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 matter, why homeowners and renters experience the debate differently, and how we might pursue more homes without losing what makes a place feel like home.

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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 serve people in hospitals, communities, and their own homes; how the funding model leaves all providers fundraising for core services; and why New Zealand’s international palliative care ranking has steadily declined. He also discusses how attitudes toward death in health care shape the system’s priorities, and whether proposed legislation could ensure fairer access to care.

We finish by asking how ordinary New Zealanders can support quality end-of-life care.

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 the country’s largest-ever $200m social impact bond, and why major trusts and foundations are rethinking how they invest their capital. Steven also breaks down how KiwiSaver providers are giving everyday people access to impact-focused portfolios, and what needs to change for impact investing to scale.

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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 Thomas Scrimgeour about his new paper exploring the promise and pitfalls of this model. They discuss the success of the Genesis Youth Trust trial, which reduced reoffending by 30% and delivered an estimated $9 in social value for every $1 invested, the importance of risk and frontline innovation, and why democratic legitimacy—not technocratic shortcuts—must guide future policy decisions about social welfare provision.

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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 Maryanne Spurdle about how these proposed changes would take New Zealand far beyond what voters consented to—and what we can learn from Canada’s troubling experience.

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 vocational pathways.

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, and hope.

Together they look at Canada’s expanding euthanasia laws, the danger of normalising assisted suicide, and the ripple effects on vulnerable people and their families. Drawing on stories from those facing end-of-life struggles, Amanda reflects on humour, love, and the true meaning of dignity.

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 they mean for New Zealand as Parliament considers similar reforms. Together they explore the risks of eroding safeguards, the impact on people with disabilities and the elderly, the pressure placed on health workers, and the danger of normalising assisted death in hospitals, hospices, and care homes.

Amanda also shares stories that reveal the cultural cost of making euthanasia commonplace, and highlights why palliative care and genuine support are essential.

Distrust in New Zealand isn't just growing—it's curdling into grievance.

Executive Director Tim Wilson unpacks alarming new data showing Kiwis now distrust every institution—government, media, even business—more than ever before. He asks whether there are times when distrust can actually be useful.

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She used to believe churches should pay taxes. But after over a decade of research, atheist law professor Dr Juliet Chevalier-Watts has had a change of heart. Listen to the podcast to discover why.

Read⁠ the column on ⁠Substack⁠.