Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings

13/12/2025

Canterbury Cricket is back at Hagley Oval for the 2025-2026 Super Smash Season! This is your chance to win a Family Pass, enjoy a summer’s day of cricket, and not miss any of the action.

Comment CRICKET to be in to win!

Find out more at https://canterburycricket.flicket.co.nz/

11/12/2025

How do you feel about Parliament rejecting a petition calling for volunteer firefighters to get the same ACC coverage and benefits as full-time firefighters?

At the moment, volunteers don’t get cover for mental, gradual process injuries or cancers linked to their firefighting work - but full-time firefighters do.

The petition calling for that to change has been rejected by Parliament’s Education and Workforce Committee because it doesn’t want to set a precedent, because it doesn’t think it’s practical for volunteers to get ACC workplace coverage.
How do you feel about that?

And, more broadly, do you think we appreciate and value volunteers of all types enough?

Call John at 9 on 0800-80-1080 and tell him what you think.

10/12/2025

Do you think a social media ban for under-16s would be a cop-out for parents? That’s what a retired district court judge is saying today.

David Harvey says a social media ban, like the one which came into force in Australia yesterday, would just be another example of outsourcing parental authority to the state.

His comments coincide with a recommendation by a parliamentary select committee that the government here restrict access to social media platforms for under-16s and appoint a social media regulator to make sure people and social media companies follow the rules.

Where do you stand on this? Call John at 9 on 0800-80-1080

Photo/123RF

09/12/2025

Do you support the Government’s move to put private property rights first and let people do more of what they want to do with their own property with less red tape?

The Resource Management Act is being replaced with a planning act and a natural environment act.

RMA Minister Chris Bishop says it will be easier for property owners to do things that don’t affect other people.

But some are concerned that the changes will be bad news for the natural environment.

How do you feel about it?

Call John at 9am on 0800-80-1080.

08/12/2025

There’s a call today for a ban on alcohol marketing and sponsorship to protect women and children from violence.

Health promotion advisor Lizzie Barratt and researcher Dr Debbie Hager say, with people drinking more at this time of the year, there is a spike in violence - particularly by men against women and kids.

They say a marketing and sponsorship ban would eliminate alcohol’s role in reinforcing a masculine drinking culture and eliminate its link with sporting activities.

They say doing nothing will only allow alcohol’s harmful influence on gender violence to get worse.

What’s your response to that?

Call John at 9am on 0800-80-1080.

07/12/2025

Ed Sheeran brings his Loop Tour to Apollo Projects Stadium next year and John MacDonald Mornings can get you there with a double ticket up for grabs every day this week.

Be caller #5 when you hear the cue-to-call and it's yours.

04/12/2025

How do you feel about the Police Eagle helicopter being in Christchurch for the next two months to help fight the escalating wave of armed child robbers and burglars?

Some Christchurch people have been against the city having its own police helicopter, because of the noise and how it reminds them of the time after the earthquakes.

It returned to the city after the mosque attacks. So how do you feel about the Eagle being here again?

Call John at 9am on 0800-80-1080.

The move follows a spike in ram raids and violent robberies across the city.

02/12/2025

Christchurch City Council advisers say we should either amalgamate the Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri councils (creating a new super city); or the city council should take over the work of the ECAN regional council.

They say the Government’s proposal to have local mayors run regional councils for two years and come up with new governance structures for their areas is “weak” and unlikely to mean good outcomes for Christchurch ratepayers.

So what would you prefer? A greater Christchurch super city? Or keep the three local councils and amalgamate the city council and ECAN?

Call John at 9am on 0800-80-1080.

01/12/2025

How do you feel about the Government telling councils that annual rates increases must be no higher than 4 percent?

The new rates caps won’t come into effect until mid-2029. Although consultation will begin immediately.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it’s about forcing councils to “stop doing dumb stuff”. But local councillors are already saying today that the cap will mean some tough decisions will have to be made.

What’s your reaction?

Call John at 9am on 0800-80-1080.

Photo/George Heard

30/11/2025

Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger wants to see land in Christchurch’s red zone used for housing as soon as possible.

The first cab off the rank would be land in the area already zoned for it, including land the council is going to lease to a housing trust so it can provide affordable housing on the east side of town.

Ten hectares is already zoned for housing and another 24 hectares is earmarked for trial housing areas, from a total area of about 600-hectares.

So is it time to have a re-think about what’s done with the residential red zone on the east side of Christchurch? Should we be looking into the feasibility of building houses there again?

Call John at 9am on 0800 - 80 10 80.

Photo/Geoff Sloan

27/11/2025

The daughter of one of the victims of the Erebus air disaster is disgusted that the memorial for the 257 people who died in the crash 46 years ago is going to be built at Cracroft Reserve, in Christchurch.

Simone Bennett, whose father David was on the Air NZ DC-10 plane, lives in Auckland and says she is furious that the memorial will be so far away.

How do you feel about the decision to build the memorial in Christchurch?

Call 0800 80 10 80 from 9am and share your thoughts.

The reserve overlooks the city and the Southern Alps, offering quiet reflection.

26/11/2025

How do you feel about Greenpeace telling us this week that nitrate contamination in drinking water supplies in parts of Canterbury are so bad that people are at increased risk of bowel cancer and premature births?

Associate Professor Tim Chambers from the University of Canterbury thinks it’s a government responsibility to provide up-to-date information on nitrate levels in our drinking water.

He says in some countries people can go online, type in their address and see the latest nitrate readings for their area, and he’d like to see the same thing available here.

What do you think?

Call 0800 80 10 80 and share your thoughts from 9am.