A different future for development assistance

1 July 2010

In May 2009, Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, made an impassioned plea to the givers of foreign aid to break out of old patterns of giving and embrace a different future for development assistance. Kagame is not alone in calling for changes to the way the developed world gives aid. Many development experts, economists and aid practitioners have also signalled the need to break our habits of aid practise and thinking...

Criminal injustice and the proposed "three strikes" law

1 April 2010

This paper analyses the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill and argues that Parliament should not enact it. The Bill sets out a "three strikes" sentencing regime, which imposes mandatory consequences on certain repeat violent offenders.

Rescuing human rights in the 21st Century

2 September 2009

Pundits and human rights advocates are applauding the Obama administration's recent decision to regain America's seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council, the U.N.'s principal body to promote and enforce human rights around the world. But the festive mood is not only premature: it defies experience, conscience, and common sense to believe that the UN's discredited human rights machinery is on the verge of meaningful reform.

Britain's declining value on life: the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (HFE) is new legislation that will regulate reproductive laws in Britain. The Bill's aim is to update the existing law around the science and ethics of reproduction, due to substantial technological advances in the area.

Submission on the Policing Bill

28 March 2008

Maxim Institute believes that the Policing Bill is a timely and appropriate piece of legislation that deserves the support of all Members of Parliament and that the process culminating in the current Bill has been transparent, wide reaching and effective and has lead to a Bill that reflects the needs of the New Zealand Police and our communities in the twenty first century.

A different future for development assistance

1 July 2010

In May 2009, Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, made an impassioned plea to the givers of foreign aid to break out of old patterns of giving and embrace a different future for development assistance. Kagame is not alone in calling for changes to the way the developed world gives aid. Many development experts, economists and aid practitioners have also signalled the need to break our habits of aid practise and thinking...

Criminal injustice and the proposed "three strikes" law

1 April 2010

This paper analyses the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill and argues that Parliament should not enact it. The Bill sets out a "three strikes" sentencing regime, which imposes mandatory consequences on certain repeat violent offenders.

Submission on the Policing Bill

28 March 2008

Maxim Institute believes that the Policing Bill is a timely and appropriate piece of legislation that deserves the support of all Members of Parliament and that the process culminating in the current Bill has been transparent, wide reaching and effective and has lead to a Bill that reflects the needs of the New Zealand Police and our communities in the twenty first century.

Effective interventions in criminal justice

Criminal justice has reached something of a crisis point in New Zealand; with high rates of imprisonment, the social and economic cost of building more and more prisons has become unsustainable.

A more human approach to criminal justice

17 August 2006

Crime is devastating and facing it is ugly to say the least. It might be easy to lock someone up...

Inquiry into Victims' Rights

30 June 2006

An inquiry into victims' rights in being conducted by the Justice and Electoral Committee.

Britain's declining value on life: the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (HFE) is new legislation that will regulate reproductive laws in Britain. The Bill's aim is to update the existing law around the science and ethics of reproduction, due to substantial technological advances in the area.

Paternity problems

A new private member's Bill has the potential to bring hope to children who do not know the identity of their fathers.

Family Proceedings (Paternity Orders and Parental Tests) Amendment Bill

13 March 2008

This purpose of this Bill is to amend the Family Proceedings Act, adding provisions to allow a man, who has "reasonable grounds to believe" that he is the father of a child, to request a paternity test be taken.

Abortion in New Zealand

This issue snapshot takes a look at the current legal situation surrounding abortion in New Zealand and the possible impact that various Bills could have on it.

Parental notification of abortion in New Zealand

In New Zealand, parents must be consulted and their permission sought before their child can be given a Panadol at school. However, a young girl can have an abortion without her parents ever knowing, let alone giving their permission.

Submission to the Prostitution Law Review Committee

10 July 2007

Maxim Institute believes that all forms of prostitution are harmful to all who are engaged in them and that street and underage prostitution pose particular risks. We submitted that the Act should be amended to provide a way out of the industry for those engaged in street and underage prostitution and to criminalise purchasers.

Cases on prostitution bylaws

26 February 2007

The Prostitution Reform Act 2003 ("PRA") legalised the trade of prostitution in New Zealand and gave power to local councils to pass bylaws to control the location and signage of brothels. Three of these bylaws passed by local councils were challenged in court. This Policy Paper begins by briefly explaining and analysing the cases and goes on to summarise each of them in detail.

Manukau City Council (Control of Street Prostitution) Bill

11 October 2006

The vote on the first and second readings of the Manukau City Council (Control of Street Prostitution) Bill.

Prostitution Reform Bill

25 June 2003

The purpose of the Prostitution Reform Bill was to "decriminalise prostitution (while not endorsing or morally sanctioning prostitution or its use)." This Bill became the Prostitution Reform Act and received the Royal Assent on 27 June 2003.

Prostitution Reform Bill

25 June 2003

The vote on the third reading of the Prostitution Reform Bill, as occurred on 25 June 2003. The vote on the first and second readings, as occurred on 19 February 2003 and 8 November 2000, are also included.

Prayer in schools

This Issue Snapshot looks at the historical context of religion in New Zealand schools, an issue which has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. It considers the current legal situation in New Zealand and discusses the proposed Ministry of Education guidelines relating to prayer and religion in schools.

Hate crime

The idea that hate could be a sufficient justification for harsher sentences came to public attention in 2002 with an amendment to the Sentencing Act. This Issue Snapshot outlines that amendment, and considers some of its problems. It concludes that such an amendment is potentially very dangerous for New Zealand.

Hate Speech: Balancing expression, religion, discrimination and harm

14 December 2006

This policy paper concludes that laws against "hate speech" are unwarranted in New Zealand's social and legal context because there are no fundamental rights in law or policy that outweigh the fundamental and protected right to manifest religion and have free expression.

Inquiry into Victims' Rights

30 June 2006

An inquiry into victims' rights in being conducted by the Justice and Electoral Committee.

Corrections (Mothers with Babies) Amendment Bill

28 June 2006

The Corrections (Mothers with Babies) Amendment Bill was assented to unanimously (121 votes in favour and none against).

Rescuing human rights in the 21st Century

2 September 2009

Pundits and human rights advocates are applauding the Obama administration's recent decision to regain America's seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council, the U.N.'s principal body to promote and enforce human rights around the world. But the festive mood is not only premature: it defies experience, conscience, and common sense to believe that the UN's discredited human rights machinery is on the verge of meaningful reform.