Maxim Institute
Encyclopedia
The Maxim Institute is a research and public policy think tank
based in Auckland
, New Zealand
. The Institute's work is oriented toward a conservative perspective on its issues of primary concern, which are now education policy, tax and welfare policy. Although initially identifiable as a social conservative organisation, its policy statements have emphasised fiscal restraint within tax and welfare policy since its former director, Bruce Logan
, left in 2005.
The Institute has been involved in public debate in a number of educational policy issues. These include private school funding, teacher registration and training options, bulk funding and related concerns. As it originally arose from the "Education Development Foundation" as its precursor organisation before it rebranded, this is not illogical, although educational policy issues have been a diminished focus since 2001. During the Logan era, free speech, social justice, democracy and constitutional issues were emphasised. The Institute produces research and publications, and advocates for fiscal conservative public policy. It regularly organises a series of political forums and has developed websites in the lead up to New Zealand general elections for the sake of educating voters about the electoral process.
Maxim Institute's mission statement is "to foster ideas and leadership that enable freedom, justice and compassion to flourish in New Zealand."
The Institute has undertaken extensive research in a number of areas. Most notable amongst their reports are a series on the role of government as expressed through the taxation system, a literature report on father involvement - Going Further with Fathers - and a modelling project looking at school choice - Roll Play.
It has published a wide range of op-eds and analysis on these and other subjects in newspapers, and also produces research and submissions on law and policy (See publications). Since its inception, Maxim Institute has also run an internship programme.
and Relationships Statutory References Bills in the following year, and argued that such moves would make "marriage meaningless." The act was passed, and lesbian and gay New Zealanders acquired secular ceremonial and ritual recognition of their relationships and substantive equal relationship-related rights and responsibilities within most areas of New Zealand law.
The Institute holds regular forums, including one held at the Auckland Town Hall and centred on the theme of "social justice". Speakers have included Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft, University of Canterbury Professor David Fergusson and Researcher Professor Peter Saunders.
In 2010, it held the first of its Annual John Graham Lectures. This was delivered by Professor Jeremy Waldron of NYU Law School and titled "Parliamentary Recklessness: Why we need to legislate more carefully".
The Institute also holds regular public lectures on topics such as tax and "social justice". However, as with its adoption of 'civil society' rhetoric, there have been minor criticisms of its concept of 'social justice', which rules encourages public participation through renewed emphasis on privatisation policies, as well as redistributive taxation policies to insure equality of opportunity.
a former Headmaster, and former Director of the New Zealand Education Development Foundation (NZEDF) in Christchurch. John Graham (then University of Auckland
Chancellor, also played a role in the Institute's founding.
After serving four years as the Institute's Director, Bruce Logan was accused of plagiarism in some of his opinion articles, and left the organisation in 2005. Maxim Institute's Christchurch office closed in early 2006. Currently, the Institute has fourteen staff based in their Auckland
office, and Greg Fleming has been their current CEO since that time.
, curriculum, and marriage law http://www.maxim.org.nz/main_pages/publication_page/publications.html. These books include Silent Legacy: The unseen ways great thinkers have shaped our culture, which considers the history of western philosophy. Pursuing Social Justice in New Zealand, a collection of essays from prominent New Zealanders looking at creating strong communities. From Innocents to Agents, which looks at the politicisation of children in New Zealand. Vying for our Children, which examines various education philosophies. It also formerly published a quarterly journal entitled Evidence. According to Maxim Institute Evidence "explore[d] the critical issues facing New Zealand society today, including education, family and welfare. Evidence provided commentaries and analyses that were heavily relied on Anglo-American and Australian religious and social conservative pressure groups. As of Issue 15 (Spring 2005), Evidence ceased publication, as Bruce Logan was its former editor.
The Institute produces a monthly email called Real Issues, which focuses on "provoking analysis of developments in policy and culture in New Zealand and around the world".
As well as Real Issues, Maxim also published an ongoing series of educational research reports based on research by Colmar Brunton
, called The Parent Factor, related to parental choice in education access, government funding and opposition to centralisation.
The Institute also drafts submissions on a range of public policy issues. The issues have included sedition law reform, electoral finance, victims' rights, democratic reform, prostitution, civil unions, hate speech and section 59. However, it has primarily emphasised fiscal conservative positions on tax and welfare policy since 2005.
Trust.
Maxim Institute has received several international think tank awards from the Atlas Economic Research Foundation
. The Templeton Freedom Prizes were awarded for: Institute Excellence (first place), Social Entrepreneurship (second place) and Initiative in Public Relations (second place).
In April 2006, Atlas Foundation awarded Maxim Institute's Parent Factor publications as the winner of the Innovative Projects category of the Sir Antony Fisher
International Memorial Award.The Atlas Foundation is a centre-right US think-tank
called "NZ Votes." The campaign featured a website and 30 debates between electorate candidates around the country. On its website, the NZ Votes project described itself as a "non profit and non partisan" and as a "community service" designed to inform voters about MMP. However, Nicky Hager
criticised the Institute's candidate database in his book The Hollow Men (2006), and also alleged that there had been close ties between the New Zealand National Party
and a series of educational policy booklets that attacked New Zealand Labour Party
government stances on such issues. However another book, The Baubles of Office, makes a point of highlighting the political neutrality of nzvotes.org, although it was edited by Matthew Hooton, a New Zealand National Party
activist and candidate.
In June 2011, the Institute advertised that it had invited Iain Duncan-Smith, United Kingdom Secretary of State for Welfare and Pensions, head of the Centre for Social Justice
and much-criticised (like most politicians tend to be) former UK Tory Leader of the Opposition (2001-2003). This has raised some questions about whether the Institute's days of social conservative emphasis are as far behind it as its recent public policy statements and analyses suggest. Duncan-Smith is an outspoken social conservative on issues like abortion, civil partnerships and inclusive adoption reform in the United Kingdom
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
based in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The Institute's work is oriented toward a conservative perspective on its issues of primary concern, which are now education policy, tax and welfare policy. Although initially identifiable as a social conservative organisation, its policy statements have emphasised fiscal restraint within tax and welfare policy since its former director, Bruce Logan
Bruce Logan
Bruce Logan is a New Zealand conservative Christian who has been involved in opposition to liberal social policies within his country for over two decades.- Biography :...
, left in 2005.
The Institute has been involved in public debate in a number of educational policy issues. These include private school funding, teacher registration and training options, bulk funding and related concerns. As it originally arose from the "Education Development Foundation" as its precursor organisation before it rebranded, this is not illogical, although educational policy issues have been a diminished focus since 2001. During the Logan era, free speech, social justice, democracy and constitutional issues were emphasised. The Institute produces research and publications, and advocates for fiscal conservative public policy. It regularly organises a series of political forums and has developed websites in the lead up to New Zealand general elections for the sake of educating voters about the electoral process.
Maxim Institute's mission statement is "to foster ideas and leadership that enable freedom, justice and compassion to flourish in New Zealand."
Work
Since its founding in 2001, Maxim Institute has supported a greater role for "civil society" and community in New Zealand life, notably in education, welfare and social service provision. Mild controversy has hinged on what the Institute considers to be 'civil society' in this context, and concern has been expressed by some small segments of the population about harms contingent on what left-leaning critics view as 'welfare privatisation' and outsourcing to 'questionable' religious conservative social service providers.The Institute has undertaken extensive research in a number of areas. Most notable amongst their reports are a series on the role of government as expressed through the taxation system, a literature report on father involvement - Going Further with Fathers - and a modelling project looking at school choice - Roll Play.
It has published a wide range of op-eds and analysis on these and other subjects in newspapers, and also produces research and submissions on law and policy (See publications). Since its inception, Maxim Institute has also run an internship programme.
Social Conservative Era: CEO Bruce Logan: 2001-2005
Maxim Institute first gained public recognition in 2003 when it opposed the Prostitution Reform Bill. The Institute stated that the Bill would legitimise and increase the exploitation of women in New Zealand, which has been proven to be incorrect. It also opposed the Civil UnionCivil Union Act 2004
The Civil Union Act 2004 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand. It was passed into law on Thursday 9 December 2004 by a final vote of 65-55 in the New Zealand Parliament....
and Relationships Statutory References Bills in the following year, and argued that such moves would make "marriage meaningless." The act was passed, and lesbian and gay New Zealanders acquired secular ceremonial and ritual recognition of their relationships and substantive equal relationship-related rights and responsibilities within most areas of New Zealand law.
Fiscal Conservative Era: CEO Greg Fleming: 2005-
After the fall of Bruce Logan, the Institute moved to emphasise fiscal conservatism above its previous focus on the aforementioned social conservative 'core' issues. Thus, it has also supported other measures which "empower parents," localising decision making. Maxim Institute has also endorsed restorative justice, parental choice of schools, democratic involvement, performance related pay for teachers, strong communities, limited government, low taxes and personal responsibility.The Institute holds regular forums, including one held at the Auckland Town Hall and centred on the theme of "social justice". Speakers have included Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft, University of Canterbury Professor David Fergusson and Researcher Professor Peter Saunders.
In 2010, it held the first of its Annual John Graham Lectures. This was delivered by Professor Jeremy Waldron of NYU Law School and titled "Parliamentary Recklessness: Why we need to legislate more carefully".
The Institute also holds regular public lectures on topics such as tax and "social justice". However, as with its adoption of 'civil society' rhetoric, there have been minor criticisms of its concept of 'social justice', which rules encourages public participation through renewed emphasis on privatisation policies, as well as redistributive taxation policies to insure equality of opportunity.
History
Maxim Institute was founded on 12 November 2001 by Managing Director Greg Fleming (formerly general manager of Parenting with Confidence) and Director Bruce LoganBruce Logan
Bruce Logan is a New Zealand conservative Christian who has been involved in opposition to liberal social policies within his country for over two decades.- Biography :...
a former Headmaster, and former Director of the New Zealand Education Development Foundation (NZEDF) in Christchurch. John Graham (then University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
Chancellor, also played a role in the Institute's founding.
After serving four years as the Institute's Director, Bruce Logan was accused of plagiarism in some of his opinion articles, and left the organisation in 2005. Maxim Institute's Christchurch office closed in early 2006. Currently, the Institute has fourteen staff based in their Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
office, and Greg Fleming has been their current CEO since that time.
Publications
Maxim Institute has published various books and reports on issues including political correctnessPolitical correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
, curriculum, and marriage law http://www.maxim.org.nz/main_pages/publication_page/publications.html. These books include Silent Legacy: The unseen ways great thinkers have shaped our culture, which considers the history of western philosophy. Pursuing Social Justice in New Zealand, a collection of essays from prominent New Zealanders looking at creating strong communities. From Innocents to Agents, which looks at the politicisation of children in New Zealand. Vying for our Children, which examines various education philosophies. It also formerly published a quarterly journal entitled Evidence. According to Maxim Institute Evidence "explore[d] the critical issues facing New Zealand society today, including education, family and welfare. Evidence provided commentaries and analyses that were heavily relied on Anglo-American and Australian religious and social conservative pressure groups. As of Issue 15 (Spring 2005), Evidence ceased publication, as Bruce Logan was its former editor.
The Institute produces a monthly email called Real Issues, which focuses on "provoking analysis of developments in policy and culture in New Zealand and around the world".
As well as Real Issues, Maxim also published an ongoing series of educational research reports based on research by Colmar Brunton
Colmar Brunton
Colmar Brunton is an international market research agency. It is also Australia's largest independent market research agency.Its head office is in Sydney, Australia, with other offices in the Australian cities of Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra, as well as in New Zealand and...
, called The Parent Factor, related to parental choice in education access, government funding and opposition to centralisation.
The Institute also drafts submissions on a range of public policy issues. The issues have included sedition law reform, electoral finance, victims' rights, democratic reform, prostitution, civil unions, hate speech and section 59. However, it has primarily emphasised fiscal conservative positions on tax and welfare policy since 2005.
Awards
In 2005, Managing Director Greg Fleming was one of six New Zealanders to receive an Emerging Leader Award from the Sir Peter Blake (yachtsman)Peter Blake (yachtsman)
Sir Peter James Blake, KBE was a New Zealand yachtsman who won the Whitbread Round the World Race, the Jules Verne Trophy – setting the fastest time around the world of 74 days 22 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds on catamaran Enza, and led his country to successive victories in the America’s Cup...
Trust.
Maxim Institute has received several international think tank awards from the Atlas Economic Research Foundation
Atlas Economic Research Foundation
The Atlas Economic Research Foundation, also known as the Atlas Network, is a non-profit organization based in the United States which organizes and convenes workshops, offers training, runs prize programs, and provides advisory services in order to continue growing and strengthening an informal...
. The Templeton Freedom Prizes were awarded for: Institute Excellence (first place), Social Entrepreneurship (second place) and Initiative in Public Relations (second place).
In April 2006, Atlas Foundation awarded Maxim Institute's Parent Factor publications as the winner of the Innovative Projects category of the Sir Antony Fisher
Antony Fisher
Sir Antony Fisher was one of the most influential background players in the global rise of libertarian think-tanks during the second half of the twentieth century, founding the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Atlas Economic Research Foundation. Through Atlas, he helped establish up to 150...
International Memorial Award.The Atlas Foundation is a centre-right US think-tank
"NZ Votes"
In 2005 the Maxim Institute ran a project leading up to the New Zealand general election, 2005New Zealand general election, 2005
The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...
called "NZ Votes." The campaign featured a website and 30 debates between electorate candidates around the country. On its website, the NZ Votes project described itself as a "non profit and non partisan" and as a "community service" designed to inform voters about MMP. However, Nicky Hager
Nicky Hager
Nicky Hager is an author and investigative journalist born in Levin, New Zealand and now resides in Wellington. He generally writes about issues involving intelligence networks, environmental issues and politics. He has degrees in physics and philosophy...
criticised the Institute's candidate database in his book The Hollow Men (2006), and also alleged that there had been close ties between the New Zealand National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
and a series of educational policy booklets that attacked New Zealand Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
government stances on such issues. However another book, The Baubles of Office, makes a point of highlighting the political neutrality of nzvotes.org, although it was edited by Matthew Hooton, a New Zealand National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
activist and candidate.
In June 2011, the Institute advertised that it had invited Iain Duncan-Smith, United Kingdom Secretary of State for Welfare and Pensions, head of the Centre for Social Justice
Centre for Social Justice
The Centre for Social Justice is an independent, not-for-profit thinktank set up by the Rt. Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP, to advance the education of the public in the subject of social justice and to promote the role of the voluntary sector...
and much-criticised (like most politicians tend to be) former UK Tory Leader of the Opposition (2001-2003). This has raised some questions about whether the Institute's days of social conservative emphasis are as far behind it as its recent public policy statements and analyses suggest. Duncan-Smith is an outspoken social conservative on issues like abortion, civil partnerships and inclusive adoption reform in the United Kingdom
External links
- www.maxim.org.nz Maxim Institute
- nzvotes.org - a Maxim Institute website focused on the New Zealand general election, 2005New Zealand general election, 2005The 2005 New Zealand general election held on 17 September 2005 determined the composition of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. No party won a majority in the unicameral House of Representatives, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the...