Maxim Institute Podcast

In this week's column, Marcus Roberts, Director of Research and Development, sheds light on an important issue that has been the subject of much debate - prisoners' voting rights in Aotearoa New Zealand. Marcus takes us on a journey through history, exploring the evolution of prisoners' right to vote and the different opinions that have emerged over the years. He also discusses the latest recommen...

In the Maxim Institute Column this week, Researcher Maryanne Spurdle looks at our idea that the government can solve all our problems. She questions the optimism of wealthy Kiwis pleading for higher taxes, highlighting the diminishing returns of government spending in critical sectors. Instead, she urges us to support grassroots organisations already making an extraordinary impact. Maryanne shows...

We shouldn’t settle for elections as popularity contests. We have to move beyond surface-level likability and focus on what matters: effective governance, sound decision-making, and safeguarding our nation's interests. In the Maxim column this week, Jason Heale encourages us to take the focus off superficial traits and ask ourselves who is the most capable of representing us in Government before w...

In this week's column Director of Research and Development, Marcus Roberts delves into the recent political defections in Aotearoa New Zealand. He suggests that personal conflicts and public reasons may not be the only factors at play. Marcus emphasises the importance of political parties adapting to their electorates' evolving needs and concerns. Ultimately, MPs must prioritise the needs of their...

Is New Zealand's government running scared or just responding to events? Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has lit two policy bonfires in just two months, but is it a cynical ploy for re-election or a prudent response to challenges like inflation and natural disasters? In our weekly column, Senior Researcher Marcus Roberts weighs in on the debate, questioning whether dropping unpopular policies signifi...

TikTok has been banned in several countries over privacy and national security concerns. Foreign interference through the app is a genuine concern as we head into an election year. Aotearoa New Zealand must invest in local tech and educate the public on digital platform risks. In this week's column, Communications Coordinator Sisilia Teu talks about how banning TikTok on government devices could s...

Are Attendance Officers the solution to truancy rates hitting a decade-high? We're not convinced. In an election year, the government is allocating $74m to tackle the issue, but is it too little, too late? With chronic absenteeism on the rise, it's clear that more needs to be done. In the Maxim column this week, researcher ‘Alapasita Pomelile explores the facts and explains why we need a multiface...

Te Pūkenga's merger of 25 vocational education providers is causing a string of resignations; the question remains, is it working? In this week's column, Communications Manager Jason Heale highlights that some of the best-performing institutions are pushing back. Cutting access to vocational education could leave people with fewer paths to bettering themselves. Regional development should be ampli...

The latest trend in AI technology is making its way into classrooms and universities, causing concern among educators worldwide. This week Communications Coordinator, Sisilia Teu, probes the various responses, including fears of a decline in critical thinking, plagiarism, and problem-solving skills. She also looks at the positive embracing of AI by some institutions. She concludes that while AI ma...

New Zealand's politicians are focusing on "bread and butter" issues, but they're missing a crucial point—foreign policy and defence are becoming increasingly important in a dangerous world. In the Maxim Institute column this week, Senior Researcher Marcus Roberts explains how “great power” competition and conflict are increasing and how that affects New Zealand's ability to trade or even feed ours...

In our inaugural column for 2023, Researcher Alapasita Pomelile maintains that we have a “crisis crisis.” ‘Ala argues that when everything is labelled as a crisis, it can hinder our ability to respond thoughtfully and efficiently. She states, "By avoiding the tendency to label every challenge as a crisis, we can create more opportunities for finding solutions."

Aotearoa—the land of the long white cloud. Home to over 5 million people. But there’s trouble here—a housing crisis on multiple fronts. We’re told that we don’t have enough houses. We can’t seem to build them fast enough. Why? On top of that, not enough people can buy their own homes to get their foot on the property ladder. We're crammed into cities with poor public transport and sub-par infrastr...

On November 4th this year Maxim Institute, in partnership with the Free Speech Union, hosted international human-rights advocate and free speech expert Jacob Mchangama. Jacob is the founder of the Justitia institute, the Copenhagen-based human rights think-tank. Having written and narrated the podcast Clear and Present Danger: A History of Free Speech and authored Free Speech: A History from Socra...

The Finnish education system is the envy of the world, yet only 9% of their boys are reading at the highest levels compared with 20% of their girls. In this Maxim Short Cut, we discuss these findings and more with Director of Research and Development Kieran Madden.

If anger is the cake of the internet, are we eating like we’re at an all-you-can-eat buffet? In this Maxim Short Cut, we explore this question with Maxim Institute Executive Director Tim Wilson. Our outrage expresses our search for right and wrong, but how can we channel our anger into being constructive rather than destructive? Words that aren’t swords and positive engagement are the antidote.

In this Maxim Short Cut, we talk to Researcher 'Alapasita Pomelile about the state of our society’s soul as she looks at the results of the latest NCEA pilot programme. Perhaps it’s time to have honest and uncomfortable conversations about the state of New Zealand education. It’s time to review how we train our teachers and ensure our teaching programmes are driven by the Science of teaching and l...

In this Maxim Short Cut, we talk to Communications Manager Jason Heale about the concept of "safetyism". We all want to (rightly) be safe. We make trade-offs for this safety every day. Are we aware of what they are? Do we understand what these costs entail? Jason explores these questions and more in this Maxim Short Cut.

In this Maxim Short Cut, we talk to Senior Researcher Marcus Roberts about the low voter turnout at the recent local body elections and whether mandatory voting is a viable solution to such civic disengagement.

In this Maxim Short Cut, we talk to Communications Manager Jason Heale about the concept of 'character test' and what it looks like in our democratic society, after an unlikely candidate put his name forward for election to the school board at Te Arati College in Christchurch.

this Maxim Short Cut, we talk to Executive Director Tim Wilson about the new Data and Statistics Bill. He discusses the impacts of this new legislation on the independence of Statistics New Zealand and the public's trust in the government.

We’ve been through two difficult years dealing with COVID-19, and now we’re seeing the economic effects. Interest rates are rising, and the housing market is volatile. The cost of living has soared, and many must choose which bills they do or don’t pay. Inflation is at a 30-year high, and the stock market is in bear territory. Recession is predicted for the end of the year. How long might this unc...

In this Maxim Short Cut, we talk to Researcher 'Alapasita Teu about the latest back-to-school campaign from the Ministry of Education. She discusses our COVID fatigue and the slow decline of school attendance in Aotearoa New Zealand.

In this Maxim Short Cut, we talk to Communications Manager Jason Heale about our increased death rate. We explore what the cause might be and why we are so reluctant even to start a discussion on the topic.

In this Maxim Short Cut, we talk to Senior Researcher Marcus Roberts about a recent policy debate. Marcus outlines why it is so essential that the two "centrist" parties have debate and disagreement on policy. He outlines why discussion is good for democracy; take a listen.

In this Maxim Short Cut, we talk to Researcher 'Alapasita Teu about online regulation of Big Tech. We discuss how it forms us and why we need to think about the character of the people behind the technology we use every day.