Covid-19, media and democracy

By Danielle van Dalen

It’s easy to complain about the news and its stories of political mayhem, tragedy, and messy world affairs. It’s also…

Referendums are not the pinnacle of democracy

By Alex Penk

If the most recent polls are right, the cannabis referendum won’t pass. Some will be pleased with this, others frustrated,…

Shaking off stardust politics

By Kieran Madden

Famously elusive about her political leanings, pop sensation Taylor Swift recently went beyond her usual neutral get-out-and-vote message to endorse…

Better the ballot box we know

By Danielle van Dalen

When online banking was first introduced, my Dad was sceptical. He worried there would be problems with security, access, and…

No Bregrets

By Kieran Madden

As the market dived and the pound sterling plummeted to a thirty-year lows following Brexit, deep despair and outrage reigned….

Protesting democracy

It’s been an odd week. With Britain’s 52% vote to leave the EU shocking the pollsters, news websites and social…

The threshold of democracy

Last week was kind of big one in German politics. Many pundits had expected Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) to…

The rule of law, democracy and economic freedom

Is New Zealand the freest nation in the world? Two international freedom rankings have been published recently, with New Zealand…

Sir John Graham Lecture 2012 | Can the Ruler Truly Be a Servant?

The paradox of constitutional government Democracy is a remarkable constitutional idea. With the New Zealand constitution up for review, it…

A Tale of Two Houses: Does MMP mean New Zealand doesn’t need an upper house?

By Guest Author

Not all democracies look the same. The type of electoral system we have, and the structure of our Parliament, affect…

In Search of Better Law-making

By Guest Author

Despite good intentions of improving the quality of laws that are passed in Parliament, the Regulatory Responsibility Bill is a…

Submission: Electoral Finance Reform Issues

By Alex Penk

Maxim Institute has made a submission to the first stage of this process, arguing that the law needs to strike…

The doomsayers are right  

By Keiran Madden

Alex Penk | 26 September 2007 Printed in the Independent Financial Review, 26 September 2007 It sounds a little melodramatic…

Submission: Electoral Finance Bill

Maxim Institute opposes the Electoral Finance Bill (“Bill”) on the basis that its core provisions create unjustifiable limits on freedom…

Corrupted liberty?

By Keiran Madden

”Democracy” is generally regarded as a good thing. We are told it is imminent in several emerging localities. New Zealanders…

Submission: Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill

By Maxim Institute

Maxim Institute submits that, in its current form, this Bill has the potential to undermine democracy by ignoring the mandate…