Maxim Institute Podcast

New Zealand’s housing debate is often framed as a contest between affordability and community. But the real story is more complicated. In this episode, Executive Director Tim Wilson is joined by Researcher Thomas Scrimgeour to unpack an apparent policy “U-turn” on housing intensification.

They examine the rumoured changes and what they could mean for the future of housing. Along the way, the conversation explores why land prices...

Nearly everyone might benefit from hospice services, whether for themselves or for loved ones, but access to specialist palliative care is still patchy and it’s only sustained by private fundraising. In this episode, Research Manager Maryanne Spurdle speaks with Hospice NZ Chief Executive Wayne Naylor about what hospices do, the challenges they face, and what would improve Kiwis' end-of-life care.

Wayne explains how hospices se...

Can your money do good and make a return?

In this episode, lawyer and community finance leader Steven Moe explains how organisations are using investment—not just donations—to fund projects that change lives. From community housing to employment pathways for ex-prisoners, Steven shows how impact investing is generating real outcomes across the country.

 We explore the rapid growth of New Zealand’s impact investing market, including ...

As New Zealand expands its social investment approach, Social impact bonds (SIBs) are emerging as a promising tool for reform—one that could reshape how we support our most vulnerable while offering a new pathway for those who want to invest in real change. What are SIBs, why do they matter, and how can they move us from good intentions to measurable impact?  

Maxim Institute Executive Director Tim Wilson speaks with Researcher Thom...

In 2020, two-thirds of New Zealanders voted to legalise euthanasia on the basis of certain safeguards. Now, ACT MP Todd Stephenson’s amendment bill proposes to remove them, allowing euthanasia for people without a six-month prognosis, letting doctors offer it to patients, and requiring all care facilities to permit it on site. This is not what Kiwis voted for.

Communications Officer Rebekah Bermingham speaks with Research Manager Ma...

NCEA is being scrapped. What comes next could transform New Zealand schools. Education experts Dr Michael Johnston and Stephanie Martin unpack what went wrong, from fragmented learning and grade inflation to inconsistent grading and weak vocational pathways. They explore how a knowledge-rich curriculum might lift achievement and how schools can prepare young people for a future reshaped by AI—one that values both academic and vocat...

What does it mean to die with dignity? And how does the legalisation of euthanasia shape the way we value life, suffering, and care? In this episode of the Maxim Institute Podcast, Research Manager Maryanne Spurdle speaks with Canadian writer and educator Amanda Achtman. A former political adviser, Amanda has worked on the front lines of Canada’s euthanasia debate and founded Dying to Meet You, a project exploring death, culture, a...

Canada has become “the euthanasia capital of the world,” according to Amanda Achtman. Since legalising assisted death in 2016 and expanding access in 2021, what began as an exception with supposed safeguards has quickly become routine, now accounting for around 5% of Canadian deaths.

In this episode, Research Manager Maryanne Spurdle speaks with Canadian writer and advocate Amanda Achtman about how those changes unfolded and what th...

Jenga towers aren’t just a game—they’re a reality in our public sector. 

Researcher Maryanne Spurdle examines how government departments keep stacking bureaucrats at the top while disconnecting from the front lines—leaving critical services unstable and ready to collapse. 

From a $1 billion health system deficit to a teacher shortage the Ministry of Education didn’t see coming, the warning signs are clear: when public institu...