Maxim Institute Podcast

In this episode of The Select Committee, political attack ads are heating up as election day approaches. The Sensible Sentencing Trust's “Backing the Gangs” billboard has drawn criticism from the Greens, while an AI-generated ad takes aim at Chris Hipkins. Are these legitimate campaign tactics, or has political advertising gone too far? Next: with just over a week until the election, are voters st...

In this episode of The Select Committee, gang politics have put Labour on the defensive. With Green and Te Pāti Māori MPs under fire for engaging with gang members on the campaign trail, Chris Hipkins is distancing Labour from their actions. Could the controversy cost Labour votes? Next: Labour wants to spend $28 million over four years to help get Kiwi kids off screens and onto sports fields. But...

In this episode of The Select Committee, National and ACT have just released their fiscal plans, outlining how they intend to manage government spending and debt. But how do their approaches differ? We look at their plans to return to surplus, the pressure on New Zealand’s finances, and ACT’s proposal to raise the superannuation age to 67. Next: Labour and ACT agree on something! Both parties want...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we look at the latest Reid Research poll, which has National on 25.9%, raising questions about which, if any, National list MPs could make it back to Parliament—and whether some familiar names could be on the way out. Next: electricity, data centres, dry winters, and nuclear power. We take a look at Maxim’s latest research note, Understanding the Power Str...

In this episode of  The Select Committee , we look at how The Opportunity Party has ruled out some of its biggest policies and laid out five bottom lines. So how workable would they be for each major party?  Next: Chlöe Swarbrick wants the Finance portfolio. With Chris Hipkins ruling that out, how much influence could the Greens really have if their polling continues to rise? Finally, we look at t...

In this episode of The Select Committee, we take stock as Parliament wraps up for the term. What did the coalition win? We look at Resource Management Act reform, education changes and falling crime rates, and ask how much credit the  Government can take? Next: where has it fallen short? We look at fiscal restraint, government spending and the size of the public service—and whether the Government...

In this episode of The Select Committee, National wants to break up New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly. Could the shake-up really deliver cheaper groceries, or are there trade-offs lurking beneath the headline? Next: ACT wants to freeze the minimum wage for three years—with workers under 20 potentially earning just $14.37 an hour. What is the economic case for holding wages steady, and what could i...

In this episode of The Select Committee, we examine the Greens’ plan for KiwiMart, a government-owned supermarket chain designed to increase competition and bring down grocery prices. Could it really deliver cheaper food, or would the costs end up outweighing the benefits? Next: a shock poll result for Labour. With ACT and the Greens gaining ground, is Chris Hipkins for the chop, or is Labour’s pr...

In this episode of The Select Committee, we discuss Sir Brian Roche’s preference to consolidate the public service. Would fewer agencies improve accountability, or will this turn out to be another costly restructure? Paolo Garcia’s valedictory speech highlights the darker side of politics. He described the abuse he has faced and said safety concerns forced him to move house. What does his experien...

In this episode of The Select Committee, we examine Labour’s fiscal promises for the election. Their policy includes returning to surplus by 2029/30 and keeping government spending at 33% of GDP. But do Labour’s numbers add up when further tax revenue has yet to be identified? Next: allegations of ballot theft and fraudulent voting in the 2025 local elections. A secret whistleblower and gang threa...

Something in our cultural moment has shifted. Across the globe, people feel disconnected. They’re unsure of where they belong, yet paradoxically more tribal. Education is shaped by ideology. Politics infuses every sphere. We struggle to disagree well. These are symptoms of what Dr Sarah Irving-Stonebraker calls our “Ahistoric Age.” She argues that we are forgetting how to remember. The past is oft...

In this episode of The Select Committee, we examine TOP’s tax and universal income proposals after a bruising Q&A interview. Can TOP’s appeal survive the shift from political “vibe” to detailed policy scrutiny? We then turn to Te Pāti Māori’s election strategy, with its focus on winning Māori electorate seats while encouraging supporters to party vote elsewhere. If successful, the move could c...

In this episode of The Select Committee, we take a look at the National Party’s latest leadership drama. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has survived a coup attempt less than 90 days out from the election. We ask what this reveals about dissatisfaction within the caucus—and the media’s role in amplifying instability. Can National now present a genuinely united front? We then turn to Labour's two...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we take a look at New Zealand First’s proposed Kiwi Kids Grant: $5,000 a year for each of a family’s first three children during their first three years. We ask what this policy says about our culture and whether it would actually lift the birth rate. We then turn to ACT’s classroom behaviour policy, which would allow disruptive students to be removed usin...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we examine Russia’s allegation that a man arrested there approached the NZSIS to spy for New Zealand. We ask what the claim—true or otherwise—reveals about New Zealand’s role in the Five Eyes intelligence network. We then turn to National’s decision to rule out The Opportunity Party as a coalition partner. With TOP polling close to 5%, we consider whether...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we examine the Greens’ Kiwi Power proposal, support for rooftop solar, and New Zealand’s dry-winter problem. We ask whether a state-owned energy entity would lower electricity bills. We then turn to the Government’s proposed changes to council–iwi agreements as part of Resource Management Act reform. Will national rules provide greater certainty? Finally,...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we consider ACT’s acquisition of broadcaster Paul Henry, and ask whether celebrity cut-through can translate into the discipline and compromise required of an MP. We then turn to the latest polls, examining why individual results can mislead and how the Poll of Polls offers a clearer picture of an increasingly competitive election. Finally, we discuss New...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we discuss New Zealand First’s proposal to remove voting rights for permanent residents, and whether tying the vote more closely to citizenship would give it greater meaning. We then turn to the proposed under-16 social media ban, asking whether a law intended to protect children can be enforced without sacrificing online privacy. Finally, we consider Chin...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we examine the Government’s emergency housing targets and ask whether an indicator of housing need has been mistaken for the problem itself. We discuss the inherent tension between reducing reliance on emergency housing and ensuring people are not left sleeping rough. We then turn to The Opportunity Party, weighing its centrist branding against a universal...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we examine the Greens’ proposed wealth tax and ask what lies behind their claim that the tax system is unfair. We then turn to National’s KiwiSaver announcement, weighing compulsory saving against concerns that making KiwiSaver mandatory and lifting contribution rates changes the scheme people signed up for. Finally, we consider ACT’s Regulated Professions...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we discuss a $31 million public sector scandal and ask whether it strays into the realm of corruption. We then turn to Labour’s disputed policy costings, election-year sparring over fiscal credibility, and whether an independent costing agency would clarify the debate. Finally, we discuss Matthew Hooton’s appointment as editor of The Post , and what it rev...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we look at China’s one-year ban on four New Zealand MPs after their visit to Taiwan, and ask how a small country like ours should respond. We then turn to Labour’s unofficial campaign launch, following its first policy announcement in more than six months. We also discuss the controversy around Labour candidate Rakesh Naidu and the party’s newly unveiled l...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we discuss US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s claim that New Zealand is freeloading on defence, and whether New Zealand should reopen the conversation about nuclear propulsion. We then turn to the Social Security (Modernisation) Amendment Bill and the broader powers it grants to use artificial intelligence tools in welfare decisions. We ask whether the pro...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we unpack Budget 2026 and ask whether an earlier surplus, tighter spending, and new defence funding help the Government look like a safe pair of hands heading into the election. We then turn to Mike Smith’s climate case against major emitters and the Government’s plan to respond with legislation, asking whether Parliament is protecting legal certainty or i...

In this episode of The Select Committee , we ask whether the Government’s proposed public service cuts are a serious attempt at fiscal discipline or simply campaign-season signalling. We then turn to the proposed social media ban for young people, weighing the good it seeks against the privacy risks, enforcement problems, and unintended consequences it may create. Finally, we consider Winston Pete...