Maxim Institute Podcast

In this episode of The Select Committee, we unpack the election results and ask whether the media missed one of the biggest stories. While much of the attention was on party vote polling, National's success in electorate seats has created an unexpected overhang. How did this happen, and what could it mean for the next Parliament?

Next: has this election exposed the cracks in MMP? With Chris Hipkins questioning the fairness of the result, we look at strategic voting, controversial enrolment changes, and the prospect of a much bigger Parliament. Are parties gaming the system, or is MMP simply working as designed?

Finally, what does the future hold for National? With senior figures including Chris Bishop, Nicola Willis, and Paul Goldsmith losing their seats, we discuss the challenges facing a party without some of its most experienced ministers. How could these departures affect coalition negotiations, policy delivery, and National's direction?

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

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In this episode of The Select Committee, with election day just around the corner, we’re making our final predictions. Could The Opportunity Party hold the balance of power and determine the next Government? We look at the latest polling, the possibility of split voting, and whether National or Labour could come out on top.

Next: is political conflict necessarily a bad thing? We discuss Josie Pagani’s argument that political disagreement is healthy and ask whether robust debate and competing ideas could strengthen our democracy, and whether civility is what we’re really missing.

Finally, we look back at some of the election season's most ridiculous moments. From controversy over an Auckland Marathon run to shirtless political campaigning and underwhelming leaders’ debates, we reflect on some of the unexpected and entertaining stories that have made this election campaign one to remember.

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

Subscribe to Maxim’s newsletter to receive our latest columns and podcasts straight to your inbox:

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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 still making up their minds? A recent poll suggests around 11% remain undecided. Could these voters change the outcome, or have most Kiwis already decided how they'll vote?

Finally, Kerrin Leoni is back in the race! Just days after leaving Labour, she's standing as an independent in Tāmaki Makaurau—but her name will still appear alongside Labour on the ballot paper. Could voters be misled, and does this expose a flaw in our electoral system?

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

Subscribe to Maxim’s newsletter to receive our latest columns and podcasts straight to your inbox:

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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 will the funding actually get more children outside, or are there bigger barriers keeping kids indoors?

Finally, is National making it harder for Kiwis to vote? Labour and the Greens are accusing the Government of voter suppression over changes to election enrolment deadlines and advance voting arrangements. Are these changes simply about making the election run more smoothly, or could some voters miss out?

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

Subscribe to Maxim’s newsletter to receive our latest columns and podcasts straight to your inbox:

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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 to make school uniforms more affordable for families. But should parents have greater freedom to choose what their children wear, or should school boards make that call?

Finally, could The Opportunity Party decide who forms the next government? With recent polls putting TOP around the crucial 5% threshold, we examine its potential role as kingmaker—and whether Christopher Luxon could reconsider his refusal to work with the party.

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

Subscribe to Maxim’s newsletter to receive our latest columns and podcasts straight to your inbox:

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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 Struggle, and ask whether we’re thinking about New Zealand’s electricity system in the right way.

Finally, are political debates broken? With politicians surrounded by soundbites, social media, and focus-group politics, what would it take to make debates worth watching again?

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

Subscribe to Maxim’s newsletter to receive our latest columns and podcasts straight to your inbox:

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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 tactical voting under MMP. Strategically splitting your electorate and party votes could change the shape of the next Parliament. Would you do it?

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

Subscribe to Maxim’s newsletter to receive our latest columns and podcasts straight to your inbox:

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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 has delivered on its promise to cut costs.

Finally, we ask the big question: who came out on top within the coalition? National, ACT or New Zealand First? With the election campaign now underway, which party has made the most of its time in Government?

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

Subscribe to Maxim’s newsletter to receive our latest columns and podcasts straight to your inbox:

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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 it mean for workers struggling to keep up with the cost of living?

Finally, we turn to AI and political campaigning in New Zealand. Where does satire end and deception begin? 

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

Receive our latest columns and podcasts straight to your inbox:

https://maximinstitute.substack.com

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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 problem bigger than its leader?

Finally, ACT wants to repeal the Zero Carbon Act. Is climate change losing its place as a political priority, and how should New Zealand balance emissions targets with our agricultural economy?

Wrapping the show is our favourite segment: Fantasy Beehive. MP performance is ranked using our highly advanced, completely proprietary technology.

Receive our latest columns and podcasts straight to your inbox:

⁠https://maximinstitute.substack.com⁠

Subscribe to Maxim’s monthly newsletter:

⁠https://www.maxim.org.nz/sign-up/⁠