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…

John MacDonald: Hey Labour, don't tell us you've changed - show us you've changed

If you bump into Chris Hipkins today, can you tell him he’s dreaming? Because, now that we know this year’s election is happening on 7 November, Chris Hipkins is saying that Labour can get more than 40 percent of the party vote and form the next government. He also wants Labour to win back Auckla…

Phil Goff: former Mayor of Auckland dismisses rates caps as 'pure politics'

Phil Goff agrees with the Christchurch City Council's response to a Government proposal of capping rates to no more than 2 to 4 percent per year. Goff says the Government is not performing in lowering the cost of living, but a rates cap is not the right answer. The former Mayor of Auckland told J…

John MacDonald: Rate caps won't make a difference

Hats off to the Christchurch City Council. Which is telling the Government today that its idea of forcing a cap on council rates increases is “unrealistic and unworkable”. Which is a polite way of saying “rates caps are a daft idea, so just drop it right now”. And that’s what I think too. I’ve a…

John MacDonald: What the PM should have said about the retirement age

In his state of the nation speech yesterday, Christopher Luxon continued the great New Zealand tradition of kicking the retirement age can down the road. He said raising the retirement age was “inevitable”. But that was it. And, when I say kicking the can, it was more like nudging the can with his…