Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

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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.

  1. 7h ago

    John MacDonald: Why not big fines and sentences for H&S failures?

    Labour has come up with a policy that I think is actually meaningful and would hold employers more accountable for workplace deaths. Labour has announced that, if elected, it will introduce a corporate homicide charge. Which would mean, if a worker died on the job, their employer could be charged with homicide. The punishments would be pretty hefty. An individual could end up with a life prison sentence and companies could be hit with fines of up to $10 million. And about time. Because even though our health & safety laws have been beefed-up after Pike River, the punishments dished-out haven’t kept up. And Labour wants to change that. The party’s workplace relations and safety spokesperson, Jan Tinetti, says, even though New Zealand has one of the highest rates of workplace deaths in the developed world, employers can’t be held as accountable as they should be. She says Labour wants to deliver what the Pike River families have been calling for for years. Which is the ability to charge employers with homicide. Sonya Rockhouse, whose son Ben was killed at Pike River, is saying today that Labour’s policy announcement today is fantastic news. She says: “People who are in charge and who knowingly make the workplace unsafe, they need to be held to account.” Now, let’s say this went ahead and corporate homicide was a thing, it wouldn’t necessarily deliver what the likes of the Pike River families have wanted. Which, if we’re honest, is to see the former mine boss taken to the cleaners. Which makes the timing of today’s announcement interesting. Because, only three weeks ago, the NZ Herald reported that Crown prosecutors were considering police recommendations on possible charges relating to Pike River. The Herald said at the time that it understood manslaughter charges were among the charges being considered. So where this Labour policy fits with that, I’m not sure. Either way, I like it. As Sonya Rockhouse from the Pike River families is saying, just the threat of a life sentence or a massive fine would be enough for most employers to make sure their health & safety is up to scratch. I’m realistic, though, and know that, if this went ahead, not all corporate homicide charges would stick. Because guilt can’t always be proven. And that can leave people somewhat disillusioned. Depending on the situation, a corporate homicide charge could be very difficult to prove. For example, proving that the boss of an outfit actually knew about a particular risk in the workplace before someone was killed wouldn’t always be easy. Nevertheless, I think the ability to lay a corporate homicide charge would move things on from where they are at the moment. So it gets my support. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. 8h ago

    Inside Wai Ora: The University of Otago's new medical campus in Christchurch

    The ribbon has been cut as The University of Otago's 292-million-dollar Wai Ora building has held its opening ceremony today. The new facility will expand the university's capacity for biomedical research and clinical trials, with space for about 15-hundred researchers, clinicians and students. John MacDonald visited the new building earlier this week, joining Associate Dean of Research Professor Logan Walker and Ōtautahi Campus/Wai Ora Project Owner Professor Suzanne Pitama to find out how the new collaborative hub will support research, teaching and healthcare innovation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. 9h ago

    Politics Friday: Tracey McLellan and Vanessa Weenink on corporate manslaughter policy, supermarkets, FENZ confidence

    National's Vanessa Weenink and Labour's Tracey McLellan joined John MacDonald for Politics Friday this week. They covered some of the week's biggest issues, including Labour's proposed corporate manslaughter policy, National's plans to tackle the supermarket duopoly, the funding challenges facing Canterbury Museum, and whether they agreed with FENZ Minister Brooke van Velden, who said this week she no longer has confidence in Chief Executive Kerry Gregory. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. 1d ago

    John MacDonald: What's with National going anti-business?

    What on earth has happened to National being the party for business? The party that encourages people to take risks, start businesses, work hard and enjoy the rewards? I never would have imagined National, of all parties, coming up with this idea of forcing Foodstuffs to split its supermarket operations. Business NZ feels the same. Saying today that it’s just like Labour banning oil and gas exploration. It says the National Party’s plan to use legislation to separate Pak'nSave from New World and Four Square is alarming and sends a chilling signal. And I couldn’t agree more. Because, unlike the oil and gas ban, which makes it very clear to oil and gas exploration companies that they’re not welcome here, National’s supermarket idea tells the world that they can still come here, but the rules might change once they set up shop. Which is why Catherine Beard from Business NZ says it’s not just the local supermarket operators who are going to be worried. She says all businesses, here in New Zealand and elsewhere, will be too. National’s finance spokesperson Nicola Willis, though, isn’t having a bar of that. She says no current supermarket owners would be forced to sell. They’d just be part of the Pak’nSave chain, or they’d be part of the New World/Four Square chain. She says we’re being ripped off by the supermarkets and something has to change. But using legislation to fundamentally change the structure of a business, that is not a centre-right policy. It’s an anti-business policy. Another weird part of this is that National wants to force change on Foodstuffs, which is a New Zealand outfit. But isn’t touching Woolworths, which is an Australian outfit. Nicola Willis told Newstalk ZB this morning that that’s got nothing to do with Woolworths being publicly listed on the stock exchange over in Australia. But she did say that Woolworths shouldn’t be complacent and will be expected to offer lower prices as well. But I’m with Business NZ. This is an anti-business policy from the dark ages. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. 1d ago

    New World Ilam's owner speaks out against National's supermarket policy

    Yesterday's policy announcement from the National Party has sparked outrage from business leaders and supermarket owners. Marc Brokenshire is the Owner/Operator of New World Ilam. He joined John MacDonald to share his perspective as a supermarket owner, and an employer of over 165 staff in his community. He said the uncertainty has already led him to delay significant investments, including a backup generator capable of powering the entire supermarket during a power outage. "'I'm not ordering that new generator. Those investment decisions just go on hold, and I hope we don't need that service." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. 2d ago

    John MacDonald: Why the Tom Phillips report doesn't surprise me

    I’m not the least bit surprised by this Tom Phillips c**k up. Because we are a country that has made turning a blind eye a national pastime. So, if we do that ourselves so often, why should we be surprised when the Police and Oranga Tamariki do the same thing? We’re a country where there’s been no shortage of people lining up to portray Tom Phillips as something of a national hero. I don’t know how many people have said to me over the years that he was “just doing it for his kids”. That he was frustrated with the Family Court process and just wanted to protect them. So, again, if that’s what some people think, then why should we be surprised when the Police and Oranga Tamariki appear to have thought the same? As you’ll be aware, it’s been found that the Police missed several key opportunities to catch Phillips, including one time when a local picked him up in their car and tipped off the cops. They were about to send someone out. But they got diverted to another job. Which is understandable. It happens all the time. I get that the Police have to prioritise things. But to leave it and only follow it up way down the track when the chance had been lost? That’s indefensible in my book. Other findings include the Police failing to act on firearms warnings and Oranga Tamariki dismissing family concerns about the wellbeing of the kids. The Government has apologised. Oranga Tamariki has admitted it made mistakes. But the Police are pushing back, saying it was a complex situation. When Phillips was shot dead by the Police a year ago and we started to find out more about his set-up and what he’d been up to, I was very quick to admit that I had been wrong and the Police had been right. That I had been wrong saying over the years that the Police were p***y-footing around. That, instead of waiting for him to come out of hiding with his kids, they should’ve been more gung-ho on it and gone after him. I admitted that I had been wrong because I believed that, if they hadn’t taken their time, there could have very easily been more than one person dead at the end of it. What I didn’t know a year ago, though, when I made that admission, is how much of a shambles it had been behind the scenes.That it was known how much alcohol he was drinking. As much as a bottle of vodka and a box of beer a day. That he was such a heavy drinker that he’d started making his own vodka. That, before he disappeared the first time, he’d gone into town to buy booze wearing an army-style full-face gas mask and had been banging on about the end of the world. That family members had raised concerns about the safety of the kids. But nothing was done. Just the stuff we can talk about makes it scandalous enough. Add in the stuff we can’t talk about because of suppression orders, and it’s an outrage. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. 2d ago

    Chris Hipkins: Labour leader on Marokopa inquiry, Price gouging laws, ACTs minimum wage policy

    Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins says the findings of the Marokopa inquiry are concerning, with the report concluding that missed opportunities may have delayed efforts to protect the children and bring them home sooner. Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Hipkins admitted he had not yet read the report in full, but acknowledged there is clearly room for improvement across all government agencies involved. "There were clearly some things there that got missed, and that's really concerning". Hipkins served as Minister of Police from June 2022 until becoming Prime Minister in January 2023. He also discussed ACT's proposal to lower the training wage, the latest poll results showing both Labour and National sitting in the 20 percent range, and Labours latest policy to make price gouging illegal. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  8. 3d ago

    John MacDonald: I'm losing faith, but we can't abandon Canterbury Museum

    I’ve got to say that I’m getting very close to losing all confidence in the Canterbury Museum redevelopment project. Because, increasingly, the people behind it seem to be trying to hold the city to ransom. Saying now that, if they can’t get their hands on more city council money ASAP, there’ll be delays and way more expense. About $7 million more. So what I knew was going to happen, has happened. But even though they’ve got us over a barrel, we can’t stop now. This is the big museum redevelopment project that had an original budget of $205 million. Which increased to $247 million last year. And, earlier this year, blew out by another $15 million. That was when the museum crowd went cap in hand to the council, asking for more money. The council agreed. Throwing-in another $15 million. Taking Christchurch’s commitment to $74 million for the project. But, as well as that, the council also agreed to lend the museum a further $28.6 million. Providing the museum could get another $15 million from the Government - which has already contributed $35 million. But that hasn’t happened. And so, now, the museum wants to get its hands on the council loan. Even though it hasn’t got the money from the Government. Which the council said had to happen first before the loan money would become available. The museum has told the council that, if the money isn’t handed over very soon, there’ll be further delays and the total cost of the project could blow-out by another $7.2 million. But, even though I think the council has every right to tell the museum to take a flying leap, I think it should agree to make the loan money available. Even though the museum seemed to be happy earlier in the year with the condition that the loan wouldn’t be available until the Government had chipped-in, I think the council should agree. Even though I’m getting that close to losing all faith in the people running the project. Because what’s the alternative? Another mothballed heritage building in Christchurch? Besides which, the museum is much more of a public facility than the Anglican Cathedral ever will be. And I would have thought that the Government would have been way more inclined to help out because of that. Remembering that Finance Minister Nicola Willis turned the taxpayer tap off for the cathedral because of her view that it isn’t a true public facility. Councillors, though, don’t seem to be as forgiving as I am. Councillor Sam MacDonald, who worked on the package earlier this year which gave the museum the extra $15 million and the loan arrangement, has told the press that the museum should be talking to Wellington. Instead of hassling the council. He says: “Between now and the election, their focus really needs to be on securing the remaining $15 million from central government. That is the critical piece needed to get the project locked in and moving.” He makes a very good point, saying that the City Council didn’t have any say on the design of the redevelopment and how much was going to be spent on it, but is still being expected to pick up the pieces. I agree with all that. Nevertheless, if the museum can’t get the council loan money ASAP, even though they haven’t met their side of the deal, the whole project could be delayed by another 12 months, and the cost could go up by another $7 million. So, there’s only one choice. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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About

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.

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