John MacDonald: The Greens' solar plan doesn't stack up

The Green Party wants us to electrify everything, saying the current fuel crisis is a good reason to produce as much of our own energy as possible.

Which, by the way, is kind of ironic don’t you think? The Greens wanting us to produce our own energy, but not wanting us to drill for oil and gas?

Nevertheless, that’s what co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said in the party’s State of the Planet speech yesterday.

John MacDonald: Luxon's leadership is more than just a party matter

After hearing Chris Bishop on Newstalk ZB this morning, there are two things about the National Party and its leader that I am in no doubt about.

I am in absolutely no doubt that Christopher Luxon has to stand down before he’s pushed.

John MacDonald: No one wants to pay more tax, but...

Do we need more taxes

There are two ways we can look at it. Does The Government need more tax revenue? Yes, I think it does. Which is why those tax cuts after the last election have backfired so badly.

And do we want to pay more tax? When push comes to shove, probably not. But that’s human nature, isn’t it?

John MacDonald: Importing gas isn't great - but it has to happen

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has fallen into the trap that I could very easily find myself falling into if I didn’t think a little bit more carefully about this plan by the Government to set-up a new shipping terminal in Taranaki to import liquified natural gas.

This is the gas that’s needed to generate power, alongside the other ways we generate power in this country - hydro, coal and wind.

John MacDonald: My question to you about the economy

Do you feel better off than you did three years ago?

With it being election year, that’s the question politicians are going to be asking you. It’s the question I’m asking you too in light of the latest unemployment numbers - which are the highest in more than a decade.

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 person they are and how they’ve done all these good things.

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 Auckland.

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”.

John MacDonald: Pharmac funding weight-loss drugs is a no-brainer

The personal responsibility brigade will be going ape over Pharmac looking into funding weight loss drugs.

This wouldn’t be for anyone wanting to lose a few kilos here and there. This would be for people who are obese and at risk of serious health complications. Around 200 potentially serious health complications, actually. Such as Type 2 Diabetes.

John MacDonald: Are we ready to accept the truth about NZ Super?

After yesterday’s half-year fiscal update from the Government, the canary in the mine is gasping for air and the elephant in the room is walking all over everything.

And economist Cameron Bagrie is saying that we can’t ignore either of them - particularly in relation to the long-term outlook and what it means for superannuation and retirement planning.

John MacDonald: What needs to happen because of our terrorism complacency

You would think that, having had a major terror attack here, we’d be the last people that needed to be told after what happened in Bondi on Sunday night that we’re too complacent.

But that’s what security experts are saying. That New Zealand remains complacent and naive, despite 51 people being killed in the mosque attacks in Christchurch in March 2019.

John MacDonald: Another kick in the guts for our volunteer firefighters

I’m glad I’m not a volunteer firefighter. Because, if I was, I would be brassed-off that an attempt to get volunteer firefighters the same ACC cover as full-time firefighters has gone nowhere.

A petition calling for the change has been rejected by a parliamentary select committee because it doesn’t want to set a precedent. The committee is trotting out all the usual platitudes but the fact remains that volunteer firefighters have just had another kick in the guts.

John MacDonald: We need compulsory voting

If you voted in this year’s local body elections, congratulations. You can consider yourself a member of a very exclusive club.

Because, this year, voter turnout around the country was the lowest it’s been in 36 years. Which is pitiful.

John MacDonald: How I feel about armed cops after this week's shootings

When I first heard about the police shooting and killing someone they had actually gone to help, like most people, I wondered how the hell that could happen.

This is the shooting in Bryndwr in Christchurch overnight on Wednesday, which left a woman dead and a man critically injured.

John MacDonald: Should NCEA cater more to students that aren't going to university?

It must be tricky being at school and feeling like you’re not doing anything to prepare you for what you actually want to do when you leave.

The Government is starting to think about that after this new report from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority which says NCEA is too focused on kids wanting to go to university.

John MacDonald: The Govt's moral obligation to get rid of open-plan classrooms

Education Minister Erica Stanford is my politician of the day for announcing that the Government isn't going to be building any more of those terrible open-plan classrooms.

But she’ll be my politician of the year if she goes further than that and finds money to put some walls and doors in the modern learning environment monstrosities that already exist.

John MacDonald: The "overqualified" jobseekers behind the dole numbers

 There’s no doubt the news that the number of people on a benefit in New Zealand is up to the 400,000 mark will have some people tut-tutting.

But before we start ripping into the so-called “benefit bludgers”, we need to be very careful.

John MacDonald: This is one piece of Rogernomics that makes sense

How about this for an idea?

Instead of the tax people pay on the first $60,000 of their income going to the government, what if it went into a savings account to pay for healthcare and put food on the table when they retire?

It’s an idea being pushed by former finance minister Sir Roger Douglas and University of Auckland economics professor Robert MacCulloch which, they say, is needed because of the ageing population.

John MacDonald: Import gas or cross our fingers and hope?

Not as straightforward as it sounds.

That’s pretty much the message coming through loud and clear in this new report which says importing liquified natural gas to make up for our dwindling local supplies is do-able. But.

John MacDonald: What to do about the illegal tobacco trade

Here’s a stat for you: 25 percent of cigarettes sold in New Zealand are from the black market.

They’re being smuggled into the country and criminals are making millions selling them on Facebook Marketplace and construction sites. All over the place. And you probably don’t have to go far to find a dairy selling them, either.