John MacDonald: A sandwich for lunch is ok, if there's dinner too

David Seymour is a muppet. I bet that’s what the Prime Minister was thinking yesterday when reporters were asking him if he agreed with Seymour’s view that sushi is “woke”. The ACT leader and the Associate Education Minister made the claim about sushi after he’d announced that the Government is re…

John MacDonald: I agree with the grumpy lawyer. To a point

How about this? I found myself agreeing this morning with someone who has been described as a racist dinosaur. To a point. This lefty wokester, that some people seem to think I am, actually agrees with this Kings Council lawyer who disagrees with tikanga Māori being compulsory for students doing a…

Chris Hipkins: Labour Leader discusses compulsory tikanga Maori, Carmel Sepuloni, and the Government's plans for Waikeria

Labour Leader Chris Hipkins joined John MacDonald for their regular catchup on Canterbury Mornings. The compulsory inclusion of tikanga Māori in law studies has ignited debate. Does Hipkins feel it has a place in our legal system? Should its study be compulsory? He was quick to make an assessment…

John MacDonald: New mega-prison will be a mega-cluster

Don’t go thinking that I’m soft on crime or pro-criminal or anything like that. But I think this idea the Government’s got of having a mega prison as part of its investment in the Corrections Service, I think it’s an idea that sucks. What it’s doing is it’s reviving a plan to build a mega-prison i…

John MacDonald: Why you should be nervous about government's water reforms

It’s time to get nervous. Very nervous. I’m talking here about the Government’s big water announcement. It’s starting with Auckland but, right around the country, changes are on the way. Auckland is first cab off the rank because it already has an outfit separate from Auckland Council’s other ope…

John MacDonald: Why you should be nervous about government's water reforms

Milan Borich: Lead singer of the band Pluto on the Come Together series in Christchurch

The Come Together tribute series continues in Christchurch this week, with a group of superstar Kiwi musicians performing The Joshua Tree.  Milan Borich, lead singer of the band Pluto, joined John MacDonald on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings to talk about the show, his favourite U2 song of all tim…

Politics Friday: National's Vanessa Weenink and Labour’s Duncan Webb discuss MP behaviour, education, and AUKUS

Today on Politics Friday John MacDonald was joined by National's Vanessa Weenink and Labour’s Duncan Webb. They discussed the recent behaviour from MPs, will complaints be laid? Education is getting a facelift, is it time for a combined plan for a long-term approach to education in New Zealand …

John MacDonald: Don't turn a blind eye to last night's spectacle

One of the cliches people often use when they’re talking about politicians and the way they behave in Parliament is that they behave like “a bunch of kids”. I’ve been hearing people say that forever. And, of course, what they’re talking about is the way politicians sometimes lose their rag when th…

Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor on the funding for the Arts Centre, Cathedral, and the East Christchurch liaison staff

Back again for his regular interview, Christchurch’s Mayor Phil Mauger joined John MacDonald in studio on Canterbury Mornings. They dug into the funding issues plaguing Christchurch including updates on the Arts Centre and Cathedral and got the mayor’s thoughts on the Waimakariri and Selwyn Counc…