Christchrch Mayor Phil Mauger on One New Zealand Stadium Portaloos, council funded cycle classes, and consultations for Cathedral Square

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger is defending One New Zealand Stadium for its lack of facilities for general admission concert goers. Some of the 12-thousand people with standing tickets at Saturday's 'Once In A Lifetime' show, were surprised to have to use port-a-loos and food trucks outside the ro…

John MacDonald: Politicians have no idea what's important to us

Sometimes it feels like an easy thing to say that politicians have no idea what really matters to us. What’s important to us - the people who put them in their positions of power. Today, it may be the easiest it’s ever been to say that sort of thing. Let’s start with Labour leader Chris Hipkins. …

Adam McGrath ahead of the "Come Together" show at the Christchurch Town Hall

Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run album is going to be performed in its entirety in the first Come Together concert for 2026 at the Christchurch Town Hall on Friday 29 May.  One of the musicians involved is Christchurch's Adam McGrath, from local band The Eastern. He joined John MacDonald on Canterb…

John MacDonald: What you don't hear about Singapore's public service

I’ll make a bet with you. These 9,000 job cuts in the public sector that the government’s announced won’t happen. It’s easy to say. But making it happen is a completely different story. There’ll be some, for sure. But the whole 9,000? They’re dreaming. Because, from what I’ve seen and heard so f…

John MacDonald: Stadium loo fighters - not the best seat in the house

First world problems and all that but, is it really ok to make people use portaloos outside Christchurch’s new $683 million One NZ Stadium? Some people who were in the general admission standing area at Saturday night’s “Once in a Lifetime” concert don’t think so. And I agree. As you may have he…

John MacDonald: Make KiwiSaver compulsory, but not for babies

When I first heard about Winston Peters’ idea to give every newborn baby $1,000 so they can have a KiwiSaver account from birth, I liked the sound of it. Until I did some numbers. Which I’ll get to. Announcing the NZ First policy yesterday, he said it would be compulsory for every newborn to be s…

John MacDonald: Neighbourhoods change. That's life.

I can understand why people living at Pegasus, north of Christchurch, are upset about the golf course there being sold to a large property developer. But, at the same time, how long can anyone expect the area they live in to stay the same? And, while I might not make friends with the Pegasus peop…

Matiu and Marlon from Six60 ahead of the first ever gig at One New Zealand Stadium

Matiu Walters and Marlon Gerbes from Six60 joined Canterbury Mornings ahead of "Once in a Lifetime" at One New Zealand Stadium - the first ever music gig at the new stadium. They discussed their journey as a band so far, the excitement to headline the first gig at the new stadium, and the look bac…

Politics Friday with Vanessa Weenink and Reuben Davidson on Air New Zealand, Wegovy funding, and fast track projects

National's Vanessa Weenink and Labour's Reuben Davidson joined John MacDonald for Politics Friday this week.  They covered some of the biggest topics from the week from fast-track projects, Air New Zealand being deep in the red, and if Pharmac should fund weight loss drugs such as Wegovy. LISTEN …

John MacDonald: What spending should the Government prioritise?

Where do you think government spending should be prioritised? According to new survey findings, a third of us reckon health funding and access to medicines is most important and must be given top priority. And I find it hard to argue with that, because we’re all involved in the health system in s…