Matthew Hague: Lawyer and former police officer says couple who found $200k in their ceiling should keep it

A lawyer believes the Christchurch couple who found $200,000 in their ceiling space should keep the cash that they found in their property. However, the High Court has decided that the couple are not owed a cent of the money, even though they handed it in with good faith. They uncovered the cash …

John MacDonald: Importing gas isn't great - but it has to happen

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has fallen into the trap that I could very easily find myself falling into if I didn’t think a little bit more carefully about this plan by the Government to set-up a new shipping terminal in Taranaki to import liquified natural gas. This is the gas that’s needed to gen…

John MacDonald: Would paying people more fix the jury system?

I’ve done a few things in my time. But one thing I haven’t done is serve on a jury. For a long time, I put it down to me working in the media. But I was out of the media for a long time, as well. So I don’t know why I haven’t had the call up. But, apparently - according to defense lawyer John Mun…

John MacDonald: My question to you about the economy

Do you feel better off than you did three years ago? With it being election year, that’s the question politicians are going to be asking you. It’s the question I’m asking you too in light of the latest unemployment numbers - which are the highest in more than a decade. That’s the overall number. …

John MacDonald: There's no way less testing will mean safer driving

I think the Government is making a terrible mistake ditching the second practical test for new drivers. I like some of the changes it’s making to the driver licensing system. But getting rid of the second practical isn’t one of them. I’ll tell you why. But, first, what bits do I like? And what is …

John MacDonald: When did toilet-trained 5-year-olds become too much to expect?

How on earth did we get to the point where we’ve got schools saying today that kids are starting school without some of the most basic skills? And when they say basic, they mean basic. According to the Auckland Primary Principals’ Association, there are five-year-old kids starting school who can’t…

John MacDonald: Who cares about a criminal's "good character"?

I am liking the sound of a law change being introduced in New South Wales, where they are no longer going to allow good character references to be factored into court sentences. You know the drill. Someone is found guilty of a crime, they get their mates to write to the judge saying what a great p…

John MacDonald: Christchurch's seven-year stench

Talk about déjà vu.  The smell from the burnt-out wastewater treatment plant at Bromley has been a shocker this week and people have had a gutsful.  City councillor Yani Johanson says making people wait for another three years is totally unacceptable and the council needs to get it sorted sooner.…

John MacDonald: Why haven't we learned from our landslide history?

Before the weekend, questions were already being asked as to why the campground at Mt Maunganui wasn’t evacuated before last week’s devastating landslide. That will be one of the things looked into as part of this independent investigation the local council is initiating. There will be all sorts o…

John MacDonald: The ACC change that is long overdue

I reckon we should have signs up at our international airports saying: “Welcome to the people’s republic of pushovers”. Because of our crazy ACC system which, a lot of the time, makes those of us living here fight tooth and nail but tells anyone coming here for a visit that they can tie themselves…