Best WorkSAFE Podcasts (2025)

1
Ep. 158: Frequency vs. Severity | The Impact of Claims Big and Small 26:37

4d ago26:37

26:37

In the world of workers compensation, loss runs affect a business's risk evaluation. Underwriters look carefully at a company's claim history. This process gives them an understanding of how frequently claims are happening, how severe they are, and if a business is putting effort into reducing workplace risk. Learn the differing impact of claim fre…

1
John MacDonald: The hardline stance on student loans is backfiring 5:48

22h ago5:48

5:48

I didn’t do any study after I left school —no university, no polytech— so I’ve never had a student loan. I know about debt though, thanks to the mortgage. And I reckon it would be very easy for me, as someone who has never had to pay off a student loan but who knows what it’s like to have the responsibilities of a mortgage, to dismiss what a former…

1
Politics Friday with Vanessa Weenink and Reuben Davidson: Student loan repayments, Uber taxes, ACC 18:59

22h ago18:59

18:59

Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by National’s Vanessa Weenink and Labour’s Reuben Davidson to break down the biggest issues of the week. They discussed student loan repayments – is there something that can be done to bring overseas loan holders back to New Zealand? Global companies like Uber are paying minimal tax over here – ar…

1
John MacDonald: Snake oil political promises have just been given a life line 6:21

2d ago6:21

6:21

When there’s an election campaign happening, how much do you care about the cost of the policies the political parties are pushing? Or, more to the point, how willing are you to trust the politicians when they say they've done the numbers, and they all stack up? My willingness to trust them is very low. Which is why I think we will be all the poore…

1
Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor on the shuttle bus study, after hours services, Rolleston intersection 8:55

2d ago8:55

8:55

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. B…

1
Graham Gouldman: 10CC singer and base player on the band's career, NZ tour 9:56

3d ago9:56

9:56

Having sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, legendary English rock band 10CC is celebrating their anniversary in style, their world tour bringing them to New Zealand’s shores. They’ll be hitting up Christchurch on the 10th of July, performing at the Isaac Theatre Royal. Co-lead singer and base player Graham Gouldman joined John MacDonald for…

1
John MacDonald: Will police and judges deliver what the Govt wants? 5:38

3d ago5:38

5:38

The Government has obviously decided that its law and order week. It started with tougher sentences for people who attack first responders and prison officers – which is a good thing. Then it was tougher sentences for people who dish out coward punches – that can’t come soon enough. And the latest are these tougher measures to try and do something …

1
John MacDonald: Ferry privatisation would just be excusing KiwiRail's shortcomings 4:43

4d ago4:43

4:43

I don’t like this idea David Seymour’s pushing of privatising the Interislander ferry service and getting a private operator to run it, instead of KiwiRail. And if I was to sum up why I’m opposed to it as succinctly as I could, it would come down to just two words and one number. State Highway 1. Tell that to the ACT leader and Deputy Prime Ministe…

1
John MacDonald: Aren't ED assaults just as bad as first responder assaults? 6:43

5d ago6:43

6:43

The Government’s plan for tougher sentences for people who don’t think twice about assaulting first responders and corrections officers is great. But I think there are some other people who should be included. Doctors and nurses. These are the people who, it seems, can be at just as much risk of being attacked. It’s brilliant that the Government ha…

1
Politics Friday with Vanessa Weenink and Megan Woods: Takutai Tarsh Kemp, virtual GPs, Moana Pasifika funding 22:18

8d ago22:18

22:18

Today on Politics Friday, John MacDonald was joined by National’s Vanessa Weenink and Labour’s Megan Woods to delve into the biggest stories of the week. Parliament's pressed pause to remember Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp after she died yesterday as a result of kidney disease – what will happen going forward? Doctors are unhappy with the Gov…

1
John MacDonald: How would you feel about paying more tax? 5:33

8d ago5:33

5:33

How do you feel about the prospect of paying higher income tax rates and more GST? I think it’s inevitable. So does the Inland Revenue Department. Because of our ageing population. Especially if people think we can have a whole lot more of us 65 and over —which is going to happen— and still provide the same level of assistance and support that is p…

1
John MacDonald: Attention motorists, more user-pays is on the way 6:04

9d ago6:04

6:04

The Infrastructure Commission's draft 30-year plan is the kind of big picture thinking we’ve been saying is needed, instead of the ad-hoc, politically driven approach we have at the moment. Essentially, the Commission says we’re going to need less schools and more hospitals because of the ageing population. It also says we’re going to need more roa…

1
Chris Hipkins: Labour Leader on the conflict in the Middle East, kids bringing weapons to school 8:41

10d ago8:41

8:41

The Opposition Leader has laid out his view of what's needed for peace in the Middle East. A wavering ceasefire remains between Israel and Iran after scolding from the US President, although both claim breaches by the other. Donald Trump claims his country's strikes this week destroyed Iran's nuclear programme, but early US intelligence indicates i…

1
John MacDonald: Weapons in schools are the canary in the mine 6:10

10d ago6:10

6:10

If we choose to ignore or downplay this new information out today about kids taking weapons to school, we’ll be doing it at our peril. Because what do you hear people say time and time again when something terrible happens? These are people in the news who might be commenting about a stabbing or a shooting, or something like that. What is it we hea…

1
John MacDonald: Capping council rates isn't a solution 5:33

11d ago5:33

5:33

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 counc…

1
John MacDonald: Get the Kiwis out of Iran and Israel - and leave it at that 5:33

12d ago5:33

5:33

The US air strikes on Iran yesterday are a disaster. A disaster that New Zealand needs to stay well clear of. Before yesterday, the prospect of it happening was a disaster-in-the making. And, now that it’s happened, it’s an absolute disaster. Not because of what might happen today, tomorrow or the next day. But, what will happen when the world leas…

1
John MacDonald: The Govt.'s into local decision-making - when it suits 5:05

16d ago5:05

5:05

The Government’s been making it increasingly clear over time that it doesn’t really give two-hoots about local democracy. But, in the last 24 hours, it’s gone next level. First up, we’ve got housing minister Chris Bishop, who announced yesterday that he’s going to be given special powers to ride roughshod over council plans if he doesn’t like them.…

1
Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor on housing intensification, central government being able to override council plans, Christchurch Council update 8:02

16d ago8:02

8:02

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 a…

1
John MacDonald: We need a one-size-fits-all life jacket rule 4:52

17d ago4:52

4:52

How weird is it that there are different rules or expectations regarding life jackets, depending on where you are in the country? I’m not the only one who thinks it’s weird. A coroner who has looked into the drownings of a 10-year-old boy and his mother thinks it’s weird too, and is calling for change. And instead of local councils being responsibl…

1
John MacDonald: A closer look at our mental health hospitals is overdue 5:50

18d ago5:50

5:50

It was bad enough that a patient at Hillmorton Hospital who had threatened to kill was still allowed to come and go and ended up killing an innocent woman at her Christchurch home. The fact this person had killed someone else previously, before taking the life of Faye Phillips last year, makes the circumstances behind the tragedy worse. On both occ…

1
Ep. 157: Safety Recommendations | How Custom Solutions Benefit Businesses 25:53

19d ago25:53

25:53

For many policyholders, the thought of a visit from a loss prevention or safety consultant feels intimidating. It's easy to assume a visit like this is all about finding mistakes or pointing out what's wrong. But these visits aren't about catching business owners off guard; they are about helping them succeed. Learn how customized recommendations m…

1
John MacDonald: Police cameras yes - with a couple of provisos 5:26

19d ago5:26

5:26

I’ve surprised myself a little bit with my reaction to the news the police are looking at introducing body cameras. Generally, I’m all for it. But the civil liberties people have raised some very good points about them being misused. One example they’re giving is the potential for the cameras to be combined with facial recognition technology. Which…

1
John MacDonald: Australia might have AUKUS-buyer's remorse 4:59

22d ago4:59

4:59

Donald Trump won’t be too happy with Helen Clark right now, because she’s saying she doesn't want New Zealand to be an ally of the United States ever again. I’m with her on that one – while Trump is president, anyway. I’m also with Defence Minister Judith Collins who isn’t saying anything about Trump doing a review of the AUKUS military alliance wi…

1
Politics Friday with Matt Doocey and Duncan Webb: NZ's relationship with the US, privacy vs safety, and Tourism NZ's new marketing campaign 19:09

22d ago19:09

19:09

Matt Doocey and Duncan Webb joined John MacDonald in studio for Politics Friday. They discussed Helen Clark’s recent comments around New Zealand’s relationship with the United States – do they agree? On the topic of privacy versus safety, when it comes to mental illness, is keeping people safe a higher priority than keeping someone’s health private…

1
John MacDonald: Wool carpet is great - but not everywhere 4:35

23d ago4:35

4:35

I’m all for the push to have wool carpet used in government buildings but I think it’s a mistake putting it in state homes. Kāinga Ora has announced that, from next month, there will be woollen carpets in all new state homes. It’s also going to use wool if the carpet in existing homes needs replacing. Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says Kāi…

1
John MacDonald: People should have known about mentally-unwell gardener 5:58

24d ago5:58

5:58

I’m not exactly sure where to start with this, because it is just so tragic and there is so much to it. I could start by ripping into the people who run Hillmorton Hospital, in Christchurch, for not doing more to try to prevent one of their patients murdering a woman at her home in Mt Pleasant – because I want to rip into them. I could start with t…

1
Chris Hipkins: Labour Leader on Te Pati Māori, housing intensification, sewage 8:44

24d ago8:44

8:44

Labour's leader says Te Pati Māori should focus on the issues most New Zealanders care about. Parliament last week voted to hand down the harshest suspensions in history to three MPs over a haka performed during the Treaty Principles Bill vote. Labour's Willie Jackson and Adrian Rurawhe argued the punishments were too harsh, but also suggested the …

1
John MacDonald: The Govt needs some skin in the solar game 4:47

25d ago4:47

4:47

How would you feel if the Government came out and said solar energy is the future and it was going to throw everything at it? Because that’s something I think it needs to seriously consider doing. For me, there would only be one fly in the ointment – I’ll get to that. But it’s not enough for me to say that the Government shouldn’t be ploughing mone…

1
John MacDonald: We need to get real about housing intensification 5:06

26d ago5:06

5:06

“A complete balls up”. How about that for what might be quote of the day? That’s how Christchurch city councillor Andrei Moore is describing the council’s handling of the housing intensification row. It’s a row that has been shut down for good by Housing and Resource Management Minister Chris Bishop, who has rejected Christchurch’s bid to have its …

1
John MacDonald: The modern learning environment - pipedream turned nightmare 5:31

29d ago5:31

5:31

Imagine a school having $800,000 in the bank. Imagine all the things a school could buy with that amount of money. This is a state school I’m talking about, not a Flash Harry private school that can put the call-out to the old boys and the old girls when it needs cash to do something. So a state school with $800,000 in the bank, and this state scho…

1
Politics Friday with Matt Doocey and Tracey McLellan: High Schools, Te Pati Māori and Natural gas 16:26

29d ago16:26

16:26

John was joined by Matt Doocey and Tracey McLellan this week for Politics Friday. They discussed the situation with Shirley Boys High School, who have spent $800,000 to move their school away from the modern learning model. Is it fair that schools have to foot the bill for this? The decision has been made around punishment for Te Pati Māori, does t…

1
John MacDonald: There's nothing special about supermarket specials 5:27

30d ago5:27

5:27

I love this idea the Commerce Commission and the Grocery Commissioner have come up with, of supermarkets giving us everyday low prices instead of the ever-changing, so-called “special prices”. The supermarket specials that really brass me off are the ones where you might see meat in one of the fridges, and they’ll have a sign showing the price per …

1
Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor on capping rates increases, the potential for passenger rail in Canterbury, selling Lichfield Street car park 10:17

30d ago10:17

10:17

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? L…

1
John MacDonald: Privacy Commissioner says facial recognition's okay, but... 5:56

1M ago5:56

5:56

I am really torn. Because when it comes to facial recognition technology, I’ve always been of the view that if you’re not doing anything wrong, there’s nothing to worry about. But, at the risk of sounding like I’m going a bit “civil liberties” on it, I’m starting to change my tune a bit. Which I’ll admit is a bit weird considering the Privacy Commi…

1
Leeann Watson: Business Canterbury CEO on signs of recovery in the region, WorkSafe changes 12:38

1M ago12:38

12:38

Leeann Watson, CEO of Business Canterbury, joined John MacDonald to give a quarterly update. Are we seeing signs of recovery in Canterbury? What would a commuter train mean for the city business scene? And will the Government’s new approach to WorkSafe make a difference for local businesses and how they operate? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/list…

1
John MacDonald: The dangers of tinkering with Health and Safety 5:39

1M ago5:39

5:39

If there’s anyone who shouldn't be told they can wind things back on the health and safety front, it’s a New Zealander. Because generally, we are absolute shockers when it comes to this sort of thing and our health and safety laws are the only thing standing between our “she’ll be right” attitude and misery and tragedy. Especially when you consider…

1
Ep. 156: Separating Fact and Fiction | Busting 7 Common Work Comp Myths 30:06

1M ago30:06

30:06

Many employers have misconceptions about how workers compensation actually works. Some don't understand what types of injuries are covered. Others aren't sure how claims impact their business - or how they can be involved in the process. These misunderstandings can lead to costly mistakes and missed opportunities to improve workplace safety. Separa…

1
Politics Friday: Duncan Webb and Hamish Campbell talk truancy, students, RMA proposals 18:43

1M ago18:43

18:43

Today on Politics Friday John MacDonald was joined by National’s Hamish Campbell and Labour’s Duncan Webb to discuss some of the biggest stories of the week. The Government will soon be issuing fines to parents of repeatedly absent students – will this work? Is it a new idea? Campbell almost manages to explain the RMA changes in one sentence, but w…

1
John MacDonald: Finger-wagging won't get more kids going to school 4:57

1M ago4:57

4:57

I can’t find an exact figure but from what I have seen online, I’m pretty confident in saying that there are hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid fines in New Zealand, and that figure is about to rise even further. Because the Government is dreaming if it thinks people fined for not sending their kids to school are going to suddenly start send…

1
John MacDonald: All councils should learn from ECAN's open mind on rail 5:32

1M ago5:32

5:32

I hope Environment Canterbury isn’t bothering listening to Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey. He’s not impressed that the regional council is going to spend money doing a business case for a rail passenger service between Rangiora, Christchurch, and Rolleston. Matt Doocey says it’s nothing more than a pie-in-the-sky idea and, given we’re in a cost-of-livi…

1
John MacDonald: Sometimes a ban isn't the answer 5:07

1M ago5:07

5:07

It would be very easy for me to say that the organisers of those ridiculous Run it Straight combat sport events have blood on their hands after the tragic death of 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite. And I would be saying that if Ryan had been involved in an official event. The thing is, he wasn’t. That’s not stopping other people from piling in though…

1
James Meager: Minister for the South Island on his portfolio, budget for Canterbury, Hipkins' comments 33:23

1M ago33:23

33:23

James Meager is responding to Chris Hipkins’ comments about the Minister for the South Island role. The Labour Leader called the position a “PR job”, saying there would be no need for Meager’s role if the Government was actually prioritising the South Island. Hipkins says Meager's not doing anything because he has no budget or decision-making abili…

1
Chris Hipkins: Labour Leader on Winston Peters ruling out Labour, KiwiSaver changes, Minister for the South Island 8:22

1M ago8:22

8:22

Labour's yet to rule potential coalition partners in or out. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is refusing to work with Chris Hipkins next election, but has not entirely ruled Labour out. On social media, Peters posted a Government of Labour, the Greens, and Te Pati Māori would be a "circus" and a "radical woke show". Hipkins told John MacDon…

1
John MacDonald: Have we lost the retail crime battle? 5:01

1M ago5:01

5:01

“Don’t sweat the small stuff.” That’s the message cops have been given about shoplifting. And the powers-that-be can say as much as they like about their memo to staff about only bothering with shoplifting worth more than $500 not being worded as well as it could have been, but the message is very clear. You steal stuff worth less than $500 and you…

1
John MacDonald: The community work sanction is an opportunity 6:10

1M ago6:10

6:10

The Government is describing the 20 hours unpaid community work that people on the Jobseeker benefit will be made to do from today if they don’t follow the rules, as a penalty. And there’ll be no shortage of people cheering on from the sidelines, who will also be seeing it as a penalty. I think it’s great too. But not for the obvious reasons. The O…

1
Politics Friday with Megan Woods and Matt Doocey: KiwiSaver, means testing, what the budget means for Canterbury 17:52

1M ago17:52

17:52

Today Megan Woods and Matt Doocey joined John MacDonald following the release of the budget. They discussed the key aspects of it including changes to KiwiSaver, will there be an announcement on the retirement as it sound like Matt is hinting towards? Should parents really support 18 and 19 year olds if they aren't working? And what is in the budge…

1
John MacDonald: We're not going far enough with superannuation changes 5:15

1M ago5:15

5:15

Quite a well-known chief executive and finance guy told me once that, in business, you should always make use of other people’s money first. Which is exactly what the Government is doing with the KiwiSaver changes announced in yesterday’s budget. It wants more of our money going in from our wages and salaries and less of its money going in through …

1
John MacDonald: Do we even need speed limits around the new stadium? 4:34

1M ago4:34

4:34

There’s a danger that when the new stadium opens in Christchurch next year, we'll have no idea exactly what speed we should be going when we drive around the area. At the moment, the council wants it to be 30kph on Madras Street, Tuam Street, Lichfield Street, Duke Street, Hereford Street and St Asaph Street. But now it’s being told by the Governme…

1
Phil Mauger: Christchurch Mayor on the speed limit around Te Kaha stadium, after hours care, taking home shopping trolleys 8:05

1M ago8:05

8:05

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…

1
John MacDonald: Unsafe health workers need more than a band-aid 5:03

1M ago5:03

5:03

Let’s call it and say that workers going to and from Christchurch Hospital at night-time deserve better. This is after what’s being described as a “very violent” assault on a staff member heading home after work last weekend. It’s understood the woman had been on a shift at the birthing centre, on Antigua Street. What we know at this point is that …

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