Today on Politics Friday John MacDonald was joined by National’s Matt Doocey and Labour’s Megan Woods to discuss this week’s biggest stories.

They discussed Puberty Blockers, and what the Government will do about us prescribing ten times the number they do in the UK? Will National’s tenancy laws make life worse for renters? Is it time to build more houses? And what does Matt, as the Mental Health Minister, make of his party’s new stance on mental health services?

LISTEN ABOVE

Today on Politics Friday John MacDonald was joined by National’s Matt Doocey and Labour’s Megan Woods to discuss this week’s biggest stories. 
They discussed Puberty Blockers, and what the Government will do about us prescribing ten times the number they do in the UK? Will National’s tenancy laws make life worse for renters? Is it time to build more houses? And what does Matt, as the Mental Health Minister, make of his party’s new stance on mental health services? 
LISTEN ABOVE

Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays.

It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking.

If it’s news you’re after, backing John is the combined power of the Newstalk ZB and New Zealand Herald news teams. Meaning when it comes to covering breaking news – you will not beat local radio.

With two decades experience in communications based in Christchurch, John also has a deep understanding of and connections to the Christchurch and Canterbury commercial sector.

Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings 9am-12pm with John MacDonald on 100.1FM and iHeartRadio.

Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays. It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking. If it’s news you’re after, backing John is the combined power of the Newstalk ZB and New Zealand Herald news teams. Meaning when it comes to covering breaking news – you will not beat local radio. With two decades experience in communications based in Christchurch, John also has a deep understanding of and connections to the Christchurch and Canterbury commercial sector. Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings 9am-12pm with John MacDonald on 100.1FM and iHeartRadio.

Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays.

It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking.

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

Politics Friday: National's Matt Doocey and Labour's Megan Woods on Puberty Blockers, National's tenancy laws, and mental health services

Heath Franklin will return to Christchurch in June as ‘Chopper’ in his latest comedy tour on June 7. John MacDonald spoke to Heath about his career as Chopper, what it was like to meet the man himself - which turned out to be rather underwhelming, and why he walked away from a career in law to become a comedian. 

LISTEN ABOVE.

Heath Franklin will return to Christchurch in June as ‘Chopper’ in his latest comedy tour on June 7. John MacDonald spoke to Heath about his career as Chopper, what it was like to meet the man himself - which turned out to be rather underwhelming, and why he walked away from a career in law to become a comedian.  
LISTEN ABOVE.

Heath Franklin: 'Chopper' Read on his upcoming tour

Shock horror from the OCD today. Shock. Horror. 

It's saying that New Zealand has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the developed world. All right, that's what it's saying. But if you dig a little deeper, you find that our definition of homelessness is broader than most other countries, and I think we're a bit quick to classify someone as being homeless here. 

I'm not saying it's a low bar, but I do think the definition is broader than it should be. We include refugees and asylum seekers looking for temporary accommodation. We include victims of domestic violence. And people living in housing that isn't really up to scratch, as well as rough sleepers. And what I'm keen to find out today is: what someone's situation has to be for you to consider them to be homeless. 

This is at the same time as we have people begging in Richmond in Christchurch saying in the news at the weekend. You might have seen this. They do actually have somewhere to live, but they're struggling to pay for food and power. And so they hit the streets and ask other people for money, which we could all say we struggle to pay the bills to varying degrees, of course. But not all of us sat down the street asking for money. Even your old woke mate here doesn't take kindly to people asking me for money on the street. 

As for the way we define homelessness: It's a little bit like the way we define obesity. You know, once upon a time, obese people were obese. These days, it seems we're all being told that we're obese. Even the slim-jims. “Oh, no, you're obese. Really? Yeah. You're obese.” 

And I think that's where we've got to with the way we define the homelessness here in New Zealand. Well, I get the argument that if you don't have somewhere regular to put your head down at night, maybe you're doing a few nights at one person's place and a few nights atsomeone else's place. If you're living like that, you can probably say you don't have a regular place to live. But can you say you're homeless? In my in my old school, ‘you're only homeless if you sleep in a sleeping bag on Colombo St.’ way of thinking, I don't think you can. 

In my view of the world: if you’ve got a roof over your head, you are not homeless. Because you think of example, you think of all those people in Canterbury. Right now, who have had a relationship break up, for example? Controversial to say? Most likely they're men. So think of someone in that situation. They've had a relationship break up and the start of out having a few nights here and a few nights there, maybe on someone's couch or on a pull-out bed in their lounge. And then bingo, a year down the track they look up and realise they're still doing the same thing. They're still on people's couches, different couches, different nights of the week. Would you consider them homeless? I wouldn't. 

And what about the guy back in November last year? Remember this? There was all this excitement about this homeless guy in Petone putting a $5 bet on the Melbourne Cup and winning just over 100,000 bucks. Remember that? Homeless man turns $5. Bet $5 bet into $106,000 - was one of the headlines. And we all thought, oh, brilliant, couldn't think of a better winner. Well, I did anyway. 

And then, when you started reading all these stories, you found out that he'd been living in a garage for nine months. That he had a TAB account. He was at the Workman's club watching the race and he realised how much he'd won when he went out to the beer garden for a cigarette and had to keep refreshing his TAB account on his phone to make sure he wasn't dreaming when he saw how much he'd won. 

Now I'm not saying just because someone's homeless they shouldn't be allowed to place a bet on the Melbourne Cup. I'm not saying that just because someone's homeless, they shouldn't be going to a bar for a drink. I'm not saying just because someone's homeless, they shouldn't be blowing money on cigarettes. Or that they shouldn't have a smartphone. But what I am saying is we need to have a bit of a rethink as to what we consider homelessness is and what it isn't. 

Example: The guy I mentioned - he'd been sleeping in a garage. Did that make him homeless? Well, according to the formal definition we use here in New Zealand and according to all the headlines last year, yes it did. But if you use my definition, he had a roof over his head. I don't think it did - It didn't make him homeless as far as I'm concerned. 

And the thing about this OCD report is that it has used data from the 2018 census and so with the explosion. In the number of people living in emergency accommodation and motels, for example. Since then, people are saying the numbers are probably worse. And Housing Minister Chris Bishop say he's acknowledging that and he's promising that help is on the way. But he's also saying that part of the problem in terms of the stats and our placing them that OCD is, is part of the problem, could be the way we define homelessness here in New Zealand and how it differs from other countries. And I'm in no doubt about that. And I reckon we are far too quick to label someone as being homeless in this country.

LISTEN ABOVE.

Shock horror from the OCD today. Shock. Horror.  
It's saying that New Zealand has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the developed world. All right, that's what it's saying. But if you dig a little deeper, you find that our definition of homelessness is broader than most other countries, and I think we're a bit quick to classify someone as being homeless here.  
I'm not saying it's a low bar, but I do think the definition is broader than it should be. We include refugees and asylum seekers looking for temporary accommodation. We include victims of domestic violence. And people living in housing that isn't really up to scratch, as well as rough sleepers. And what I'm keen to find out today is: what someone's situation has to be for you to consider them to be homeless.  
This is at the same time as we have people begging in Richmond in Christchurch saying in the news at the weekend. You might have seen this. They do actually have somewhere to live, but they're struggling to pay for food and power. And so they hit the streets and ask other people for money, which we could all say we struggle to pay the bills to varying degrees, of course. But not all of us sat down the street asking for money. Even your old woke mate here doesn't take kindly to people asking me for money on the street.  
As for the way we define homelessness: It's a little bit like the way we define obesity. You know, once upon a time, obese people were obese. These days, it seems we're all being told that we're obese. Even the slim-jims. “Oh, no, you're obese. Really? Yeah. You're obese.”  
And I think that's where we've got to with the way we define the homelessness here in New Zealand. Well, I get the argument that if you don't have somewhere regular to put your head down at night, maybe you're doing a few nights at one person's place and a few nights atsomeone else's place. If you're living like that, you can probably say you don't have a regular place to live. But can you say you're homeless? In my in my old school, ‘you're only homeless if you sleep in a sleeping bag on Colombo St.’ way of thinking, I don't think you can.  
In my view of the world: if you’ve got a roof over your head, you are not homeless. Because you think of example, you think of all those people in Canterbury. Right now, who have had a relationship break up, for example? Controversial to say? Most likely they're men. So think of someone in that situation. They've had a relationship break up and the start of out having a few nights here and a few nights there, maybe on someone's couch or on a pull-out bed in their lounge. And then bingo, a year down the track they look up and realise they're still doing the same thing. They're still on people's couches, different couches, different nights of the week. Would you consider them homeless? I wouldn't.  
And what about the guy back in November last year? Remember this? There was all this excitement about this homeless guy in Petone putting a $5 bet on the Melbourne Cup and winning just over 100,000 bucks. Remember that? Homeless man turns $5. Bet $5 bet into $106,000 - was one of the headlines. And we all thought, oh, brilliant, couldn't think of a better winner. Well, I did anyway.  
And then, when you started reading all these stories, you found out that he'd been living in a garage for nine months. That he had a TAB account. He was at the Workman's club watching the race and he realised how much he'd won when he went out to the beer garden for a cigarette and had to keep refreshing his TAB account on his phone to make sure he wasn't dreaming when he saw how much he'd won.  
Now I'm not saying just because someone's homeless they shouldn't be allowed to place a bet on the Melbourne Cup. I'm not saying that just because someone's homeless, they shouldn't be going to a bar for a drink. I'm not saying just because someone's homeless, they shouldn't be blowing money on cigarettes. Or that they shouldn't have a smartphone. But what I am saying is we need to have a bit of a rethink as to what we consider homelessness is and what it isn't.  
Example: The guy I mentioned - he'd been sleeping in a garage. Did that make him homeless? Well, according to the formal definition we use here in New Zealand and according to all the headlines last year, yes it did. But if you use my definition, he had a roof over his head. I don't think it did - It didn't make him homeless as far as I'm concerned.  
And the thing about this OCD report is that it has used data from the 2018 census and so with the explosion. In the number of people living in emergency accommodation and motels, for example. Since then, people are saying the numbers are probably worse. And Housing Minister Chris Bishop say he's acknowledging that and he's promising that help is on the way. But he's also saying that part of the problem in terms of the stats and our placing them that OCD is, is part of the problem, could be the way we define homelessness here in New Zealand and how it differs from other countries. And I'm in no doubt about that. And I reckon we are far too quick to label someone as being homeless in this country. 
LISTEN ABOVE.

John MacDonald: We're far too quick to label people as homeless in New Zealand

If you talk to anyone who has been a manager and you ask them what’s the best thing about being a manager and what’s the worst, the answer will be the same for both. The people. 

I know, because I’ve been a manager before, and I know exactly how brilliant it can be when things are going great with your people. But, when they’re not, it can be a nightmare. 

And a new report out today from the Human Rights Commission and KPMG shows just how much of a nightmare it can be when those problems are caused by bullies. They’ve actually put a price tag on it.

Which has prompted someone who says they were bullied out of a job —and who is something of an anti-bullying campaigner— to say today that they think bullying is part of New Zealand’s culture.

And I agree. We like to think we’re a bunch of good sorts, but if you start to think about it for even just a minute or two, you start to realise that we are deluded on that front. And that bullying happens everywhere.

Now it’s no coincidence that this report has come out today, because it’s Pink Shirt Day which is one of those annual awareness things. 

But, when it comes down to it, do you think everyone turning up to work and school in pink shirts and maybe having a morning tea together is going to change anything? Good on you if you are getting involved in all of this today, but I think it almost trivialises bullying.

Because there will be no shortage of people today who are being bullied —in workplaces, for example— who will see people in the office running around in pink shirts and they will just know that, come Monday, it will all be back to normal. And the bullies will be back to normal transmission, and nothing will have changed. 

So, this report by the Human Rights Commission and KPMG says bullying in the workplace collectively costs employers $1.5 billion every year.

They’ve worked it out by measuring things like people taking more time off work because of bullying, people not performing at their best because of what’s going on, higher staff turnover, and the time it takes to deal with complaints about bullying. 

Anti-bullying campaigner James Hilford says he was bullied out of a job and says it's rife everywhere. 

When I first heard what he was saying, I thought ‘oh here we go’. But then I thought about it, and he’s right.

When we’re out driving, we’re bullies. Parents, at times, bully their kids. The All Blacks, we bully them endlessly. Social media. Whatsapp groups. I’d go as far as saying that we even bully ourselves. That’s how ingrained it is. 

You’ve got your passive aggressive types, they’re bullies. Then you’ve got the people who don’t even try to hide their bullying behaviour.  

I remember working somewhere once —and I wasn’t the manager— and they had a thing up on the wall recording how much money everyone was bringing into the business. That was bullying. 

They probably thought it was about driving performance. But it wasn’t. It was bullying. It was shaming the people who weren’t bringing-in as much revenue as some of the others.

This isn’t to say, by the way, that things haven’t changed. Things have changed in terms of bullying, at least, being talked about, which is a start. But I reckon that might be as good as it gets.

And we can have Pink Shirt Days until we’re blue in the face. But with bullying so ingrained in pretty much everything we do —so ingrained in our culture— I think we’re stuck with it.

If you talk to anyone who has been a manager and you ask them what’s the best thing about being a manager and what’s the worst, the answer will be the same for both. The people.  
I know, because I’ve been a manager before, and I know exactly how brilliant it can be when things are going great with your people. But, when they’re not, it can be a nightmare.  
And a new report out today from the Human Rights Commission and KPMG shows just how much of a nightmare it can be when those problems are caused by bullies. They’ve actually put a price tag on it. 
Which has prompted someone who says they were bullied out of a job —and who is something of an anti-bullying campaigner— to say today that they think bullying is part of New Zealand’s culture. 
And I agree. We like to think we’re a bunch of good sorts, but if you start to think about it for even just a minute or two, you start to realise that we are deluded on that front. And that bullying happens everywhere. 
Now it’s no coincidence that this report has come out today, because it’s Pink Shirt Day which is one of those annual awareness things.  
But, when it comes down to it, do you think everyone turning up to work and school in pink shirts and maybe having a morning tea together is going to change anything? Good on you if you are getting involved in all of this today, but I think it almost trivialises bullying. 
Because there will be no shortage of people today who are being bullied —in workplaces, for example— who will see people in the office running around in pink shirts and they will just know that, come Monday, it will all be back to normal. And the bullies will be back to normal transmission, and nothing will have changed.  
So, this report by the Human Rights Commission and KPMG says bullying in the workplace collectively costs employers $1.5 billion every year. 
They’ve worked it out by measuring things like people taking more time off work because of bullying, people not performing at their best because of what’s going on, higher staff turnover, and the time it takes to deal with complaints about bullying.  
Anti-bullying campaigner James Hilford says he was bullied out of a job and says it's rife everywhere.  
When I first heard what he was saying, I thought ‘oh here we go’. But then I thought about it, and he’s right. 
When we’re out driving, we’re bullies. Parents, at times, bully their kids. The All Blacks, we bully them endlessly. Social media. Whatsapp groups. I’d go as far as saying that we even bully ourselves. That’s how ingrained it is.  
You’ve got your passive aggressive types, they’re bullies. Then you’ve got the people who don’t even try to hide their bullying behaviour.   
I remember working somewhere once —and I wasn’t the manager— and they had a thing up on the wall recording how much money everyone was bringing into the business. That was bullying.  
They probably thought it was about driving performance. But it wasn’t. It was bullying. It was shaming the people who weren’t bringing-in as much revenue as some of the others. 
This isn’t to say, by the way, that things haven’t changed. Things have changed in terms of bullying, at least, being talked about, which is a start. But I reckon that might be as good as it gets. 
And we can have Pink Shirt Days until we’re blue in the face. But with bullying so ingrained in pretty much everything we do —so ingrained in our culture— I think we’re stuck with it.

Politics Friday: National's Matt Doocey and Labour's Megan Woods on Puberty Blockers, National's tenancy laws, and mental health services

In 1 playlist(s)

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips