Nor does retired district court judge David Harvey, who is saying today that a ban would be a cop-out for parents. He says it would be another example of outsourcing parental authority to the state. He might have a point, but I think a lot of parents are to blame for the problem people seem to be expecting Parliament to fix. Because a lot of parents have been pushovers when it comes to social media. You go anywhere today, and you’ll see the next generation of pushover parents letting their kids on devices anytime, anywhere. I’m anti a ban because I just don’t think it’s practical. I don’t see it working. I know the counterargument to that is that people get around all sorts of laws, so does that mean we shouldn’t have any? Underage kids get their hands on alcohol even though it’s illegal. People on learner licences drive with passengers, even though it’s illegal. I get that, but it’s still not a very good argument for a law that sounds great, but which I don’t see being great in reality. The other reason I’m against a social media ban is that the under-16s who would be impacted have already grown up with social media. It’s ingrained in their lives. It’s a genuine communication tool – schools use it, sports clubs use it. Tell that though to the MPs on Parliament’s Education and Workforce select committee, which has been looking into the idea of a social media ban for under-16s here in New Zealand. The committee’s interim report, its final report will be out early in the new year, its interim view is that we need something like that here. The committee also thinks we would need to have a social media regulator to make sure people and the social media companies follow the rules. Back to retired judge David Harvey, who thinks banning under-16s from social media would be a cop-out for parents. He says: “Supporters of the ban increasingly frame it as a tool for parents – an additional “lever” to help them say “no” to persistent children. That rationale reflects a growing trend: shifting parental responsibility onto the state.” He says: “Telling children ‘the law says no’ is not parenting. It is outsourcing authority.” And I agree. Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:20:12 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-on-the-debate-between-nicola-willis-taxpayers-union-andrew-coster/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-on-the-debate-between-nicola-willis-taxpayers-union-andrew-coster/ Chris Hipkins is hitting out at the Taxpayers' Union as it prepares to launch a campaign against Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  The lobby group is questioning Willis's track record on the economy.  Willis has responded, challenging chair and former finance minister Ruth Richardson to a debate.  The Labour Leader told John MacDonald the Taxpayers' Union has a view of "entrenched privilege".  He claims the organisation is funded by a group of rich people who want to keep all of their money.  Hipkins is also unimpressed by Willis’ decision to agree to the debate, which he says shows deep divisions among the National Party.  He calls it petty and says Willis should be focused on things like creating jobs.  LISTEN ABOVE   Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:22:13 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-your-house-is-going-to-be-your-castle-again/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-your-house-is-going-to-be-your-castle-again/ There’s a lot to take in with these planning law changes. But what it comes down to is the Government wants people to be able to do more with their own property with less red tape.  If you want to do something that has no impact on anyone else, you’ll be able to do it. Your house, your castle.  That’s where there could be a few sticking points, because who determines what impacts others and what doesn’t? But overall, I like what the Government is doing.  And I know it will have looked for some of the most extreme examples of the current planning laws to sell the changes it’s making. Which is to ditch the Resource Management Act and replace it with a planning act and a natural environment act.  But you can’t argue with the minister responsible, Chris Bishop, when he says we need to see the end of developers being told one thing by one council planner and something different by another – such as one planner saying front doors have to face the street and another saying they can’t.  What the Government is saying is that the days of council planners playing god are over. And amen to that.  So the sorts of things it’s going to let us do without needing consents are things like adding a balcony or a deck or building a garage.  Chris Bishop says he knows of a guy who wanted to replace a garage on his property but spent nine months arguing with the council, because the council didn’t like the look of the garage.  It seems a lot of people are saying the devil will be in the detail. And one of the sticking points or potential bones of contention I see is where do you draw the line at what impacts others and what doesn’t.  For example: the Government wants me to be able to build a deck at my place without a consent, providing it has no impact on others. But what if building that deck means I can see over the fence more easily?  Overall, though, I’m in favour of letting people do more with their own property with less red tape.  But how do you feel about it?  Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:53:58 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-you-cant-put-alcohol-violence-down-to-marketing/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-you-cant-put-alcohol-violence-down-to-marketing/ These researchers calling today for a ban on alcohol marketing and sponsorship sound to me like they’re living in the past. Maybe it’s the circles I mix in. But I reckon things have come ahead leaps and bounds when it comes to our drinking culture in New Zealand. And before you start yelling “what about things like crate day mate?” - I’m not saying we’ve got it perfect. But I think we’ve moved on from any decade before the current one - when what these experts are saying today might have carried more weight. So health promotion advisor Lizzie Barratt and researcher Dr Debbie Hager are saying that, with people drinking more at this time of the year, there is a spike in violence - especially by men against women and kids. I’m not going to argue with them on that one. But is advertising to blame for that? I don’t think so. But it’s not just an end-of-year thing. They say there needs to be a permanent ban on alcohol marketing and sponsorship to protect women and children from violence. They say a ban would eliminate alcohol’s role in reinforcing a masculine drinking culture and eliminate its link with sporting activities. And, if we do nothing, things will only get worse. But the alcohol adverts I see these days are way different to the ones we used to see. For starters, they are way less “blokey”. They also seem to be promoting restraint, as much as anything. I really started noticing this a couple of years ago. Maybe further back than that. When the beer companies seemed to be putting as much effort into advertising their zero-alcohol products, as their other products. So doesn’t that diminish the argument for a marketing ban and sponsorship ban? What’s more, whatever I personally choose to drink has nothing to do with what I see on a billboard or whatever beer logo I might see on a rugby jersey. I’m not saying that the alcohol companies should be allowed to run ads encouraging us to get tanked. I‘m just saying that I don’t think banning alcohol ads and banning alcohol sponsorships would stop the mongrels who do get pissed and go home and beat up their partners and kids. LISTEN ABOVE Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:02:20 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/alex-thornton-carla-joel-kelsey-parker-trekn-travel-members-on-their-performance-in-godzone/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/alex-thornton-carla-joel-kelsey-parker-trekn-travel-members-on-their-performance-in-godzone/ Alex Thornton, Carla Joel, Kelsi Parker, and Summer O'Shea make up the 'Trekn Travel', an all female team who took on one of the toughest races in the world, GODZONE.   Lesley chats with Alex, Carla and Kelsi about their incredible result in the team category of GODZONE.    LISTEN ABOVE   Sat, 06 Dec 2025 03:00:10 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/amelia-garvey-nz-professional-golfer-reflects-on-2025-looks-ahead-to-2026/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/amelia-garvey-nz-professional-golfer-reflects-on-2025-looks-ahead-to-2026/ Lesley Murdoch catches up with Christchurch based, New Zealand professional golfer and Ladies European Tour player, Amelia Garvey. They discuss the wonderful year she had and look ahead to 2026. LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 06 Dec 2025 02:40:09 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/bobby-almond-former-all-white-on-the-draw-for-the-2026-fifa-world-cup/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/bobby-almond-former-all-white-on-the-draw-for-the-2026-fifa-world-cup/ The All Whites will face Belgium, Egypt and Iran in Group G at next year's FIFA World Cup.  New Zealand was the final ball plucked out in the first ever 48-team draw, with ice hockey's greatest Wayne Gretzky announcing their name to the world.  Former All White Bobby Almond reacted to the announcement on All Sport Breakfast Canterbury.  LISTEN ABOVE Sat, 06 Dec 2025 02:36:05 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-the-eagle-has-landed-in-chch-and-should-stay/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-the-eagle-has-landed-in-chch-and-should-stay/ The eagle has landed. One of the police Eagle helicopters from Auckland is in Christchurch for the next two months as part of a crackdown on these criminal kids doing-over dairies and committing other crimes.  I think it’s brilliant that it’s here and I think we need one here permanently.   For several reasons: Christchurch is New Zealand’s second-largest city; we have a level of criminal activity here to justify it; and it’s not as if a police helicopter hasn’t been put to good use here before.  In 2020, it was in Christchurch for a five-week trial, and it was also used a few times earlier than that after the mosque attacks and when Prince William visited.  During the trial in 2020, the helicopter was sent to 346 incidents ranging from a water rescue, a robbery attempt, and helping a man thought to be having a heart attack in a park.  There was a bit of chat at the time about people being woken up at night by the sounds of it flying around. But an informal survey of residents found that only 24% of people thought the sound or noise from the helicopter was annoying. 60% said it didn’t bother them and 16% said they hadn’t noticed it.  The police themselves gave it a very positive review. One officer wrote to the Police 九一星空无限 magazine saying every officer who had worked with the helicopter had found it beneficial in helping to prevent crime, catch offenders, and increase safety.  But despite Canterbury police themselves giving positive feedback on the trial, the powers-that-be decided it wouldn’t be made permanent. Which some people would have been happy about, because there were some who hated the helicopter being here and weren’t excited about the idea of us getting on here permanently.  National MP Gerry Brownlee was dead against it. I remember him saying that plenty of people had told him that they hated the noise. They also found it traumatising hearing it, because it took them back to the days after the earthquakes.  I get that. Nevertheless, I’ve always been in no doubt that we would benefit from having a permanent helicopter here. Which National kind-of talked about prior to the last election.  The party’s Christchurch central candidate was at a street corner meeting, and someone asked him what National was going to do about youth crime and whether it had plans for a police helicopter in Christchurch.  According to someone who was there, he said that Christopher Luxon had given it the nod but there wouldn’t be any announcement before the election.  That was it. Nothing more since.   But we know the cops love it. Most residents seem to like it. And my pick would be that support for us having a dedicated police helicopter would be much higher now than when the trial happened in 2020.  Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:10:18 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-dont-dismiss-the-christchurch-supercity-idea/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-dont-dismiss-the-christchurch-supercity-idea/ A couple of advisors at the Christchurch City Council have ripped into the Government’s plan for regional councils and have said to councillors that they reckon there’s a better way. Or more correctly, two better potential ways. Instead of having local mayors run regional councils for two years and, during that time, work out how they’re going to get by without a regional council. At a briefing meeting yesterday, two principal policy advisors put two options on the table for councillors to think about. Option 1: Amalgamate the Christchurch, Selwyn, and Waimakariri councils to create a new super city. Which I've been a fan of for quite some time now. And Option 2: Keep all three councils and have the city council take over ECAN’s regional council functions. The reason these two council advisors have put these two options up for discussion is that they think having local mayors run ECAN for two years and work out a new structure for local government is a “weak” idea, which wouldn’t do any favours for Christchurch ratepayers. And I get what they’re saying, because as soon as you get three mayors around the table, they’re just going to be interested in what’s in it for them, aren’t they? Which is the same approach these policy advisors are taking. They’re on the city council pay roll and so they have to think about what’s best for Christchurch city. And I like their idea of a supercity. But every time a supercity is mentioned, some people are quick to point to Auckland as an argument against it. The Auckland supercity brought together seven city and district councils and the regional council back in 2010. But a supercity in the greater Christchurch area would be nowhere near the same scale. We’re talking here about just three councils: Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri. We’ve done amalgamation before on a much smaller scale. Back in 2006, Banks Peninsula Council amalgamated with Christchurch city. The issue then was that Banks Peninsula didn’t have a big enough population to get the rates it needed to operate properly. Selwyn and Waimakariri don’t have that problem – they’ve grown massively since the earthquakes. Selwyn, especially. But half of the people living in Selwyn come into Christchurch every day for work and school, and they contribute nothing towards the cost of the running of the city. They’re using the city’s roads and so many of the other facilities that they pay nothing for. Add to that the relatively small distance between Selwyn, Christchurch and Waimakariri, and amalgamation is a no-brainer.  Tue, 02 Dec 2025 23:59:36 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-rates-caps-are-a-placebo-policy/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-rates-caps-are-a-placebo-policy/ You might recall a poll result that came out back in September which proved that 75 percent of us are idiots. It’s these idiots that the Government is pandering to with the council rates cap it announced yesterday. And the 75 percent of people who said in that poll that they support the Government forcing rates caps on councils will be very happy today. Because, from mid-2029, annual increases won’t be allowed to be any higher than 4 percent. Unless a council manages to get a special dispensation. As a ratepayer, a rates cap sounds like a great idea. But it’s not. One description I’ve seen of the Government’s move is that it’s lazy politics. Which it is. Because of the 75 percent of people who support it, as the poll a few months back would suggest. I suspect the only complaint the pro-rates cap people will have is that it isn’t planned to start for another three-and-a-half years. In mid-2029. By which time there could very well be a different government in power and, if Labour (for example) is true to its word, then the whole thing could be history. Labour’s local government spokesperson Tangi Utikere is saying today that they’ll vote against the rates cap law when it goes through Parliament. He says: “We've made it very clear that we won't expect local government to continue to work and take on additional responsibilities without the funding. So we don't support this rates cap.” Nelson mayor Nick Smith has been very careful not to bag his old National Party mates. But he does admit that it’s not going to be easy. Rates caps have been brought-in in Australia and it’s created severe financial difficulties for some councils over there. What’s more, Christchurch city councillor Sam MacDonald is already talking about the council selling assets to make up for the money it won’t be getting because of the limit on rates increases. All this is, is another placebo policy. Something that might make us feel better for a little while. But it won’t last long. Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:35:55 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-is-christchurch-ready-for-a-red-zone-re-think/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-is-christchurch-ready-for-a-red-zone-re-think/ Is 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 fair to say that mayor Phil Mauger thinks so. And so do I. Phil’s saying today that he wants to see red zone land used for housing as soon as possible. With the first cab off the rank being land on the edge of the area already zoned for it. This includes land the city council is going to lease to a housing trust so it can provide affordable housing on the east side of town. Ten hectares is already zoned for housing and another 24 hectares is earmarked for trial housing areas. But, with a total area of about 600-hectares all up, why stop there? I reckon that, rather than nibble around the edges, we should have a proper technical investigation to find out whether much more of the red zone land could be used. At a time when we have more and more housing developments chewing up more and more land, shouldn’t we be opening our minds to the possibility that some - if not all - of that red zone land could be a better option? I think so. But it would require a serious commitment and some serious expenditure. Because it would involve some pretty intense investigative work. But when you think about when that area was declared a red zone, that was at a time when the land was still moving with all the aftershocks and when it probably just seemed easier to move everyone out and to think about what to do with it afterwards. The thinking was done and, at that point, it was determined that the last thing to do with that area was to put more houses on it. Which I think most of us were willing to accept at the time. But it does seem strange that we are supposed to be behoven forever to decisions made more than a dozen years ago. When not only time has moved on, but so too has our technical capabilities. I’m no expert in any of the areas that would need to be factored-in to any decision to have more housing in the red zone, so I’m not demanding that houses be built there tomorrow. But Phil Mauger’s comments have got me thinking. If we did go ahead with what I’m talking about, there’d be no guarantee that the outcome would be any different to what it was after the quakes. But what’s wrong with opening our minds to the possibility? LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 30 Nov 2025 23:56:57 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/debbie-scott-chair-of-the-cgi-women-s-committee-and-canterbury-selector-ahead-of-the-women-s-interprovincial-golf-championships/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/debbie-scott-chair-of-the-cgi-women-s-committee-and-canterbury-selector-ahead-of-the-women-s-interprovincial-golf-championships/ Another golf competition is teeing off soon.  The Women’s Interprovincial Golf Championships are beginning on Monday at Ashburton Golf Club.  Debbie Scott, Chair of the CGI Women’s Committee and Canterbury Selector, joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat ahead of the tournament, in association with Elmwood Trading Company.  LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 29 Nov 2025 02:51:29 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/laurence-pithie-kiwi-cyclist-on-his-success-in-2025-and-whats-next-in-2026/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/laurence-pithie-kiwi-cyclist-on-his-success-in-2025-and-whats-next-in-2026/ Laurence Pithie has had a huge year on the bike.  From a podium at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race to making his Tour de France debut with Red Bull–BORA–Hansgrohe, the 23-year-old Kiwi has stamped his mark on the world stage.    Pithie also impressed in the Spring Classics, lining up against cycling’s biggest names and proving he belongs in the elite ranks.  He joined Lesley Murdoch to reflect on the season and look ahead to 2026.  LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 29 Nov 2025 02:41:04 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-46-years-and-we-still-cant-get-the-erebus-memorial-decision-right/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-46-years-and-we-still-cant-get-the-erebus-memorial-decision-right/ It’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 died in the Mt Erebus air disaster.  It was 46 years ago today when the Air NZ DC-10, flight TE901, ploughed into the side of Mt Erebus.   And, yes, nice job making the memorial announcement in time for the anniversary, but Cracroft Reserve in Christchurch is not where it should be. In fact, it shouldn’t be in Christchurch full-stop. It should be in Auckland.   I’m not the only one who thinks so. I’ll get to that.    But I will never forget the night of the Erebus crash – if you were around at the time, you probably won’t either. I was 11-and-a-half, and I remember being allowed to stay up late and listen to the 10 o’clock news on the radio.   I went off to bed afterwards knowing it wasn’t good. And it seemed that everyone knew someone who was either on that plane or knew someone who lost someone close to them on that plane. A mate of dad’s lost his wife.   Simone Bennett was one of those people affected directly. She lost her father. He was one of the 257 people on board who died – 237 passengers and 20 crew.   She is furious that the memorial is going to be built in Christchurch. She says she’s furious and disgusted because she lives in Auckland and she can’t believe the memorial is going to be so far away.  I get that and good on her for calling out the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, because it feels to me like they have just given up on Auckland and gone for the next best location.  You’ll probably remember the stoush when they wanted to build the memorial at Dove Meyer Robinson Park in Parnell, in Auckland. But there was major push-back on that one.   The anti-brigade claimed that it would “change the tone of the gardens”. They eventually got their way when the cyclone went through Auckland and made the site at the gardens in Parnell unsafe to build on.  After that, 50 different sites in the greater Auckland area were looked at but none were considered suitable. Hence, it ending up in Christchurch.   Not everyone is unhappy with the decision though. Andrew McKeen is president of the Airline Pilots' Association. He’s not only thrilled it’s finally going to happen, he also thinks Christchurch is a good spot for it.   He’s saying: “Christchurch serves as New Zealand's gateway to Antarctica and was the intended stopover point for TE901's return to Auckland."   Which it was. I remember someone telling me once about all the airport staff waiting for the plane to land in Christchurch 46 years ago tonight. I get the connection to Antarctica with the Antarctic programme being based in Christchurch.  But the Air New Zealand headquarters is in Auckland and that’s where the memorial should be. The majority of family members live there too.   And I’m conscious that there could be someone reading this right now who was affected by Erebus in the most direct way and who may very well think Christchurch is a good choice.   But I don’t. Simone Bennett, who I mentioned earlier, doesn’t either. But what about you?  Thu, 27 Nov 2025 22:06:25 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-who-can-we-believe-about-nitrates-in-the-water/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-who-can-we-believe-about-nitrates-in-the-water/ How interested are you in the quality of your drinking water? For example, would you like to be able to look up your address and get credible, reliable information from an official source about the nitrate levels in the water coming through your taps? I would. Because I just don’t know whether to believe some of the alarming stuff that’s been coming out of Greenpeace this week about the nitrate situation or not. Let’s bring in Associate Professor Tim Chambers from the University of Canterbury - who is saying today that it is a government responsibility to provide up-to-date information on nitrates in the water. He’s been involved in a large study looking into the link between nitrates and premature births, which has compared birth records with nitrate levels in drinking water supplies where these kids have been born. He can’t say too much about the findings because they’re still being peer-reviewed. But he is saying that we deserve to know more. He says: “We have advocated for this for a long time. Lots of other countries do this. You can type in your address and it takes you to the supply you’re on and the latest readings.” I think this would be a brilliant thing to do here. In fact, I think it’s an essential thing to do here with all the noise - and, potentially, exaggeration - that’s coming from Greenpeace. Or is it an exaggeration? If it is exaggerated, then we deserve better access to information. Here’s one example of what Greenpeace has been saying this week. It says it’s tested 110 water samples and has found that the Darfield water supply is above the levels that are considered safe for pregnant women. “Absolutely unacceptable,” is what one of its campaigners is saying about that. If it’s true, I’d agree. But I heard about someone who had their water tested by an independent lab and it was fine. But their neighbour had Greenpeace test theirs and the levels were through the roof, apparently. This is why I think the Government and councils are obliged to give us free and open access to data. Because we are at risk of being unnecessarily spooked by scaremongering by the likes of Greenpeace. At the same time, we’re also at risk of being misled by councils telling us that everything’s fine and there’s nothing to see here. LISTEN ABOVE Thu, 27 Nov 2025 02:46:56 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-the-alternative-to-ditching-regional-councils/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-the-alternative-to-ditching-regional-councils/ You know how at work you can get people leaving and, instead of hiring new people, they just dish out the work to other people? Then it gets to the point where the other people look up and realise they’re overworked, overloaded, and burnt out.  I wonder if that’s how mayors around the country are feeling about the prospect of them not only running their own councils but taking over their local regional council, as well.  That’s what the Government is proposing, with the ultimate aim of pretty much getting rid of regional councils as we know them.  Which I think is the wrong way of going about it. I think the Government should instead be focussing on all the other councils we’ve got. We have 67 local authorities in New Zealand. So work on having less city and district councils because that’s where the genuine overlap and duplication happens.  But the Government sees this as an easier sell. I know that from hearing Local Government Minister Chris Bishop say that people have got no idea what regional councils do, so let’s get rid of them.  I think it would be very easy for me to fall into the trap of cheering the Government on on this front because —trust me— I’m in no doubt that we have too many local councils. But I’m not cheering on this proposal because, in the long run, I don’t think it’s going to mean much.  If it was me telling the Government what should happen, I’d be saying unitary authorities are the way to go, which are basically councils that are regional councils and city or district councils all rolled into one.  Because why does somewhere the size of Timaru, for example, have two councils? The district council and the regional council. It shouldn’t.  That’s why I think the Government is all a bit backside-about-face on this one and should be focussing on us having less of the smaller councils and keeping the regional councils.  Tue, 25 Nov 2025 23:39:56 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/leeann-watson-business-canterbury-ceo-on-christchurch-city-council-becoming-the-consenting-authority-for-supermarkets-environment-canterbury-kiwisaver/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/leeann-watson-business-canterbury-ceo-on-christchurch-city-council-becoming-the-consenting-authority-for-supermarkets-environment-canterbury-kiwisaver/ Christchurch City Council's been selected to act as a one-stop consenting authority for large-scale supermarket developments.  Finance Minister Nicola Willis says it's the latest step in the Government plan to make New Zealand attractive for new operators.  She says developers previously had to navigate up to 66 different councils, processes and responses.  Willis says the aim is to boost competition in a sector dominated by Foodstuffs and Woolworths by letting new entrants deal with just one authority.  Business Canterbury CEO Leeann Watson told John MacDonald that the intention of having a one-stop shop regardless of the number of sites you’re operating on is sound.  She says that they’ve heard from businesses who operate across multiple sites that there’s a real inconsistency across the local authorities, which can be incredibly painful to deal with.   But, Watson says, whether or not this plan creates the right incentives is still yet to be seen.   LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 25 Nov 2025 23:22:59 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-on-regional-council-reforms-kiwisaver-relationship-with-nz-first/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-on-regional-council-reforms-kiwisaver-relationship-with-nz-first/ Labour Leader Chris Hipkins says he's not clear what the Government's aiming for in its plans to change local government. It's proposing replacing the country's 11 regional councils with boards made up of local mayors. Hipkins agrees there's an obvious need for change. But he told John MacDonald he thinks this looks like an attempt to make councils amalgamate. Hipkins says if that's what they wanted, they should have told councils to go away and amalgamate. LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 25 Nov 2025 22:10:14 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-reasons-to-be-nervous-about-the-govts-building-changes/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-reasons-to-be-nervous-about-the-govts-building-changes/ This move by the Government to change who is ultimately liable for repairs to defective building work on new houses up to three-storeys high and renovation jobs worth more than $100,000 makes me very nervous.   At the moment, all parties involved in a project are jointly liable for any defects and repairs.   Which means, sometimes, if one of them can’t pay or if they’ve all gone under since the work was done, the local council that consented the work ends up carrying the cost to fix things up.  The Government doesn’t want that falling on ratepayers anymore, so it’s making changes. But I think it runs the risk of homeowners being thrown to the wolves when things go wrong.  So what’s happening is that if you’re building a new house or getting a decent-sized reno done, you’re going to have to buy a warranty which must include a one-year defect repair period and a 10-year structural warranty.  Which all sounds great. But as Carl Taylor, who is chief executive of the Combined Building Supplies Co-op says, there aren’t enough warranty providers in New Zealand. There are two connected to the trades and one independent.    And he’s not so sure about our chance of more options becoming available in New Zealand.  In theory, the benefit of these changes is that it will mean people responsible for the problems will be the ones who carry the can instead of everyone who worked on the project. And instead of ratepayers if things really go pear-shaped.  But here’s where I see there being big problems. Let’s say there’s an issue with water tightness and that falls on the builder who did the cladding and the flashings – what if that builder isn’t around anymore?  If the builder isn’t around anymore, none of the other parties involved in the new build or the reno are going to be liable under these changes, and with the local council no longer the backstop, where does that leave the homeowner?  It leaves them in the lurch.  I remember a few months back talking with someone about the experience they had getting a house built and what happened when the builder went under.   Someone else has been in touch with us today saying that they had a certified builders guarantee for a new build after the quakes, but the scheme went bust and now they have no cover for any of the problems that have emerged.   How can you make homeowners buy warranties which may not even be worth the paper they’re written on. and, at the same time, limit the backstop options available to them?  There is no way councils should be completely out of the picture because, even though it costs ratepayers, it’s way better than nothing.   Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:59:28 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-we-need-to-go-further-with-kiwisaver/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-we-need-to-go-further-with-kiwisaver/ I’m with the KiwiSaver providers who are saying we need to go further than just increasing contributions and we need to make them compulsory. This is after the announcement by the National Party yesterday that one of its election policies next year will be increasing contributions to 12 percent (6 percent from employers and 6 percent from employees) by 2032, to bring us into line with Australia. KiwiSaver providers are saying today that they’re liking the policy - but the calls are already coming for it to be made compulsory. Across the Tasman, it’s compulsory for employers to contribute - but not for workers. National says it’s not in favour of making any contributions compulsory. NZ First is, though. So does Sam Stubbs, who is managing director of Simplicity. He’s saying that it has to be compulsory because we have to make sure everybody is saving for their retirement while they're working. And the only way to do that is to make it compulsory. Who can argue with that? He says: "Those people who aren't saving into KiwiSaver are going to be much worse off later on in life. So if we want to remove inequality in New Zealand, and we don't like inequality in New Zealand, we have to make sure that everybody is saving for their retirement while they're earning.” Compulsory KiwiSaver contributions are also going to be essential with any changes to the contribution rates, as National is proposing. Because some people who are paying three percent now won‘t want to pay six percent and so they’ll pull out. And the only way to stop that, is to make it compulsory. LISTEN ABOVE Sun, 23 Nov 2025 23:43:49 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/matt-mclean-canterbury-golf-s-participation-co-ordinator-ahead-of-the-men-s-interprovincial-golf-tournament/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/matt-mclean-canterbury-golf-s-participation-co-ordinator-ahead-of-the-men-s-interprovincial-golf-tournament/ The Men’s Interprovincial tees off at the Manawatu Golf Club, Palmerston North, in early December. Canterbury last claimed the title in 2020 (and before that in 2000), so it’s been a lean run—but hopes are high for 2025.  Matt McLean, Canterbury Golf’s Participation Co-Ordinator, Men’s Selector, and Assistant Manager of the Men’s Interprovincial Team joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat ahead of the tournament.  In association with the Elmwood Trading Company.  LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 22 Nov 2025 02:56:18 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/nick-johnston-christchurch-police-officer-on-his-efforts-to-raise-money-for-better-man-by-completing-half-iron-mans/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/nick-johnston-christchurch-police-officer-on-his-efforts-to-raise-money-for-better-man-by-completing-half-iron-mans/ A Christchurch Police officer is turning pain into purpose.  Nick Johnston has been an officer for many years and was one of the first on the scene at the Christchurch mosque terrorist attack.  Over the years the strain and trauma has built up, but Johnston has turned his breaking point into a purpose – aiming to complete a half Iron Man challenge every day in November to raise money for mental health charity Better Man.  He joined Lesley Murdoch to chat about his efforts.   LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 22 Nov 2025 02:48:17 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/matt-boyle-canterbury-cricketer-on-batting-156-to-beat-the-northern-districts-in-the-plunket-shield-tournament/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/matt-boyle-canterbury-cricketer-on-batting-156-to-beat-the-northern-districts-in-the-plunket-shield-tournament/ A memorable week for the Boyle brothers in cricket's Plunket Shield domestic competition.  Matt Boyle smacked 156 for Canterbury as they chased down their target of 370 to beat Northern Districts by five wickets in Rangiora.  It comes as older brother Jack Boyle also smashed 156 during his Otago team's seven-wicket win over Wellington in the capital.  Boyle joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat about his achievement and the bond he shares with his brother.  LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 22 Nov 2025 02:44:34 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/politics-friday-with-duncan-webb-and-matt-doocey-prison-numbers-winston-peters-and-the-regulatory-standards-act-pike-river-charges/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/politics-friday-with-duncan-webb-and-matt-doocey-prison-numbers-winston-peters-and-the-regulatory-standards-act-pike-river-charges/ Labour says the Government shouldn't be celebrating record high prisoner numbers.   Earlier this week Prime Minister Christopher Luxon declared it was a good thing the prison population was nearing 11 thousand people.   The Government is also celebrating a reduction by 38 thousand in the number of victims of violent crime since it came into power.   Labour's Duncan Webb told John MacDonald that while locking people up may provide short term relief, it doesn't last.   He says they eventually get out and will cause more harm unless they've been rehabilitated.  National’s Matt Doocey told MacDonald that he disagrees with Webb framing the situation as locking them up, but not fixing anything.  He says you can actually do both, and there is a duty to ensure there are rehabilitation programmes for incarcerated individuals.  LISTEN ABOVE  Thu, 20 Nov 2025 23:52:40 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-lessons-for-the-future-from-the-ferry-deal/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-lessons-for-the-future-from-the-ferry-deal/ For me, one of the best things to come out of yesterday’s announcement about the Cook Strait ferries has nothing to do with the ferries themselves.  There’s still a bit of smoke and mirrors about the numbers and what it’s going to end up costing.   Because what it still comes down to is that the Government poured $671 million down the drain when the Finance Minister pulled the plug on funding for the old ferry project. Which some —Nicola Willis included— thought was too Flash Harry with too many bells and whistles.  They were, generally, the bells and whistles for the portside infrastructure. That’s where the concerns about the cost blow-outs came from. And that’s the side of it that could still blow out. Nevertheless, Rail Minister Winston Peters says it’s still a better deal. Even though it’s going to mean we get smaller ships, lower spec portside facilities, years later than planned.  Nevertheless, I really like what he’s saying about the Government getting the experts in to provide advice and guidance from the get-go. And I want to see a lot more of this from the current government and future governments.   Because one thing that’s always got me about politicians is how they can end up in government and find themselves in Cabinet and be put in charge of things they have absolutely no clue about.   And politicians being politicians, full of ego and bluster, they plod along faking it and hoping they make it – without asking people who actually know stuff for help.   We saw this with the last government when Jacinda Ardern invited senior business leaders to give their input into the COVID response planning, but they were left feeling ignored. I remember people like former Air NZ boss Rob Fyfe talking about it and how frustrating it was.  But if this ferry project is back on track because the Government has actually asked people who know what they’re on about for advice and guidance and has actually listened, then that has to be a good thing.    And I think politicians need to get out of the way more often and let experts have more of a say on big infrastructure projects, if it means things being done more efficiently and without the kind of cost blowouts that now seem to be par for the course.   Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:06:19 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/phil-mauger-christchurch-mayor-talks-housing-intensification-maidstone-rd-and-glandovey-rd-avon-heathcote-tidal-barrier/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/phil-mauger-christchurch-mayor-talks-housing-intensification-maidstone-rd-and-glandovey-rd-avon-heathcote-tidal-barrier/ Christchurch's Mayor is suggesting the city's temporary sports stadium could be redeveloped for housing.   Addington's Apollo Projects Stadium opened in 2012 when the quake-damaged Lancaster Park closed permanently.  The City Council's confirmed structures including the grandstand will be removed when Te Kaha opens in April, but the future of the Addington site remains unclear.  Mayor Phil Mauger told John MacDonald it should be intensified and turned into housing, so people can jump onto a bus and head into town easily.   LISTEN ABOVE  Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:01:04 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-im-paying-attention-to-businessnz-i-hope-you-are-too/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-im-paying-attention-to-businessnz-i-hope-you-are-too/ I hope people are sitting-up and paying attention to what BusinessNZ is saying today.  Especially the people who have their heads in the sand about our ability as a country to keep paying for things like healthcare and pensions.  Because, as BusinessNZ puts it, we don’t have enough people to keep on doing that and we need a lot more people.  As one headline today says, New Zealand needs 10 million people to stay afloat.  BusinessNZ says we need twice as many people just to keep the lights on. For several reasons.  For starters, in 20 years’ time we’ll have a labour shortage of 250,000 people. And unless we bring a truckload more people into the country, we won’t have enough workers to do the work. But also, we won’t have enough workers paying tax to pay for the likes of healthcare and the pension.  That’s why I hope people are paying attention. Because, if we think we can keep on keeping on, providing the same services and doing things like dishing out the pension to anyone and everyone just because they turn 65, then we have to either stop doing that or somehow find a way to keep doing it.  If BusinessNZ was a political party, it wouldn’t last five minutes, because the stuff it’s saying today is the stuff that doesn’t win elections. But it’s the stuff we have to listen to and accept.  Example: raising the retirement age. If we are going to be five million people short of being financially viable as a country, we’re all going to have to keep on working longer. Most politicians are too scared to say that, but it’s true. Or if we still want to retire at 65, we’re going to have to pay for it ourselves. Again, most politicians are too scared to say that, but it’s true.  Now I’m not talking about this happening next week or next year. I’m saying that it’s inevitable that, at some point, we are going to have to accept that everyone retiring at 65 and everyone getting the state-funded pension is a thing of the past. Because we can’t afford it.  Which is why BusinessNZ is also saying today that we’re going to have to start putting more into our KiwiSaver.  That’s another no-brainer. Because, if we’re in a position where we need to double the population just to keep the place running, then we need to change how we do things.  Tue, 18 Nov 2025 23:40:46 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-is-the-ev-bubble-about-to-burst/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-is-the-ev-bubble-about-to-burst/ New Zealand is about to become a dumping ground for dirty vehicles.   That’s what the electric vehicle people are saying today about the Government’s urgent changes to the clean car standards for imported vehicles.   Of course they’re unhappy. Because I reckon they are seeing and we are seeing the EV bubble about to burst.   I’ll tell you why. I’ll also tell you why you’re not going to hear me ripping into the Government for doing what it’s doing.    Reason 1: imported petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles are going to be cheaper, and we would all be complaining if the Government wasn’t doing anything about it. Reason 2: penalising car importers for importing the types of vehicles that people actually want to buy makes no sense to me. And what I’m getting at there is I reckon most people still want to buy petrol or diesel vehicles or hybrids. In fact, with imported petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles likely to be cheaper because of this move by the Government, why would you even bother with an EV?  That’s why the EV people are so antsy. And reason 3: I’d be a complete hypocrite if I said otherwise, because I drive petrol cars. One of them is a Toyota Prado that’s been around the block a few times and is a real gas guzzler, and probably isn’t that great for the environment. Not to mention the Vespa 2-stroke nightmare. I have never had any interest in having an EV. I can’t tell you exactly why, it’s not a protest of any sort. It’s not climate change denial. It’s none of that. And I think most of us are the same. If we can get our hands on a decent petrol, diesel or hybrid vehicle for a decent price, then we’ll do it. So, as of the end of this week, the penalties car importers get stung with for bringing high-emitting vehicles into the country are going to be slashed by nearly 80%. Which will be music to the ears of the 86% of car importers that Transport Minister Chris Bishop says are facing penalties already. How the scheme works, is car importers have to meet annual emissions targets. And when they balance things up at the end of each year, if they’ve brought more dirty cars than clean cars into the country, then they get hit with a penalty, or a charge. Which, of course, gets passed on to customers. At the other end of things, if they bring-in more clean cars and less dirty cars, they earn credits. Which sounds great in theory. But, as it stands, most of the importers haven’t been meeting their targets and so they’re facing charges. So the Government is slashing the dirty vehicle charges by 80% to stop that happening. But the electric vehicle people aren’t happy. Kirsten Corson is the chair of Drive Electric —which is an advocacy group that wants more of us driving EVs— and she’s saying today that this move by the Government is “embarrassing”. She says: "If you look at us compared to Australia, in Australia you're paying $100 as a penalty and now we've just slashed that to $15 in New Zealand. So we are going to become a dumping ground for high emission vehicles." She says: "We keep our vehicles on our road for two decades. The average car is 15-years-old in New Zealand, so the decisions made today are going to impact our transport emissions for the next three decades." But what do you make of this move by the Government? Do you think the EV bubble is about to burst? Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:03:20 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/blair-minton-canterbury-golf-gm-on-the-latest-developments-in-the-strokeplay-championship-and-the-ultimate-golf-raffle/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/blair-minton-canterbury-golf-gm-on-the-latest-developments-in-the-strokeplay-championship-and-the-ultimate-golf-raffle/ The Canterbury Strokeplay Championship is being taken to the next level.  Plus, CGI has launched one of the biggest fundraising initiatives in NZ sport – the Ultimate Golf Raffle.  Blair Minton joined Lesley Murdoch, in association with Elmwood Trading Company, to chat all things Canterbury golf.  LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 15 Nov 2025 02:48:32 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/daniel-stackhouse-ex-canterbury-jockey-discusses-preparations-for-cup-and-show-week/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/daniel-stackhouse-ex-canterbury-jockey-discusses-preparations-for-cup-and-show-week/ Ex-pat Canterbury jockey Daniel Stackhouse has returned home, riding at Riccarton across Cup and Show Week.  He’s bringing his talent and experience to one of the biggest weeks in the racing calendar, and joined Lesley Murdoch to look back at the week and discuss how he prepares for the races. LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 15 Nov 2025 02:33:07 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/sir-david-carter-canterbury-ap-association-chair-on-the-canterbury-ap-show-returning-for-2025/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/sir-david-carter-canterbury-ap-association-chair-on-the-canterbury-ap-show-returning-for-2025/ The city is back mingling with the country at New Zealand's Royal A&P Show in Canterbury.  Thousands are set to descend on the Agricultural Park over the next three days.  This year’s event has re-gained its royal status for the first time since 2010.  Canterbury A&P Association chair Sir David Carter told John MacDonald that the Royal Agricultural Society approached them after they saw them put on last year’s show, and asked if they were prepared to run under the Royal Show status.  They agreed, he says, because it gives prestige to the show, and means livestock people are prepared to enter more animals and travel further to attend.  LISTEN ABOVE  Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:22:07 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-in-terms-of-scandals-this-one-is-right-up-there/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-in-terms-of-scandals-this-one-is-right-up-there/ Whatever you thought of Andrew Coster as Police Commissioner, you probably felt you could trust him to do the right thing. To be upfront, honest, and certainly not hide stuff.    And if you thought the attitude within the Police towards women had changed from what it used to be – well you might be having a bit of a re-think on both of those. Because I certainly am after this damning report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority on the way Police handled accusations of sexual offending by former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming.  It’s become a bit of a cliche in recent times to describe reports as “damning”, but there’s no doubt how damning this one is.  It is so damning that we had the Police Minister and the current Police Commissioner doing a live media conference at six o’clock last night as soon as the report came out. And no wonder. Because, in my mind, this could prove to be one of New Zealand’s biggest public sector scandals.  And it tells me that despite all the talk from the Police after the experience of Louise Nicholas back in the 1980s with cops involved in sexual misconduct, it seems the memo about a culture change hasn’t yet reached some of the top brass either still working there or who worked there until very recently. Including Andrew Coster.  Let me quote a comment in the IPCA report from one of the country's most senior adult sexual assault investigators. Named in the report as “Officer D”, they said: “You know what's the worst thing – if you make a mistake, the only worse thing that you can do is then cover it up. You can paint all sorts of nice words but to an outsider looking in, and I mean even me, this looks like a cover-up."  So what happened is Jevon McSkimming got into a relationship with a woman in her early 20s. He was in his early 40s. After that, she started writing dozens of emails to the police, accusing Deputy Commissioner McSkimming of being a sexual predator.   But instead of investigating the allegations, the emails were used by police as evidence to prosecute her under the Harmful Digital Communications Act last year.   All of that overseen by Andrew Coster.  His successor, Richard Chambers, is livid.  He says there were about five or six senior leaders in the Police —including Coster— who were responsible for what looks to me like a cover up. Some are still with the Police, others aren’t.   The Commissioner says these people were too quick to believe that the complainant was a spurned woman out for revenge.  As for Andrew Coster, how ironic is this comment he made when he was commissioner? He said: “We rely on the support of most of the community to be successful and that depends on the way we operate and on the extent to which people feel that they can trust us and that what we’re doing is appropriate.”  Oh really?  Coster, these days, is chief executive of the Government’s Social Investment Agency. He’s on leave at the moment. But now that we know what we know, should he be allowed to stay on the government payroll?   I’m in no doubt that he shouldn't. Because he presided over what I think could prove to be one of New Zealand’s biggest public sector scandals. And, for that reason and that reason alone, he should be toast.  Tue, 11 Nov 2025 23:35:00 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-on-ipca-report-on-mcskimming-and-coster-te-pati-m%C4%81ori-gun-law-changes/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/chris-hipkins-labour-leader-on-ipca-report-on-mcskimming-and-coster-te-pati-m%C4%81ori-gun-law-changes/ The Labour Leader is “absolutely disgusted” by the handling of complaints against Jevon McSkimming by former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster.   The Police Complaints Authority has released a report finding some of our highest-ranking Police didn't deal properly with a woman's anonymous complaints against the former Deputy Police Commissioner.  Hipkins is deeply disappointed in Coster, and believes the Police have a right to feel very disappointed in him as well.  “Clearly he had standards that he needed to uphold as a Commissioner of Police, and he did not do that.”   He says the frontline police, who go to work every day with high levels of integrity to serve the public and keep them safe have been badly, badly let down by the leadership.  LISTEN ABOVE  Tue, 11 Nov 2025 23:24:12 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-housing-intensification-is-the-future/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-housing-intensification-is-the-future/ Be careful what you wish for.  That’s how I’m feeling about the Government giving Christchurch an exemption from the new housing intensification rules, which would have enabled three, three-storey properties to be built on single sections anywhere in the city. Instead, that level of intensification is going to be limited to certain parts of town, including the city centre, Church Corner, Riccarton, Hornby, Linwood, Shirley, Merivale, Edgeware, and Papanui. But I think the Government is just letting Christchurch shoot itself in the foot. Because we will, eventually, come to regret it. Mayor Phil Mauger is delighted though, because the city council pushed back and claimed we were doing enough already on the intensification front. A few months back, the council agreed to extend the areas where it would be happy to have medium density zoning with three, three storey buildings per section. Then wrote to the Government saying it thought it had gone far enough and requested an exemption from more intensification in other parts of the city. The council has got what it asked for, and I think we will live to regret it. Because it’s only going to mean one thing: the city expanding beyond where it is now. Which is why I’ve always said that we need to get over ourselves and accept that greater housing density is the only way forward, especially when we consider the population growth happening here. And, with the city growing, the options are either growing outwards or upwards. Whether we want to keep chewing up land and building more to the south, more to the north, and more to the west; or whether we do more with the space we’re occupying at the moment. Unfortunately, the lack of foresight at our city council —and the government buying-into that lack of foresight— means we’re going to continue expanding. Chewing up good land. All because we have this old-hat idea that everybody needs and wants the quarter-acre section. But we’ve got a housing affordability problem in this country and, if you want your kids to be able to afford to buy their own place, it’s not going to be somewhere with a big backyard. So we need more apartments and townhouses – the places you get with greater housing density. What’s more, putting limits on housing intensification in Christchurch is going to mean more and more houses being built in places like Rolleston and Prebbleton. Which are not in Christchurch, they’re in the Selwyn district, and that will mean more and more people travelling into the city every day, using Christchurch’s roading infrastructure and not paying a bean towards it. Another reason why this limit on housing intensification in Christchurch is a bad move. Tue, 11 Nov 2025 00:20:11 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/matt-cross-race-caller-previews-the-2025-nz-trotting-cup-at-addington-raceway/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/matt-cross-race-caller-previews-the-2025-nz-trotting-cup-at-addington-raceway/ Just as punters hoped, showers have cleared in Christchurch in time to fling open the gates at Addington Raceway before the 122nd running of the New Zealand Trotting Cup.  The grey start's made way for some blue skies and enough sun to fry off rain that fell this morning.  Race caller Matt Cross told John MacDonald the track's in good order.  He says the afternoon forecast is pretty good, so by the time the Cup comes around this evening, we should be in pretty fine form in terms of the weather.  The Trotting Cup is the richest harness race in the Southern Hemisphere, with a million dollars on offer, and Cross says that while he might be a bit biased, he thinks it’s the greatest harness race in the Southern Hemisphere too.   It’s the history that makes it special, he told MacDonald, and every year this is the race people talk about.  “It’s the pinnacle. It’s the race that not only defines horses, but it defines people as well in terms of where they sit in the pecking order within the industry.”  LISTEN ABOVE  Mon, 10 Nov 2025 22:30:12 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-im-meh-about-the-meth-plan-but-at-least-its-something/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-im-meh-about-the-meth-plan-but-at-least-its-something/ At 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 declaration of war on methamphetamine, with this new plan that will see spy agencies working with customs and the defence force to target ships carrying drugs in the Pacific. It's also going to work with ports and the shipping industry. The feature of the plan that I like most is this $30 million increase in funding for addiction services. Because, as the Drug Foundation is saying, we can’t arrest our way out of the meth problem. Sarah Helm is executive director and she says help for people caught up in meth addiction has been significantly under-funded for many years. She says: “It’s clear to everyone that we can’t arrest our way out of this issue. Spending on treatment and harm reduction is also a better investment of taxpayer money than criminalising people, because it results in savings downstream in health, justice and social costs.” And we know about the cost - $19.4 million a week. That’s what the National Drug Intelligence Bureau estimates is the value of the harm caused by methamphetamine use every week in New Zealand. That’s the cost of things like people ending up in hospital, dying - all the social harm. Just under $20 million a week. The Government’s plan also includes a four-year advertising campaign to educate people about the dangers of meth use. Which I’m not convinced will be effective. Because everyone knows how bad meth is already - and still we’re using more of it than we ever have. It's been about 25 years since methamphetamine - as we know it - really took off in New Zealand. And it’s turned out to be a great market for the suppliers. Some numbers I’ve seen the police refer to is how someone can bring-in 600 kilos of the stuff for a couple of million dollars, sell it and make a profit of around $120 million. So who is going to turn their back on that kind of opportunity? But, even though I don’t see it changing things greatly, good on the Government for trying something. LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:11 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/carter-delgety-canterbury-horse-racer-previews-the-nz-trotting-cup/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/carter-delgety-canterbury-horse-racer-previews-the-nz-trotting-cup/ A young Canterbury reinsman is chasing history.  Carter Dalgety is competing in the IRT NZ Trotting Cup this Tuesday at Addington Raceway, riding a gruelling 3200m distance.  Winning would make him the youngest driver to win the NZ Cup, and he joined Lesley Murdoch to preview the race and discuss his chances.  LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 08 Nov 2025 02:34:53 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/peter-mcdonald-woodward-cup-tournament-director-previews-the-event/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/peter-mcdonald-woodward-cup-tournament-director-previews-the-event/ This weekend will see Canterbury’s premier men’s golfers battle it out for one of the region's most prestigious titles.  The Woodward Cup is kicking off on Sunday, and with thanks to Elmwood Trading Company, Peter McDonald, Chairman of the Men’s Events Committee and Tournament Director, joined Lesley Murdoch to share his predictions for the day.  LISTEN ABOVE  Sat, 08 Nov 2025 02:28:52 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-money-for-restaurant-reviewers-but-not-for-lifeline/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-money-for-restaurant-reviewers-but-not-for-lifeline/ Slightly ironic, don’t you think, that on the day people up and down the country are turning up at work and school wearing their gumboots for Gumboot Friday, we’ve got Lifeline saying it can’t keep running on the smell of an oily rag and has to cut back on services.  Which means no one answering the phone or replying to text messages between midnight and 7am.  Call them then and you’ll get a message saying you’ve reached them out of hours and to call back later.  Which is not how Lifeline has done things for the past 60-odd years. It’s become known, hasn’t it, as a 24/7 option for people needing help on the mental health front night and day.  And you’ve got to say that if a service has lasted more than 60 years and gets the number of calls for help that it gets and genuinely helps the number of people that it helps, then they know what they’re doing and what they’re doing is valuable and needed.  Needed not just 17 hours a day, but needed 24 hours a day. And the numbers show it.  In the year to June, Lifeline responded to more than 40,000 calls, 182,000 text messages, and created 4736 safety plans for people in need.  Break that down and that’s about 110 phone calls every day, 365 days a year. About 500 text messages every day, 365 days a year. And, on average, that’s 12 safety plans written for people every day of the year.  It’s the 12 safety plans every day that shows why Lifeline is such gold. Because, when someone is at the point of needing a safety plan, they are really desperate aren’t they?  Shaun Greaves is chief executive of Presbyterian Support Northern, which runs Lifeline. He’s saying today: “Lifeline saves lives every week and remains a critical frontline service New Zealand's suicide prevention network.  “Without immediate government support, Lifeline’s ability to deliver the critical service New Zealand desperately needs is a serious concern.”  So, let’s say the Government did come to Lifeline’s rescue – how much would the taxpayer be up for?  Two million dollars a year. That’s the funding gap that is forcing Lifeline to cut back on services and ditch its overnight operation.  This is at the same time as the Government, through Tourism NZ, is spending $6 million getting the Michelin Star people to come over here to eat at our fancy restaurants and see if they're worthy of being ranked up there with the best restaurants in the world.  The Government spending $6 million on restaurant reviewers and not spending $2 million on Lifeline is nothing short of moral bankruptcy.  Part of the problem is NZ First and its non-negotiables, because it said before the last election that it would fund Mike King’s Gumboot Friday. That’s why Winston Peters was crowing after last year’s Budget when Gumboot Friday was given $24 million in funding.  Which really must stick in Lifeline’s craw when you consider the difference $2 million would make to its service, let alone the difference it would make to the people who need Lifeline.  Especially the people who need it between midnight and 7am, but whose calls and messages won’t be responded to.  “You’ve reached us out of hours” is the last thing Lifeline wants to be saying to people. And it’s the last thing desperate people need to hear.  But, unless the Government does something, that’s what’s going to happen. Fri, 07 Nov 2025 00:17:19 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/politics-friday-with-reuben-davidson-and-matt-doocey-lifelife-homelessness-sick-leave-fire-and-emergency-restructuring/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/politics-friday-with-reuben-davidson-and-matt-doocey-lifelife-homelessness-sick-leave-fire-and-emergency-restructuring/ A reminder mental health crises don't follow timetables.  Long-time support service Lifeline will now go unanswered between midnight and 7am.  It's asking the Government for help after reducing hours because it has a $2 million annual shortfall.  Labour's Reuben Davidson told John MacDonald help's needed at all hours and mental health crises don't work office hours.  Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says support is available elsewhere, with other helplines.  He told MacDonald that they set an extra $9 million aside for telehealth lines in the 2025 Budget, but it’s up to Health NZ to make the decisions on who to fund.   LISTEN ABOVE  Fri, 07 Nov 2025 00:12:02 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-does-taking-more-sick-leave-mean-were-sicker-or-slacker/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-does-taking-more-sick-leave-mean-were-sicker-or-slacker/ There are two types of people in this world.   There are the ones who have no qualms calling in sick, when they’re not. The ones who feel no guilt at all pulling a sickie. And it seems there is no shortage of them, with this report out today saying that New Zealand workers are taking more sick leave, costing the economy $4 billion.  Then you’ve got the other type, who only use their sick leave if they really, really have to. And I’m in that camp.  If I ever have to have a sick day, I hate it. I know “hate” is a strong word, but I don’t like it.  I was crook a few weeks back and needed a couple of days off and hated it. Same when I was unwell at one point last year. Hated it. Not because I was unwell, but because I was off.  And I’ve always felt that way. I don’t know if it’s because I feel like I’m letting people down or feeling bad for being a no-show. Or fear of missing out. Or good old Catholic guilt.  I don’t know what it is, but that’s just me.  So don’t go blaming me for these new numbers out today, showing that we are taking way more sick leave than we used to. Because I’m not one of your “pull a sickie” types.  And maybe that’s why, at various points during my working life, I’ve looked a bit sideways at some people who seem to take sickies at the drop of a hat.  The Southern Cross Workplace Wellness report out today is blaming the increased number of sick days on the Labour government for increasing sick leave entitlements from five days to 10 days.  Health experts aren’t so sure about that. They say Covid has made it unacceptable to go to work unwell and there are a lot more viruses around.  But I think it’s inevitable that if more sick leave is available there’ll be people who will take the mickey.   The report is based on 2024 data and says the number of sick days taken last year —if you add them all together— was 13 million. Up from a combined total of 10 million in 2022.   The average number of sick days for manual workers was 7-and-a-half days and for non-manual workers it was just under six days. That's probably no surprise, given the chance of someone doing a manual job getting physically injured and needing time off work.  The report also says workers in the public sector are having more sick days than people in the private sector. That’s probably not surprising either. Because, from my own personal experience, the public sector seems to be a lot more forgiving or encouraging of people to take sick days.  Either way, people are calling-in sick more than they used to. Does that mean we are sicker or slacker?  Wed, 05 Nov 2025 23:55:37 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-is-this-really-the-best-way-to-deal-with-rough-sleepers/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-is-this-really-the-best-way-to-deal-with-rough-sleepers/ On Saturday night I was in Lyttelton for a gig and saw a guy sleeping on the bench outside the local supermarket, which took me a little bit by surprise.  Maybe I need to get across to Lyttelton more often.  But that’s the kind of thing we will see way more of if the Government goes ahead with this idea of banning homeless people from congregating and sleeping rough in central business districts.  Because instead of being an answer, it just raises another question: where would they go?  We know where they’d go. The suburbs. They wouldn’t go away. And even though I can’t stand being asked for money all the time when I walk through town, some sort of CBD ban isn’t the solution.   It would start in Auckland apparently and eventually be implemented elsewhere around the country.    This hasn’t come from the Government itself, which is being all mealy-mouthed about it. It’s come from 九一星空无限talk ZB's senior political correspondent, Barry Soper. He says the Associate Housing Minister, Tama Potaka, has been talking to community housing providers and has suggested to them that such a law is on its way.  Now I’m a realist and I know that we are never going to get rid of homelessness. That’s because there are so many things that lead to someone not having a roof over their head.   And I reckon most of us are only two or three steps away from being homeless ourselves.  It wouldn’t take that many setbacks in our life before we looked up one day and realised we were sleeping under a blanket on Hereford Street or Queen Street.  But banning rough sleepers from downtown areas is not the answer because what happens when the rough sleepers start moving into the suburbs? I know the Government will say “aww, we’re not just kicking them out, we’re providing the old wraparound services.” But this isn’t a solution, it’s just moving the problem elsewhere. And, if I had to choose where in town the rough sleepers should be, give me the CBD any day. Tue, 04 Nov 2025 23:57:50 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-netballs-woes-are-more-than-just-hoopla/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-netballs-woes-are-more-than-just-hoopla/ Mike Hosking’s interview this morning with reinstated Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua could only have gone one of two ways. She could have spilled the beans. Or she could have danced around the legalities of a gagging order. She could have spilled the beans and made Netball NZ look like a bunch of incompetents. Or she could have played it safe. Funny thing is, she didn’t spill the beans - but still managed to make Netball NZ look like a bunch of incompetents, when she said she was never informed why she was stood down and that there was no investigation into the claims made about her. That was the point where the interview was getting really curious and then, bang, she was being ushered away to a TV interview and had to end the call - promising to call back later. It was probably the point too where text messages full of exclamation marks started flying between the honchos at Netball NZ. Prior to that, Dame Noeline had said to Mike that she felt somewhat vindicated being reinstated. She said she was elated to be back but described the last few months as being “very horriffic”. Dame Noeline also confired to Mike that she was constrained in terms of what she could say. She said she could have taken legal action to get her job back - because she believes most of the players support her - but she didn’t want Netball NZ money and taxpayer money being blown on lawyers. If I was a suspicious person, I would say that Dame Noeline and her PR minder realised she might have crossed the line talking about the lack of an explanation and the lack of an investigation, and that’s why she ended the call. But I did check the TV and she was on-screen a short time after she spoke with Mike. Either way, I think Netball NZ is looking worse today than it has during this whole saga. To stand down its head coach without telling her why and without conducting any sort of investigation screams “Mickey Mouse” to me. And shows why chief executive Jennie Wyllie couldn’t explain last week why Dame Noeline was back. This has turned out to be more of a cluster than we thought. LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:02:06 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/spotlight-john-williams-president-of-rawhiti-golf-club/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/spotlight-john-williams-president-of-rawhiti-golf-club/ Celebrating Nearly 100 Years of Community, Culture, and Golf This week, we’re thrilled to feature John Williams, President of the Rawhiti Golf Club, a cornerstone of Christchurch’s sporting and cultural landscape with thanks to The Elmwood Trading Company. A Unique Partnership The Rawhiti Golf Club stands out as a rare model of collaboration: the golf course itself is a Christchurch City Council asset, but it’s managed jointly by the club and the City. This partnership ensures the course remains accessible, well-maintained, and deeply connected to the local community. A Century of History Approaching its 100th anniversary, Rawhiti Golf Club has seen generations of golfers pass through its fairways. From humble beginnings to becoming a vibrant hub for sport and social connection, the club’s legacy is woven into the fabric of Christchurch’s eastern suburbs. Embracing DiversityRawhiti has long been a proud partner of the Samoan Golf community, hosting multi-cultural events that bring together players from all backgrounds. These gatherings celebrate not just the game, but the spirit of inclusion, friendship, and shared heritage. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 31 Oct 2025 20:32:17 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/james-macdonald-canadian-harness-racer-joins-the-nz-leg-of-the-world-drivers-championship/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/james-macdonald-canadian-harness-racer-joins-the-nz-leg-of-the-world-drivers-championship/ This week, Christchurch proudly welcomes elite Canadian harness racer James MacDonald as he competes in the New Zealand leg of the World Drivers Championship. Racing Across Kaikoura & Addington The championship unfolds across two iconic tracks: Kaikoura Trotting Club  Scenic coastal views meet passionate racing fans in this unforgettable venue. Addington Raceway  The beating heart of Christchurch harness racing, hosting premier events all year long. Part of Cup and Show Week James’s visit coincides with Cup and Show Week—Canterbury’s most celebrated sporting festival.  Global Talent Meets Kiwi PassionWith 10 countries represented across 24 races, the World Drivers Championship is a showcase of international excellence. The driver with the highest points takes home the title. Joining Kiwi legends Dexter Dunn and Blair Orange, he adds to the global flavour and elevates New Zealand’s growing reputation in the world of harness racing. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 31 Oct 2025 19:19:43 Z /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/yvetter-mccausland-durie-silver-ferns-interim-coach-discusses-the-constellation-cup-amid-drama-behind-the-scenes/ /on-air/christchurch/all-sport-breakfast-canterbury/audio/yvetter-mccausland-durie-silver-ferns-interim-coach-discusses-the-constellation-cup-amid-drama-behind-the-scenes/ They tied the Constellation Cup series against the Diamonds and pushed it to extra time. Despite two tough losses in Australia and chaos behind the scenes, the Ferns showed incredible fight. Interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie juggled coaching and running her business — and still led a gutsy campaign. Hear her story in a candid chat with Lesley Murdoch. LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 31 Oct 2025 19:10:52 Z /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/gavin-grey-uk-correspondent-on-prince-andrew-being-stripped-of-titles/ /on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/audio/gavin-grey-uk-correspondent-on-prince-andrew-being-stripped-of-titles/ Buckingham Palace has announced that King Charles will remove all of his brother, Prince Andrew's, titles. The statement from Buckingham Palace related the announcement to the allegations of sexual abuse by the late Virginia Giuffre. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's title will not be immediately stripped as UK Correspondent Gavin Grey said the process of removing his titles "will take some time".  LISTEN ABOVE Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:02:31 Z