John MacDonald: The campaign's nearly over. How was it for you?

With election day tomorrow, how would you rate the campaign? It feels to me like we’ve been in campaign mode for the whole year. I couldn’t even bring myself to watch TV1's People’s Debate last night all the way through to the end. Elections are never an overly positive affair, but this campaign …

Election 2026: Alexandra Davids and Reuben Davidson on the race to win Christchurch East

This week's Politics Friday Election Special focused on the Christchurch East electorate. The candidates, National's Alexandra Davids and Labour's Reuben Davidson, made their pitch to become the next local MP. They discussed their backgrounds before entering politics and outlined how they would t…

John MacDonald: On Line 1, it's the 1970s calling for Michael Laws

If you’re one of the people who doesn’t think Winston Peters has been showing his age lately, you might be thinking differently after the out of touch way he’s handling the Michael Laws situation.  Because he seems to think that a telling off and a meeting after the election is the way to respond …

Mayor Phil Mauger on red zone campers, cycleway budgets and how to cool down One NZ Stadium

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger believes the Christchurch City Council has a responsibility to help campers living in the residential red zone find alternative accommodation. Speaking to John MacDonald on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings, Mauger said homelessness remains primarily a central governme…

John MacDonald: Turfing-out the red zone campers isn't the answer

It beggars belief that the Christchurch City Council is washing its hands of the 60 homeless people living in the residential red zone area on the east side of town. These people have been living in a makeshift camp in Bexley for several years. But they’ve been told they have to leave by the end o…

John MacDonald: Stick with MMP, but change this one thing

"Come back first-past-the-post, all is forgiven." I reckon there’ll be people thinking or saying exactly that, with all this toing and froing over vote splitting. We’ve got supporters of the right bloc in parliament running their campaign. And, on the left, we’ve got Te Pāti Māori telling its sup…

Louie and The Hotsticks: Legendary local band ahead of final live performances

Louie and the Hotsticks are reuniting for two final Lyttelton shows this week, giving fans one last chance to relive the Marine Tavern magic that made them local legends. John MacDonald spoke with Al Park, Helen Mulholland, and Jim Walmsley about the reunion, and they performed their original song…

John MacDonald: National's vote-splitting row reeks of desperation

Christopher Luxon’s vote-splitting scrap with ACT and NZ First reeks of desperation. He’s not happy that his coalition partners are asking voters to give them their party vote and their electorate vote to National. Talking with Mike Hosking during this morning’s Leaders Breakfast on Newstalk ZB, …

Election 2026: Rata Jamieson and Hamish Campbell on the race to win Ilam

This week's Politics Friday Election Special focused on the Ilam electorate. The candidates, Labour's Rata Jamieson and National's Hamish Campbell made their pitch to become the next local MP. They discussed their backgrounds before entering politics and outlined how they would tackle the key iss…

David Seymour: ACT Party Leader flirts with idea of becoming Finance Minister

ACT Leader David Seymour said it's "very possible" he'd ask to be Finance Minister if the coalition was re-elected.  Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Seymour told John MacDonald it's possible the current holder of the Finance portfolio, Nicola Willis, may not be returned to Parliament. "First of …