Podcast appearances and mentions of phil mauger

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger is defending One New Zealand Stadium for its lack of facilities for general admission concert goers. Some of the 12-thousand people with standing tickets at Saturday's 'Once In A Lifetime' show, were surprised to have to use port-a-loos and food trucks outside the roofed venue. The permanent facilities were designed for the seated capacity. Mayor Phil Mauger told Newstalk ZB's Canterbury Mornings this was always the plan. He also said that One New Zealand Stadium may have a smaller set up for the Foo Fighters if sales don't reach a certain threshold. "It'll be the cut down version for Foo Fighters if they don't reach a certain number of people." They also discussed the consultations taking place for Cathedral Square, and what can be done about accident-prone roads across the city. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger has defended the co‑governance model of the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor Regeneration Committee, which is investigating potential regeneration of the residential red zone. He says progress had stalled, and locals wanted the council to “get on with it.” “It was going round in circles, so we decided to grab it by the throat, sit down, and get on with it and make decisions.” The City Council has agreed to engage with community housing providers, Kāinga Ora, iwi, charitable trusts, and private developers, focusing on more than 10 hectares of red‑zoned land. Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Mauger also acknowledged concerns from central city residents about the rise of Airbnbs in the Christchurch CBD, but believes the market will correct itself. “If there are a lot of Ubers around, the price goes down. If there are a lot of Airbnbs, the price will go down, and people will think, ‘I'm not making money from this,' and put them back on the market.” “So it'll sort itself out, I'm sure.” Mauger also discussed his idea to establish a solar farm in Bexley, as well as his views on the Government's push for council amalgamations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch's Mayor doesn't think previously red zoned land has been tainted by its past. The City Council's agreed to engage with interested parties, including social housing providers, iwi, and private developers. It's identified more than 10 hectares of land, split across 11 parts of the quake damaged zone, suitable for housing. Phil Mauger told Mike Hosking work will be needed on the foundations, but it's suitable to live on. He says 15 years ago red zoned land was defined by a ball point pen by someone in Wellington – now we know a lot more and there are some little pockets that could be used. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've never had a problem with the chlorine that's been in Christchurch's water. Which is why I'm not at all upset at the news that it's going to be in the water forever. What's happened, is city councillors have been told that - even if they spent $1.5 billion on infrastructure upgrades over the next 20 years - the chlorine would most likely still be needed. That's because of all the hoops that have to be jumped through to get a chlorine exemption. On top of that, rates would have to go up to pay for ongoing maintenance. Nevertheless, i think the council needs to bite the bullet and spend the money. Because, for me, this isn't just about chlorine. But what i see potentially happening, is councillors using the chlorine bit as an out. As an excuse for not spending money on infrastructure upgrades. When that is the last thing, they should be doing. City Councillor Yani Johanson seems to be on the same page as me. He reckons that, despite the $1.5 billion price tag, it's still worth looking into and he wants the public to have a say. But Mayor Phil Mauger says it would be nothing other than a waste of money. He says: “it's all very well saying you can throw a shedload of money at every contractor in the country, digging up every road that we've got. But it's not worth it.” Phil's got some alternative ideas, which I'll get to. But what he's advocating for is a continuation of what pretty much every local body politician in this country has done and continues to do. Kicking cans down the road. They're experts at it. Whereas, what Christchurch should be doing is seeing this as a critical piece of infrastructure spending that is needed in New Zealand's second-largest city. Especially when you consider the alternatives ideas floating around. Instead of the big spend-up on new pipes, Phil Mauger reckons it would be better for the council to do things like buying filtration systems for people to have at home and setting-up chlorine-free water stations around town. Picture that. The council sending out filtration kits in the mail - the way it sent out those portable toilets after the earthquakes. And the council running water station around town where people could go to get chlorine-free water. Really? People bang on about the city needing to look less like a disaster zone. What do you think the council distributing filtering systems and running water pick-up points would look like? And, all the while, crossing its finger and hoping that the underground infrastructure doesn't pack a sad. It makes no sense. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mayor of Christchurch thinks the site of soon to be retired Apollo Projects Stadium should be sold on when it's returned to the council's ownership. Phil Mauger told Canterbury Mornings he believes the land is best suited for housing, stressing that any redevelopment should respect the site's past. "The common-sense use is for housing. Not massive intensive housing, just normal intensification. It'll need a bit of a green area in the middle, it needs to be done properly." They also discussed the departure of outgoing CEO Mary Richardson, the New Brighton Mall redevelopment, and if Christchurch roads need more cheaper cycleways. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before yesterday, I can honestly say I'd never heard the word grouse. Well, actually that's not true, I'd heard the word grouse. I knew it as a bird. As game for a hunter. But I'd never heard it used in the slang form. “It is grouse,” said Christchurch Mayor, Phil Mauger, as he cut the ribbon in his city's brand new $683m stadium. So long as you mean it's excellent, I thought, then I'm with you Phil. I was born and raised in Christchurch. I'll always have an affection for the ‘03 that comes from having had a great childhood based in a place. It's never been perfect, but it'll always be home. We could see the old stadium from our family home. The first time I was ever on TV was while sitting with my dad on the old embankment at Lancaster Park for a test between Pakistan and New Zealand in February 1994. The cameraman came and got a little cutaway shot of us, and the next day at school various people excitedly came to tell me. There's no doubting the new stadium is a huge upgrade. Lancaster Park (or Jade Stadium as it was) was in a semi-industrial spot in the city fringes. At Te Kaha, you walk across the road and you're straight into the bars and restaurants. If you had the wrong seat at Jade Stadium, you'd pounded by the cruel Easterly. Te Kaha's roof means there are no such concerns. I often feel as though I have the experience of viewing Christchurch as a sort of time lapse. I know the city, I'm there fairly often, but I'm not living it every day. It means I get an interesting sense of progress. Even for someone on the outside, progress has been agonizingly slow. For the longest time, it was measured only in empty lots. Of the 17 anchor projects defined back in 2012, none was delivered to the original timeframe. But they have been delivered, and almost all of them are excellent. Te Pae, the convention centre, is fantastic. Tūranga, the central library is surely one of the country's best. Add to it Parakiore, the metro sports facility, the Canterbury University rebuild, the new QEII, the Margaret Mahy playground… there are so many great public facilities in the city, and each of them is better than the one it replaced. There have just been two outstanding projects. The Christchurch Cathedral, and what I suppose could be described as a cathedral of a different kind. The thing about Te Kaha is that by design, it brings the greatest number of people together, whether for Six60 or yet another Super Rugby title. For so many years, Christchurch was sad and sorry. But Te Kaha's completion, costly as it may have been, is such a big milestone. It's more than a stadium. It's more than a construction project. It is the crowning of what is surely most vibrant city in the country. It is grouse. To those who've lived through it all and are counting down the days to their first match at Te Kaha… enjoy being envied. You deserve it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mayor of Christchurch isn't too worried about the impact of fuel prices on the council at the moment but is keeping a close eye on things. Phil Mauger told Canterbury Mornings that costs will be affected by the Middle East conflict, but a lot of the council's infrastructure runs on electricity. "A lot of our fleet is electric, the boilers in the building are changed over to electric, we've got solar on our galleries" "It's not critical yet, but we're certainly looking at it and keeping a very good eye on it." They also discussed the Crusaders Express train taking fans to rugby games to the new stadium from Rangiora and Rolleston, the councils satisfaction survey, and if there are any updates from his 3am idea to fix Cathedral Square. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is another plan in the works to revive Cathedral Square with the Council asking for the public's ideas later this year The Christchurch City Council has announced they have a budget of $28.5 million set aside to put a revitalisation plan in action. Mayor Phil Mauger told Canterbury Mornings that he would like to put some of the money into the Christ Church Cathedral to fix it instead of only funding the redevelopment of Cathedral Square. "Some of it could go to the Cathedral, they're crying out for it, let's not spend or waste 28 million dollars in the square when some of it could go towards the Cathedral." They also discussed his idea to fix East Christchurch's wastewater issues, Whether or not he backs the Dux de Lux rebuild to be paid with council rates, and his thoughts on potentially bringing the Santa Parade to central Christchurch. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Wellington grapples with a wastewater disaster that's pushing 70 million litres of untreated sewage into the sea each day, Christchurch's proposal to pump semi-treated sewage into the ocean for the next two years has not gone down well with one government minister. The city's mayor, Phil Mauger, put forward the idea to mitigate the putrid stench coming from Bromley's damaged treatment plant. The plan has raised the ire of Shane Jones, who has put the council on notice. Keiller MacDuff reports.  

Can you believe the Christchurch City Council is even entertaining the idea of pouring partially-treated wastewater into the sea to try and reduce the stench from the burnt-out wastewater treatment plant at Bromley? Don't get me wrong, I think it's shameful that the council has dropped the ball on this one in such a spectacular fashion. And don't for a minute think that my empathy for the people living with that smell night and day is anything less than what it has been. But this is a ridiculous idea cooked-up by mayor Phil Mauger. As Christchurch East MP Reuben Davidson is saying, there's a fair amount of hope but not a lot of evidence that this plan would work and not cause harm to the environment. He's right. The council is in panic mode and Phil Mauger is clutching at straws. A bit of background. Last week, Environment Canterbury told the city council it hadn't done enough to sort out the awful smell coming from the plant and said it had to come up with a plan within two weeks. Hence, this idea of sending partially-treated wastewater out to sea to take the strain off the treatment plant. The council also wants to add chlorine to ensure bacteria levels are what it thinks will be safe before it reaches the ocean. Since the big fire in November 2021, the ponds at the plant have been overloaded and aren't in great shape. And, when we had all that rain the other week, things went next level and the smell was probably as bad as it's ever been. Phil Mauger is saying today: “We can't sit back and expect conditions to improve on their own. Anyone who lives nearby knows the odour issues have become more intense, and we've been looking at all ways to help alleviate the stench.” Yeah, but this isn't how you should be doing it Phil. E-Can says it's surprised and concerned. My hope is that it will tell the city council to go back to the drawing board. Because why would we do something that could add to the water pollution problems we've already got? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni joined us for our weekly political panel; Shane Jones joined us following the death of a woman who was attacked by dogs in Northland; The government is seeking advice on whether to toll Auckland's Harbour Bridge, we spoke to Greater Auckland's Matt Lowrie; Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger joined us with an update on the flooding across the region. And we spoke to Jono Ridler who is swimming the length of the North Island - he came up for air and we gave him a call to find out why he's doing it

The heavy rain that battered the North Island has now slammed Canterbury. Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger spoke to Corin Dann.

One of the country's fastest growing economies, Christchurch has well and truly bounced back since the earthquakes. Mayor Phil Mauger called in for a chat about the city's growth and what's to come in the future. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it time to have a re-think about what's done with the residential red zone on the east side of Christchurch? I think it's fair to say that mayor Phil Mauger thinks so. And so do I. Phil's saying today that he wants to see red zone land used for housing as soon as possible. With the first cab off the rank being land on the edge of the area already zoned for it. This includes land the city 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. But, with a total area of about 600-hectares all up, why stop there? I reckon that, rather than nibble around the edges, we should have a proper technical investigation to find out whether much more of the red zone land could be used. At a time when we have more and more housing developments chewing up more and more land, shouldn't we be opening our minds to the possibility that some - if not all - of that red zone land could be a better option? I think so. But it would require a serious commitment and some serious expenditure. Because it would involve some pretty intense investigative work. But when you think about when that area was declared a red zone, that was at a time when the land was still moving with all the aftershocks and when it probably just seemed easier to move everyone out and to think about what to do with it afterwards. The thinking was done and, at that point, it was determined that the last thing to do with that area was to put more houses on it. Which I think most of us were willing to accept at the time. But it does seem strange that we are supposed to be behoven forever to decisions made more than a dozen years ago. When not only time has moved on, but so too has our technical capabilities. I'm no expert in any of the areas that would need to be factored-in to any decision to have more housing in the red zone, so I'm not demanding that houses be built there tomorrow. But Phil Mauger's comments have got me thinking. If we did go ahead with what I'm talking about, there'd be no guarantee that the outcome would be any different to what it was after the quakes. But what's wrong with opening our minds to the possibility? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch's Mayor is suggesting the city's temporary sports stadium could be redeveloped for housing. Addington's Apollo Projects Stadium opened in 2012 when the quake-damaged Lancaster Park closed permanently. The City Council's confirmed structures including the grandstand will be removed when Te Kaha opens in April, but the future of the Addington site remains unclear. Mayor Phil Mauger told John MacDonald it should be intensified and turned into housing, so people can jump onto a bus and head into town easily. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders have voted against steep rates rises in the local elections. Auckland's Wayne Brown and Christchurch's Phil Mauger have both been re-elected over the weekend, with a commitment to keep rates rises lower. Wellington's Andrew Little and Hamilton's Tim Macindoe have indicated they'll rein in their cities' steep rates rises. In Dunedin - Sophie Barker has won the mayoralty over incumbent Jules Radich. Newstalk ZB's Callum Proctor, Claire Sherwood, Max Towle and Michael Sergel joined Ryan Bridge to recap the results so far. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phil Mauger has been re-elected as Mayor of Christchurch. He joined us on the show following his win, and discussed the key issues he wants to focus on. Where will cut debt? Who will be his deputy? And does he think Wayne Brown is correct that Auckland is our only international city? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Re-elected mayor Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger is calling for a rethink to local election voting systems. Mauger says he's humbled by the margin of his victory over rival Sara Templeton, but admits the country needs better engagement. "And our general elections are very well-subscribed, because we're going down and voting and the postal system's just not working. We need to do something different." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Results from this weekend's local elections are still rolling in, with some races still too close to call. But Auckland's Wayne Brown and Christchurch's Phil Mauger have definitely won second terms with decisive victories. Andrew Little's the new mayor in Wellington, and Tim Macindoe's won in Hamilton. Voters in just 17 council areas have opted to keep Māori wards, with voters in 25 opting to scrap them. Newstalk ZB election reporter Michael Sergel says Sophie Barker is leading Dunedin's mayoral race, but this outcome could change on final results. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch's incumbent mayor believes debt is the Council's biggest challenge. Phil Mauger says if re-elected he's committed to tackling the Garden's City's growing debt by selling off assets like the Lichfield Street carpark. Mauger told John MacDonald the current debt level is $2.5 billion, and he wants it under control. He says 25 cents of every rate dollar goes into debt servicing, and he wants that money spent on more things to benefit the city. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch mayoralty hopeful Sara Templeton says her Green values wouldn't define her leadership of the city. The three-term city councillor and former Green Party member has been challenged on her alignment and the fact Green mayors like Tory Whanau and Aaron Hawkins have been in office just one term. Templeton told John MacDonald the focus should be on Christchurch, which needs someone with strong environmental credentials, governance skills, and passion for community. She says they tend to be framed as “Green values”, but she has a strong track record in those areas, and people will be voting based on that track record and her vision for the future. Templeton is putting everything on the line in her bid. The third-term councillor is running against incumbent Phil Mauger and isn't seeking re-election in Heathcote as back-up. Templeton told MacDonald it's been a privilege to serve in Heathcote but she believes she can serve the city better as Mayor. She says standing for both roles would signal a lack of confidence in winning the mayoralty, so it's all or nothing. The former Green Party member says she has no interest in national politics and will find another way to serve the city if she misses out. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With HSBC economist Paul Bloxham, Christchurch mayoral candidates Sara Templeton and Phil Mauger, and 1News US Correspondent Logan Church.

Just because someone can afford to do something, it doesn't always mean they should do it. Which is how I'm feeling about Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger using his own money to pay engineers to design a replacement for the controversial Park Terrace cycleway which, he says, is under-utilised and causing traffic congestion. According to council data, 648 cyclists use it every week day. Which doesn't sound under-utilised to me. What's more, I don't like the idea of the mayor circumventing his in-house transport staff and getting some private engineers to come up with another design. I think it's very sneaky. You may remember the row over this one a couple of years back, when council transport staff blocked-off one of the lanes heading north on Park Terrace and turned it into a two-way cycle lane. Marking it off with bollards and reducing that stretch of road to one-lane, instead of two. If you can't quite envisage where this is, it's the stretch of road that goes from the Antigua boat sheds, past the museum, past Christ's College and The George hotel, up to Salisbury Street. Which, as I said at the time, was the outcome of the council transport people over-thinking things because they were concerned about cyclists and pedestrians being put at risk by the development work going on at Canterbury Museum. So they thought that closing a lane of traffic, turning it into a cycleway, and making that stretch of road one-lane, instead of two, was the answer. When this all flared-up back in 2023, Phil Mauger got into strife when he said council staff were “running amok and they need to be reined in”. He also described staff as "the anti-car brigade". Two years down the track - and with an election coming up - Phil has paid some engineers to come up with an alternative design. Which would see the traffic lane used for the cycleway being reinstated and the 2.5 metre-wide shared footpath that runs between the road and the Avon River being widened to accommodate cyclists. Personally, I think the idea Phil is pushing is a good one - but I don't like the fact that he's worked around his own council engineers and paid other, private engineers to come up with a new design. I know some people will think he's being a bit of a legend and putting his money where his mouth is. But I don't. Even though I think it would make much more sense to use some of that space between the footpath and the river. The reason I don't like what he's done, is that he is riding roughshod over his transport staff and he's riding roughshod over his council's processes. Because this cycleway is due to be in place for another three years. Some concillors didn't like it at the time. But that's how things ended up. Even though the mayor has spent his own personal money getting these engineers to come up with a different design, it will only happen if he's re-elected. And it's not as if he's going to pay for the work. He says his plan will cost ratepayers about $300,000 and will be done within 100 days if he is still mayor after the election. He also says it depends on him getting a working majority of what he calls like-minded councillors. But just because he can afford to pay the outside engineers to come up with an alternative design - and even though I think the alternative design he's proposing would be much better than the set-up at the moment - I don't like what he's done. He's top dog at the council and he needs to show the council and its staff more respect. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phil Mauger is back on board the climate change bandwagon today – just like he was before the last election. I remember asking him three years ago what he thought the most pressing issue facing Christchurch was and he said climate change. And he's at it again today. So is current city councillor Sara Templeton, who also wants to be the city's next mayor. It won't be any surprise to anyone that Sara rates climate change as a top issue or a top priority. And good on her for saying so, because I agree. I think we've had our heads in the sand for too long. So she's talking today about the need for the city to get on with solid planning for dealing with climate adaptation. Which is easier said than done, of course. Especially with all this talk coming from Wellington about central government washing its hands in terms of helping local communities dealing with things like sea level rise. As for Phil Mauger, I'll believe his commitment to climate change when I see it. He's talking today about wanting to reduce greenhouse gases and is saying that converting trucks and other vehicles to hydrogen will make a difference. But, no disrespect to Phil, anyone can bang-on about that and it probably sounds good. But like I say, the proof's in the pudding. My message is the same for Sara Templeton. But thank goodness they're talking about it because I agree that climate change needs to be a top priority. But it does raise the question as to whether you agree with these two that addressing climate change has to be top of mind. Whether you think addressing climate change is a top priority for Christchurch. We can bang-on about getting the basics done well, but what good is that going to be if we have city leaders who are quite happy to kick the climate change can down the road? So it's full marks from me to both of them for at least putting it out there as a top priority for the city. Especially Sara Templeton, with her view that we need to get on with deciding how Christchurch is going to adapt. But she is bang on because the council already knows that $14 billion worth of property in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula could be at-risk from sea-level rise. That's the figure that came out a couple of years ago when the council made a submission to Parliament's environment select committee. And since then, what's happened? What's been done about it? Next to nothing. The only person around that council table who has said anything of substance since is Sara Templeton herself who, in February last year, floated the idea of a new ratepayer levy to help with the cost of adapting to climate change. Her argument was simple. How can we say it's fair to expect future generations to not only live with the consequences of climate change, but to pay for it as well? To carry the financial burden? As you might expect, that didn't go down too well with a lot of people. Because a lot of us are focused on the here and now and don't give two hoots about what might be on the way. Not to mention the people who don't believe climate change and sea-level rise even exist. What's more, climate change doesn't win elections, does it? Which is why you get people wanting to be mayors and councillors only talking about rates and rubbish and sticking to the basics. Whereas what we really need are city leaders who will get out of the weeds and not worry about the minutiae of every little thing and actually get on with the job of ensuring we are ready. Ready for the day —whenever that day might be— when $14 billion worth of property in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula is more than just at-risk from sea-level rise. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions over Christchurch City Council planning to spend $200 thousand on a shuttle bus study. Environment Canterbury wants to stop the proposed resurrection of a free inner-city shuttle, saying 1800 bus movements each weekday is enough. A 2023 law change means ECan will get the final say. Mayor Phil Mauger admits he voted for the costly study. But he told John MacDonald ECan didn't mention anything until it was included in the annual plan. He says there's no use spending the money if it doesn't get the green light, so council should re-think the idea. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger is in campaign mode for this year's elections, saying that he thinks the Government might be onto a winner with its idea of forcing councils to put a cap on rates increases. I'm wondering if Phil does actually think it's a good idea, or whether he's just saying it. Because I think it would create havoc for local councils having Wellington telling them how much they could increase rates each year. And this isn't me banging the local democracy drum. This is me taking a commonsense view of things. Something you can't always credit politicians for – whether they're in central or local government. This idea that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been talking about in the last 24 hours doesn't fall into the commonsense category. Because yes, every time I see my rates bills I think, “that's a truckload of money”. And like you probably do as well, I wonder where it all goes. But that's what we elect local councils for. We elect them to run the outfit and make the decisions and decide how much they need to charge us ratepayers to pay for it all. And we have to like it or like it. Pretty hard to lump it. Which is why it's very tempting for politicians to bang on about keeping rates down and focusing on the basics. But here's where all that talk falls over and here's why it's nonsense for the Government to think it can tell councils how much more to charge ratepayers each year. And here's why Phil Mauger is wrong to say that it's a good idea. First of all: we're part of the problem. Because even though we don't want to pay more rates, we want more from our local council. We want libraries staying open later. We want footpaths fixed as soon as we see them start to crack. We want roads fixed, but we don't want road cones. We want the council to lend us money for community projects but then, when the rubber hits the road, we cry poor and say we can't afford to pay the interest. We want, want, want. And that means one of two things: either the council saying no or the politicians saying yes, because they think it'll get them re-elected. The other major issue is the whole funding structure for local government. Which is why I think the Government is taking a very narrow approach here. How on earth the Government thinks it could put a cap on annual rates increases without looking at the wider issue, I don't know. And that wider issue is the fact that local councils are being asked to do more and more under their own steam, without any extra funding to make it happen. Example: the Government wants more tourists coming here, but what about the infrastructure needed to support that growth? The Government doesn't pay for that. Local councils do. And the way things are structured at the moment, pretty much the only way they get the money they need to do all the things the Government and us ratepayers want them to do, is to charge rates. And the more we and the government want the councils to do, the more rates we have to pay. That's why this talk from the Government about councils needing to manage their finances better is such nonsense. And Phil Mauger needs to see that too. He thinks a rates cap could be a way of forcing the city council to look at the way it spends money, saying: “I'm open to it. I'm not saying it's the best thing since sliced bread but I'm certainly open to looking at it. I want rates to be as low as they can.” Phil, the only way that's going to happen isn't the Government putting a lid on rates increases. The only way that's going to happen is councils stopping themselves kicking cans down the road and not spending money. We see it time and time again. Councils go for the stuff people can see and ignore the stuff people can't see. Unsexy stuff like water pipes and sewerage pipes. They ignore them so well that, one day, it all goes pear-shaped and suddenly they're facing a gazillion-dollar upgrade. And how do they pay for that? What's the only way they can pay for that? Increased rates. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch's Mayor is back with John MacDonald to discuss the biggest stories from the week that was. The Government is giving the Housing Minister the power to overrule local councils, and Phil Mauger has some strong opinions on the topic. Housing intensification is still on the docket, but he's made it clear they'll be pushing back against it all the way. And why are there so many leafblowers out and about? Is that a good use of taxpayer money? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger joined John MacDonald this morning for their regular catch up. In the wake of Raf Manji's comments about capping rate increases, how does the Mayor feel about its achievability? ECAN is making a case for a passenger rail in Canterbury – is it a good move? And is selling off Lichfield Street car park a wise decision? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Supercars will officially race in a Kiwi double-header in New Zealand from 2026-2028. Ruapuna raceway in Christchurch will host a supercars championship each year, with it expected to continue after 2028. Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the announcement. LISTEN ABOVE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's consultation on speed limits around Christchurch's Te Kaha stadium - once again. New Government rules are forcing the City Council to ask for public feedback for a second time. A 30 kilometre-an-hour limit was approved for multiple surrounding streets but can no longer be implemented because of the changes. Mayor Phil Mauger told Canterbury mornings although this feels like over-consulting, this needs to be right to ensure public safety. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Banks Peninsula's State of Emergency remains in effect, with warning of more severe weather on its way for much of the country. The emergency was declared a week ago during record rain and flooding. Orange warnings have now been issued for more heavy rain for several parts of both islands, heading from south to north over the next two days. Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger told Canterbury Mornings the State of Emergency will be reviewed again at 4pm. He says they worry rain tomorrow may impact existing slips and could make things a bit messy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John MacDonald was joined today by Mayor Phil Mauger. They discussed the potential for Christchurch to be home to the delayed Erebus Disaster memorial – is Christchurch an appropriate home? The central city has been overrun by birds and their droppings, does the Council have a plan to deal with the mess? And what measures will the council take regarding the new build's in the city's east, given the recent findings that houses may sink in some areas? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch's Mayor says he was shocked by the $400 thousand bill to restore Cathedral Square's Chalice. The City Council's investigating ways to reduce the cost for work, including a complete re-paint and corrosion repairs. It's the first maintenance work to the Chalice since installation in 2001. Phil Mauger told John MacDonald options include touching up the Chalice leaves but leaving the actual structure as-is. “The person that we're dealing with, we're working with them to see if we can lower it down.” “It is far too much.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's no surprise from the Christchurch Mayor that construction is booming in Canterbury. The region's councils consented about 6,500 homes in the year to November – a fifth of the country's new builds. The number of consents in Christchurch was also triple Wellington's. Phil Mauger told Ryan Bridge there's been a billion-dollars worth of new homes built in Christchurch – half being units, townhouses, or apartments. He says they're aiming for 20-thousand more people in the central city. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 23rd of January, Kiwibank CEO Steve Jurkovich tells Ryan Bridge the OCR and mortgage rates will continue to drop after yesterday's inflation number. We get expert analysis on Donald Trump's threat of tariffs and sanctions against Russia and Vladimir Putin unless a deal is done to end the war in Ukraine. Ryan finds out why Canterbury is leading the way in new home builds. And the second season of Netflix's The Night Agent drops today - Ryan speaks to the Kiwi star, Luciane Buchanan. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Judith Collins, Phil Mauger and Tom Middendorp.

Full steam ahead with plans to re-build Christchurch's Catholic Cathedral on the same site as before. Following a survey, the Catholic Diocese has selected their 160-year-old Barbados Street site as the cathedral's future location. The former cathedral stood there before being demolished following earthquake damage. Mayor Phil Mauger told Mike Hosking the city may see a Catholic Cathedral before an Anglican one. “The Anglican Cathedral is practically building a new church within an old one. This will be built from new, but it will be a lot cheaper and may be able to get it finished a bit quicker.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a big weekend for the Garden City.  Auckland's loss is Christchurch's gain when SailGP returns for a second year in a row while the Warriors play in the city tonight.  The events are reportedly bringing in four million dollars of revenue to the city.  Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger told Mike Hosking it will sell Christchurch and New Zealand to the world.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over 100 firefighters, 12 helicopters and two fixed-wing planes are working to fight the raging fire in Christchurch's Port Hills. The fire was reported at 2.45pm yesterday on Worsleys Rd and had spread over an area of 100 hectares by the evening. Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger says rubberneckers seem to have heeded the message to stay away. "We've had FENZ-led meetings at the community centre, which is our evacuation hall. And they're commending the public of Christchurch and Selwyn for being so good and listening, which is music to my ears."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch is in for a scorcher today, with 28 degrees and wind from mid-morning as the Port Hills fire continues to burn.  More than 130 firefighters, two helicopters and two fixed wing aircraft are on the scene this morning, replacing overnight crews.  Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger told Mike Hosking that eighty properties in the area had been evacuated.  He said that all the emergency services are together at the Justice Precinct Centre, calling it an “extremely good asset.  The fire looks worse at night time, Mauger told Hosking, as the darkness accentuates the flames burning.  The fire is happening in the same area as the last blaze which happened almost seven years ago to the day.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hope the Commonwealth Games could return to Christchurch fifty years on from the 1974 event. Mayor Phil Mauger has recommended the city host the 2030 Games, and Christchurch city councillors voted to run a viability report. Mauger hopes an event of this scale will help turn Christchurch into the sporting and events capital of New Zealand. "We have all these fantastic new facilities, and I want to showcase our facilities to the world. We will, however, have to share the load across the country." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger has reached out to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. In a letter written to the President of the global network Mayors For Peace, Mauger said he recognises a state's obligation to defend itself from aggression, but condemned the massacre of innocents. Christchurch City Councillor Yani Johanson says the Mayors For Peace has an extensive global reach and could work together to address the ongoing conflict. "All of us are seeing what is very a disturbing and horrific humanitarian situation in Gaza, and we've also seen the extraordinary loss of innocent civilian lives- I think it's important to do what we can." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Christchurch mayor says the council is looking down the barrel of an 18 percent rates increase if it does not make some major cost savings. The City Council is working on its ten-year-plan, and mayor Phil Mauger says the plan has started out with a proposed 18 percent rates increase. Many councils around the country are also facing cost pressures. Selwyn mayor and Local Government New Zealand president Sam Broughton spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Christchurch's mayor Phil Mauger swore he'd never sell the city's council-owned assets, but a new report suggests it might be needed. When asked about the port, the airport, the broadband company, the electricity lines company, Mr Mauger promised none would be sold under his watch. That was pre-election - when asked more recently, he could not rule it out. The public would have a say before anything is sold

What does leadership look like in a disaster? David compares Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's leadership this week with how Bob Parker and Lianne Dalziel coped with the Christchurch earthquakes and terror attacks. He looks at how current Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger's council is faring and whether reality meets the rhetoric and what's happened to the city's Metro Sports facility, one of the anchor projects in the rebuild.

The Christchurch City Council is pushing ahead with the first step towards partially selling its blue chip assets, a complaint about Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger's election campaigning has been passed on to police, and staff shortages have forced the closure of an in-patient mental health unit Hillmorton Hospital.

Three mayors have proposed their own changes to the contentious Three Waters scheme. The mayors of Auckland, Christchurch and Waimakariri say their plan would end the divisive, nationwide argument on the policy. The new proposal would maintain the new water regulator, but keep local ownership, control and accountability. Auckland's mayor, Wayne Brown, says he's told Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta about the plan.

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown, along with Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger and Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon say their new plan - unlike three waters - will build consensus across the country.  The new proposal would maintain key aspects of three waters, including the new water regulator, Taumata Arowai, while maintaining local ownership and allowing for what the mayors describe as meaningful roles for mana whenua. Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon spoke to Māni Dunlop.  

The National Party says Wayne Brown and his team have come up with much better plan for the country's three waters and it spells the end of the Government's unpopular proposal. Auckland mayor Wayne Brown, along with Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger and Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon say their new plan - unlike three waters - will build consensus across the country.  The new proposal would maintain key aspects of three waters, including the new water regulator, Taumata Arowai, while maintaining local ownership and allowing for what the mayors describe as meaningful roles for mana whenua. National Party local government spokesperson Simon Watts spoke to Māni Dunlop.   

Nine to Noon continues to look at who's in the running to head up our biggest cities after local elections in October, with a focus today on the 11 candidates vying to be mayor of Christchurch. Three-term mayor Lianne Dalziel announced last July she'd be stepping down as mayor, having overseen nearly a decade's worth of the city's rebuild following the devastating earthquakes. The two major contenders for the role are Burwood city councillor Phil Mauger and former Canterbury District Health Board chief executive David Meates. Other contenders include the city's Wizard, a coffee boss, pro-gun pastor and a candidate who's stood in every election since 1971. For more, Kathryn is joined by David Williams, the South Island correspondent for Newsroom.co.nz.