Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by National’s Vanessa Weenink and Labour’s Reuben Davidson to dig into some of the biggest political stories of the week. 

Christchurch City Council is pushing back against the closure of a cycleway at Heathcote, KiwiRail ordering upgrades due to a one in one-thousand-year risk. Is this really acceptable?  

Is New Zealand capable of having an open and calm conversation about the Treaty Principles Bill?  

Why does it seem as though only the “well off” students are making it into medical school? 

And this week’s US Election saw Donald Trump election President – how will these next four years play out? 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by National’s Vanessa Weenink and Labour’s Reuben Davidson to dig into some of the biggest political stories of the week.&nbsp;
Christchurch City Council is pushing back against the closure of a cycleway at Heathcote, KiwiRail ordering upgrades due to a one in one-thousand-year risk. Is this really acceptable? &nbsp;
Is New Zealand capable of having an open and calm conversation about the Treaty Principles Bill? &nbsp;
Why does it seem as though only the “well off” students are making it into medical school?&nbsp;
And this week’s US Election saw Donald Trump election President – how will these next four years play out?&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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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 Vanessa Weenink and Labour's Rueben Davidson on the Christchurch cycleway , Treaty Principles Bill, Otago University medical school enrolments

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/3fc07d14-5b84-4770-a96b-b221017a21b9/transcript

You'll have your own way of describing this crazy situation where we’ve got KiwiRail telling the Christchurch City Council that it has to close a 1.5 kilometre stretch of cycleway for two years, because the cycleway needs some safety improvements.

KiwiRail reckons the Heathcote Express cycleway, which is near a railway crossing, is so dangerous that a death or serious injury could happen there once every 1,000 years. Yep, once every 1,000 years.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that any death or injury —no matter how infrequent— is acceptable in any way. And KiwiRail says the section of railway that the cycleway crosses is the busiest section of the South Island rail network, with about 35 trains using it each day.

The cycleway opened less than a year ago and the locals seem to love it. 

In fact, some local school kids turned up at the city council this week to tell councillors how important it is and how worried they are about this section of the cycleway being closed for two years while the safety upgrades are made to the railway crossing.

Here’s an idea of why they’re so worried about not being able to use the cycleway for two years and being forced onto a road busy with trucks going to and from the port at Lyttelton.

“We would need to bike on the highway. Port Hills Road is 60km. Lots of trucks, underpasses, and it’s scary and dodgy. It’s very dangerous crossing the Lyttleton offramp.”

And you’ve got to say, the possibility of something bad happening once every 1,000 years surely has to put it at the lower end of things. And certainly not a priority.

And this is the key thing here. I certainly don’t think it’s worth forcing cyclists off a safe cycleway for two years and onto a stretch of road that these school kids and other people who use the cycleway everyday say is a way more dangerous way for them to get to school and work.

Now I’m not saying get rid of health and safety, because that old Kiwi “she’ll be right approach” is not something I’m in favour of. 

But surely this type of crazy directive from KiwiRail shows how all the brilliant changes that have been made to keep people safer can be tarnished by another consequence of the health and safety laws.

Whether it’s an unintended consequence, who knows, but the layperson’s term for this consequence is “backside covering”.

That's all KiwiRail is doing here, because it knows that, whenever this once in 1,000 years death or injury might happen, it will be in the firing line. That’s the only conclusion you can come to.

But that’s what health and safety has become. Backside covering.

The other thing about this too is the safety upgrade being forced by KiwiRail is going to cost ratepayers $6.5 million.

I remember the last time I was in a managerial job, and I had to make my team go to a health and safety briefing. And the so-called expert started banging on about a “cable strategy”.

And I couldn’t help myself - because the old BS detector was going off left, right and centre. So I put my hand up and asked what this “cable strategy” was that they were going on about.

Turns out it was a documented plan on how to handle things like computer cables and other cords, so that they didn’t create a risk of people falling over.

That was the point when I realised that health and safety was becoming an industry.

And that’s how I’m feeling about KiwiRail’s plan to force the Christchurch City Council this 1.5 kilometre section of the Heathcote Express cycleway for two years.

It's also another example of how health and safety is out of control in this country.

You'll have your own way of describing this crazy situation where we’ve got KiwiRail telling the Christchurch City Council that it has to close a 1.5 kilometre stretch of cycleway for two years, because the cycleway needs some safety improvements.
KiwiRail reckons the Heathcote Express cycleway, which is near a railway crossing, is so dangerous that a death or serious injury could happen there once every 1,000 years. Yep, once every 1,000 years.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that any death or injury —no matter how infrequent— is acceptable in any way. And KiwiRail says the section of railway that the cycleway crosses is the busiest section of the South Island rail network, with about 35 trains using it each day.
The cycleway opened less than a year ago and the locals seem to love it.&nbsp;
In fact, some local school kids turned up at the city council this week to tell councillors how important it is and how worried they are about this section of the cycleway being closed for two years while the safety upgrades are made to the railway crossing.
Here’s an idea of why they’re so worried about not being able to use the cycleway for two years and being forced onto a road busy with trucks going to and from the port at Lyttelton.
“We would need to bike on the highway. Port Hills Road is 60km. Lots of trucks, underpasses, and it’s scary and dodgy. It’s very dangerous crossing the Lyttleton offramp.”
And you’ve got to say, the possibility of something bad happening once every 1,000 years surely has to put it at the lower end of things. And certainly not a priority.
And this is the key thing here. I certainly don’t think it’s worth forcing cyclists off a safe cycleway for two years and onto a stretch of road that these school kids and other people who use the cycleway everyday say is a way more dangerous way for them to get to school and work.
Now I’m not saying get rid of health and safety, because that old Kiwi “she’ll be right approach” is not something I’m in favour of.&nbsp;
But surely this type of crazy directive from KiwiRail shows how all the brilliant changes that have been made to keep people safer can be tarnished by another consequence of the health and safety laws.
Whether it’s an unintended consequence, who knows, but the layperson’s term for this consequence is “backside covering”.
That's all KiwiRail is doing here, because it knows that, whenever this once in 1,000 years death or injury might happen, it will be in the firing line. That’s the only conclusion you can come to.
But that’s what health and safety has become. Backside covering.
The other thing about this too is the safety upgrade being forced by KiwiRail is going to cost ratepayers $6.5 million.
I remember the last time I was in a managerial job, and I had to make my team go to a health and safety briefing. And the so-called expert started banging on about a “cable strategy”.
And I couldn’t help myself - because the old BS detector was going off left, right and centre. So I put my hand up and asked what this “cable strategy” was that they were going on about.
Turns out it was a documented plan on how to handle things like computer cables and other cords, so that they didn’t create a risk of people falling over.
That was the point when I realised that health and safety was becoming an industry.
And that’s how I’m feeling about KiwiRail’s plan to force the Christchurch City Council this 1.5 kilometre section of the Heathcote Express cycleway for two years.
It's also another example of how health and safety is out of control in this country.

John MacDonald: Health and Safety is off the rails

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5d753882-f9c3-4241-b921-b22200096fac/transcript

I think I’m going to trust my gut instinct more often.  

Because yesterday, I didn’t like the idea of it, but my gut was telling me that Donald Trump was going to win the presidential election.  

And because I’m going to listen to my gut instinct more often, today I’m going to tell you that —even if we don't like it— we need to calm the farm a bit with all the hyperbole being thrown around.   

Because even though things are a little bit different this time around, did the world fall apart last time Trump was president? It didn’t.  

He’s another one of those people who you know is just making stuff up —and you know they’re a nasty piece of work— but somehow people fall for them. And enough people have fallen for Donald Trump. Again.    

But even though I felt he was going to take it out, I was still blown away with how the numbers looked from the start.  

Because you know what it’s like with elections and how the early stages of counting can skew things quite a bit – which is what I was thinking when I kept refreshing the screen on the phone following the results yesterday afternoon.  

But those Electoral College numbers just kept piling up for Trump. But, unlike last time he won, I wasn’t in the least bit surprised.  

There are some aspects that did surprise me. Example: the move in support from black voters —especially African American men— from Democrat to Republican.  

But even then, that shouldn’t really be a surprise when you consider how Trump campaigned. Where he just kept asking voters the rhetorical question: are you better off now than you were four years ago?   

And that’s a question that’s relevant to anyone from any cultural background. And it seems, for enough of them, the answer to that question was “no”. No, we’re not better off.  

And that, it seems, is what it came down to for the Americans who not only voted Trump back in as president but who also put the Republicans in charge of the Senate.   

Which is bringing some dire warnings today. Which I think would be very easy for me —or for anyone— to jump on board with. Because I think for a lot of people their default position is anti-Trump. Even though I think he’s a horrible person, I’m not going to switch to default.  

When I watched him making his big victory speech, I did wonder how many of his cronies who were on that stage with him will still be with him in four years time. There will be some casualties, we know that.  

And he made it very clear that America is going to be his first priority. In fact, he said that.  

But, on the basis that the world didn’t fall to bits last time he was president, I’m not buying into the hysteria. I could be proven wrong, but that’s my gut instinct.     

Unlike political commentator Matthew Hooton who is putting a very dire warning in the NZ Herald today, under the headline: “America entering most dangerous period since 1861”.  

He’s saying today: “The world enters its most dangerous period since World War II, with Trump threatening to abandon Ukraine, withdraw the US’s security in Europe which will encourage Russia’s Vladimir Putin to expand his ambitions westward, launch a global trade war and collapse the World Trade Organisation.”  

Matthew Hooton goes on to say: “Trump has also promised to jail his political opponents. He made similar threats in 2016 that he did not act upon, but back then his circle included at least some people who could be relied upon to keep his most extreme tendencies in check.  

“There are no such people around him this time. Nor is he constrained by the need to worry about re-election.  

“Barred from standing for re-election in 2028, the danger is he will seek to hold on to power by other means.”  

And Matthew Hooton concludes by saying: “The US enters its most dangerous period since 1861, the start of the Civil War.”  

I’m not buying into that. What about you?  

I think I’m going to trust my gut instinct more often. &nbsp;
Because yesterday, I didn’t like the idea of it, but my gut was telling me that Donald Trump was going to win the presidential election. &nbsp;
And because I’m going to listen to my gut instinct more often, today I’m going to tell you that —even if we don't like it— we need to calm the farm a bit with all the hyperbole being thrown around. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Because even though things are a little bit different this time around, did the world fall apart last time Trump was president? It didn’t. &nbsp;
He’s another one of those people who you know is just making stuff up —and you know they’re a nasty piece of work— but somehow people fall for them. And enough people have fallen for Donald Trump. Again. &nbsp; &nbsp;
But even though I felt he was going to take it out, I was still blown away with how the numbers looked from the start. &nbsp;
Because you know what it’s like with elections and how the early stages of counting can skew things quite a bit – which is what I was thinking when I kept refreshing the screen on the phone following the results yesterday afternoon. &nbsp;
But those Electoral College numbers just kept piling up for Trump. But, unlike last time he won, I wasn’t in the least bit surprised. &nbsp;
There are some aspects that did surprise me. Example: the move in support from black voters —especially African American men— from Democrat to Republican. &nbsp;
But even then, that shouldn’t really be a surprise when you consider how Trump campaigned. Where he just kept asking voters the rhetorical question: are you better off now than you were four years ago? &nbsp;&nbsp;
And that’s a question that’s relevant to anyone from any cultural background. And it seems, for enough of them, the answer to that question was “no”. No, we’re not better off. &nbsp;
And that, it seems, is what it came down to for the Americans who not only voted Trump back in as president but who also put the Republicans in charge of the Senate. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Which is bringing some dire warnings today. Which I think would be very easy for me —or for anyone— to jump on board with. Because I think for a lot of people their default position is anti-Trump. Even though I think he’s a horrible person, I’m not going to switch to default. &nbsp;
When I watched him making his big victory speech, I did wonder how many of his cronies who were on that stage with him will still be with him in four years time. There will be some casualties, we know that. &nbsp;
And he made it very clear that America is going to be his first priority. In fact, he said that. &nbsp;
But, on the basis that the world didn’t fall to bits last time he was president, I’m not buying into the hysteria. I could be proven wrong, but that’s my gut instinct. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Unlike political commentator Matthew Hooton who is putting a very dire warning in the NZ Herald today, under the headline: “America entering most dangerous period since 1861”. &nbsp;
He’s saying today: “The world enters its most dangerous period since World War II, with Trump threatening to abandon Ukraine, withdraw the US’s security in Europe which will encourage Russia’s Vladimir Putin to expand his ambitions westward, launch a global trade war and collapse the World Trade Organisation.” &nbsp;
Matthew Hooton goes on to say: “Trump has also promised to jail his political opponents. He made similar threats in 2016 that he did not act upon, but back then his circle included at least some people who could be relied upon to keep his most extreme tendencies in check. &nbsp;
“There are no such people around him this time. Nor is he constrained by the need to worry about re-election. &nbsp;
“Barred from standing for re-election in 2028, the danger is he will seek to hold on to power by other means.” &nbsp;
And Matthew Hooton concludes by saying: “The US enters its most dangerous period since 1861, the start of the Civil War.” &nbsp;
I’m not buying into that. What about you? &nbsp;

John MacDonald: I'm not buying into the Trump hysteria

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6d814833-48dd-4da5-9e98-b2210008f309/transcript

The legendary Miriam Margolyes is back in Christchurch, joining John MacDonald in studio for a chat. 

She’s one of a few famous names taking part in the Isaac Theatre Royal Variety Gala show next week, popping into the city early to don a habit and play a nun in ‘Holy Days’. 

Margolyes discussed all that was on her mind, her career, the importance of reading books, and how much it means to be back in the garden city.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

The legendary Miriam Margolyes is back in Christchurch, joining John MacDonald in studio for a chat.&nbsp;
She’s one of a few famous names taking part in the Isaac Theatre Royal Variety Gala show next week, popping into the city early to don a habit and play a nun in ‘Holy Days’.&nbsp;
Margolyes discussed all that was on her mind, her career, the importance of reading books, and how much it means to be back in the garden city. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Miriam Margolyes: Award winning actress talks her career, reading, the Isaac Theatre Royal Variety Gala, and being in Christchurch

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6bcc46d8-ea7a-4737-9e37-b2210005f8f4/transcript

Politics Friday: National's Vanessa Weenink and Labour's Rueben Davidson on the Christchurch cycleway , Treaty Principles Bill, Otago University medical school enrolments

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