bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DUPLICATE DO NOT PUBLISH - An Investigation into Organisational Learning by Public Officials Creating and Maintaining Multi-Channel Service Delivery Information Systems in the New Zealand Public Sector
Authors:   , Sylvester Allan John
Published: November 2021

Public sector organisations in New Zealand increasingly use multi-channel service delivery strategies to achieve better, faster and cheaper services to citizens. Within these organisations, public sector officials envision, define and implement complex service delivery information systems. This study examines the organisational learning mechanisms that those officials use. This provides a deeper insight into the role that organisational learning plays in multi-channel service delivery systems definition in the context of the New Zealand Public Sector.

A constructionist multiple-case study was undertaken with twenty nine officials from six public sector agencies that explores and characterises the learning mechanisms and knowledge transfer mechanisms that they use to understand and deliver services via physical and virtual channels. In addition, the research led to the development of a candidate conceptual model that integrates organisational learning, information systems and the unique organisational aspects of public sector service delivery.
Who the hell is Hades? An examination of Hades' reception within modern film
Authors:   , Gordon Joel
Published: November 2021

This thesis seeks to engage with modern receptions of Hades, the ancient god of the underworld, within the medium of film. Although reception studies encompasses a broad variety of themes and subject matters, filmic characterisation (especially that of a deity) is presently an under-represented topic. Hades’ unique persona provides further incentive for this study; not only does he hold an ambiguous position within antiquity but this is similarly echoed throughout much of Hollywood’s own history, up until the turn of the 21st century. Hades’ filmic persona has, however, received a revitalisation within modern blockbusters which draw their inspiration from ancient Greek mythology. With prominent appearances in the likes of Disney’s Hercules (1997), Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (2010), Clash of the Titans (2010) and Wrath of the Titans (2012), Hades has now become a staple character within the film industry.  Hades’ recent stardom is not without issues. It appears that mass culture has freely refashioned Hades’ mythic persona in order to better fit a particular cinematic presentation, epitomised by Hades’ association with the Judeo-Christian Devil. I will argue, however, that the figure which has resulted does not have to be viewed as marking a rupture with classical thought but should be seen rather as a continuation of Greek mythological concerns. While this suggestion, following Martin Winkler’s theory of neo-mythologism, is not particularly original, I seek to explore it in an entirely new manner, highlighting the iconographical and narrative tropes which define Hades’ filmic persona.  This requires a unique approach, one not yet found within contemporary scholarship. In drawing upon modern film theory for inspiration, this thesis seeks to engage with Hades’ reception while letting the medium in question shape the methodology. Such considerations should be fundamental to reception studies.
John Prestall: A Complex Relationship with the Elizabethan Regime
Authors:   , Devine Michael
Published: November 2021

This thesis is the biography of John Prestall (c.1527-c.1598) an unsavoury, nefarious, spendthrift, Catholic gentleman from Elizabethan England. A conspirator, opportunist informer, occult conjurer, conman and alchemist, Prestall's biography provides an alternative perspective from which to view Elizabethan history, exposing the dark fringe of the Elizabethan Court and the murky political underworld it attracted. In the polarised politico-religious ferment of late Tudor England, Prestall perennially in debt, utilised his occult powers for his own ruthless self-interest and preservation. Always looking for the best deal, he oscillated between using sorcery and astrology in conspiracies against both Mary I and Elizabeth I, and then traded alchemical promises with members of the Elizabethan establishment for patronage, pardons, and returns from exile. Through an examination of the surviving manuscript correspondence and contemporary print material, this thesis situates Prestall in the broader context of Elizabethan England and uses his life as a conduit linking together a sequence of previously unrelated plots, conspiracies and patronage relationships. Prestall's life, as documented in the manuscripts, was not primarily directed by his Catholic faith which played a secondary role to his search for the best deal and cure for his debt-ridden circumstances. This presents an interesting contrast to members of the Elizabethan regime whose Protestant ideological view of the Catholic-Protestant clash directed many of their actions. This biography explores Prestall's use of conjuring and alchemy to demonstrate the important influence magic had in Elizabethan political conspiracies and Court politics. Within a society whose belief system held magic to be an inherent part of the natural world, Prestall unscrupulously used his astrological and alchemical talents to whatever ends he thought would provide him the biggest payoff.
DUPLICATE DO NOT PUBLISH - China and New Regionalism in Africa - Conflict or Coherence?
Authors:   , Griffiths Adam
Published: November 2021

What is Africa's best hope for advancing its development initiatives? Should each state seek to compete independently on the world stage? Should they seek to forge relationships with external partners and the power players in the world economy on a one-to-one basis? Or should they work together in conjunction with the economic giants of the globalised economy? Of these three possible approaches this article seeks to investigate the third. Can the African states use a regional approach to economic development whilst still engaging and benefitting from external benefactors? Or will the traditional and developing powerhouses in the world economy simply use Africa's efforts at regional integration as a way to garner favour and preferential access to African markets and resources? In the post colonial and post independence period, many African states sought to work with the former colonialists overlords in an attempt to develop their economies through a regional approach. Many of these attempts created little real benefit to the African peoples themselves. In the wake of these failed attempts at development via the perceived benefits of regional integration, new movements developed. A new approach to regionalism has appeared in the last three decades, whose hallmarks are quite different to the old approaches to regionalism. It is the intent of this article to make an empirical investigation into the progress of these new approaches to regional integration or 'the new regionalism' as it is often dubbed. I also wish to add a further element to this investigation. The 'old regionalism' traditionally featured African states seeking trade policy rationalisation/integration/development under the tutelage and patronage of the western states. However, one of key characteristics of the 'new regionalism' is that new partnerships between developing economies and the African states are emerging. These partnerships have the ability to either greatly help the African states in the path to development through regional integration, or they may hinder and derail these attempts.  To this end I wish to investigate the greatest 'developing' economy in the world and its impact on Africa's regionalisation projects. I am referring here to China. China has shown interest in Africa as a continent that has huge potential and as one that can provide great benefit to China's rapid economic growth and expansion. To this end it seems particularly relevant to investigate how China seeks to expand its ties and increase its presence in the area. As both Africa and China can be seen as 'developing', albeit both at very different levels, it should be particularly interesting to see how these two geographical and demographic juggernauts work together in the pursuit of their own developments ...
Towards Spectacular Nationality: Media Production of Korean Nationality through the 2002 World Cup
Authors:   , Hong Sun-ha
Published: November 2021

This paper explores the role of the media in the production of Korean nationality during the 2002 World Cup. It suggests that the media coverage helped organise a spectacle of consumption, which became the primary means by which Korean nationality was articulated and understood. This study brings together research in media and Korean studies and aims to contribute to a timely understanding of nationality that recognises both its intimate connection with media and consumer culture and its normative and taxonomic function. The study elaborates a hybrid theoretical framework of a ‘system of signs’, which draws from Michel Foucault’s analysis of power and normalisation and the ideas of spectacle and simulacrum by Guy Debord and Jean Baudrillard. The study examines two key cases of nationality production. Firstly, the ‘Red Devils’ and millions of street supporters that celebrated Korean victories were appropriated by the media to produce internally oriented affirmations of Korean identity and values that doubled as an entertainment spectacle. Secondly, the cult of admiration around the foreign manager Hiddink demonstrated how discourses of globalisation contribute to a social imaginary of global nationalities that compelled Koreans to judge their own nationality against the standards of the sŏnjin’guk (‘advanced nations’).
The Prevalance of Depression amongst People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on Long Term Oxygen Therapy
Authors:   , Mold Emma
Published: November 2021

Aim:To determine the prevalence of depression amongst people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) and examine the differences and relationships between depressed and not depressed patients to inform clinical practice.

Methods:In September 2009 a cross-sectional point prevalence study of the total District Health Board (DHB) population of COPD patients on LTOT oxygen in a large urban area in New Zealand (NZ) was conducted. Depression was assessed using the self-completed Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Additional clinical and demographic characteristics were obtained from hospital records and a self-completed questionnaire.

Results:Sixty three patients (36 females, mean age 72) from the total population of 73 with severe COPD (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1] 37% predicted) completed the survey. PHQ-9 results indicate the total prevalence of depression was 54%; 95% CI 41.71-65.87. Twenty five percent of patients had mild depression and 29% had moderate to severe depression. One in six patients of those who screened positively was being treated for depression. No significant correlations or differences were found between the depressions scores and the demographic (age, gender, lives alone) or clinical (portable oxygen, time on oxygen, hospital admissions, pulmonary rehabilitation and FEV1) characteristics.

Conclusion:This study provides new evidence regarding the prevalence of depression in NZ COPD LTOT populations. Depression symptoms and depression are highly prevalent in this patient population and there is evidence depression is undertreated. The PHQ-9 is a simple and effective tool community nurses can use for the initial screening of depression, which could improve the recognition and possible uptake of effective interventions to lessen the impact of depression in this population. The PHQ-9 is validated screening tool that should be used in further depression prevalence research with NZ COPD and other long-term condition populations to determine homogeneity across studies.
Ethnocultural Neutrality and Nation-Building: A Critical Evaluation of Will Kymlicka's Fairness Based Argument for Minority Cultural Rights
Authors:   , Riley Steven Guy
Published: November 2021

This thesis looks at an argument by Will Kymlicka in which he claims that the idea of an ethnoculturally neutral state is "manifestly false" and should be replaced by liberal political theorists with a model of the state as engaging in "nation-building" (Kymlicka 2001 pp23 - 27). Once we do this, Kymlicka argues, we see that the burden of proof regarding minority cultural rights has shifted away from the defender of such rights and falls equally on those who seek to deny those rights. We see this, Kymlicka claims, because the nation-building model of the state highlights a number of burdens that are placed on cultural minorities, burdens which are otherwise disguised by a norm of ethnocultural neutrality. Kymlicka argues that this means that the debate over minority cultural rights has moved on from substantive debates about the worth of cultural units (including his well known argument that we have a fundamental interest in the success of our own culture). In this thesis I argue for two main claims. The first is that the idea of ethnocultural neutrality is not manifestly false so long as it is understood as part of a requirement that state institutions and policies should be capable of an appropriate justification. Moreover I shall suggest that acceptance of such a norm can in fact be used by Kymlicka in order to ground the specific fairness based claims that he wants to make about majority nation-building in liberal democratic states. Secondly I shall argue that Kymlicka's claims about the fairness of majority nation-building rely upon the kind of substantive account supplied by his earlier argument that we have a fundamental, autonomy based, interest in the survival of our own societal-culture. In this respect, then, Kymlicka is wrong to suggest that the debate has moved on. My defence of ethnocultural neutrality helps us to see where there is underlying agreement amongst liberals on a number of multicultural policies and also highlights the areas of substantive disagreement which, I shall suggest, do not revolve around acceptance, or not, of a norm of ethnocultural neutrality but instead are deep rooted disagreements about the worth of our cultural and national attachments and how they are to be weighed against each other and against other interests that we have. On this score I suggest that Kymlicka's own autonomy argument is unconvincing.
The internet and consumer privacy - shopping basket or too hard basket
Authors:   , Stephens Dale
Published: November 2021

The Internet has rapidly become the world’s most prevalent form of communication. It can be accessed twenty-four hours a day from virtually any location in the world from a myriad of technologically savvy devices. Internet users can keep up to date with world events, watch movies, listen to music, interact with government agencies, analyse business trends, undertake research and maintain contact with people anywhere. The Internet also provides the ability for users to shop ‘online’ with virtually any product or service supplier anywhere in the world. This has created concerns regarding the use of personal information obtained through the medium of the Internet. An individual’s right to privacy is a right enshrined in legislation and through tort law. With the uptake of technology and the burgeoning use of the Internet the subject of online privacy has become a complex issue for law and policy makers both in New Zealand and internationally. The aim of this paper is to look at the online shopper or consumer and how their information could be protected. This paper looks at the key areas of privacy legislation, the storage of data and the rise of new technologies including ‘cloud’ computing and suggests that the complexity of online privacy is such that a different approach to access and use of personal information of online shoppers may be required. The rate of technology change, the enormity of the data capture situation and the international accessibility of the Internet are all factors that create an almost impossible situation for ensuring consumer privacy so this paper proposes that the onus moves away from the law and policy makers and put into the hands of the users of the Internet.
Flexible Hotel Design: Rethinking Hotel Design to Address Short-Term Demand Fluctuations
Authors:   , Lin Bohan
Published: November 2021

A hotel consists of two major components, the business operations and the physical property. These two components although distinctively different, are very much interdependent and affect the hotel’s ability to succeed. An understanding of this important duality is evident in the increasingly market driven nature of hotel design. More diverse and innovative new hotel concepts are constantly being developed based on the identification of gaps in hotel markets, or the creation of new market segments. However, the common perception of the hotel property as being a static and permanent entity remains the same. Despite the volatile and ever‐changing nature of hotel markets, shortterm demand fluctuations have always been one of the biggest concerns and topics of discussion for hotel management and marketing.

While there has been plenty of research into the problems and implications that short‐term demand fluctuations have on hotel performance and profitability, common approaches to dealing with demand changes are very much restricted by the physical hotel design, and limited to strategic management and marketing tactics that are often inadequate to deal with the problem.

This thesis identifies a gap in the knowledge between hotel design and short‐term demand fluctuations. Through research and design, it aims to bridge the gap by directing a design response targeted specifically at the nature of shortterm demand fluctuations. The outcome of this thesis is the design of a new hotel proposed for Wellington, New Zealand. The design demonstrates how particular flexible design interventions can allow the hotel property to be more responsive to short‐term demand fluctuations, and its potential to improve business performance and operating efficiency.
The Impacts of Good Faith on Collective Bargaining: a New Zealand Case Study
Authors:   , Polakoski Julie May
Published: November 2021

This paper explores the protective strength of the good faith reforms as enacted under the Employment Relations Act 2000 and subsequent legislation on the collective bargaining rights of workers. Interviews were conducted with numerous unions and employers in New Zealand to discover how the good faith reforms have impacted their dealings with one another with regards to collective bargaining.
Polysaccharide Content and Growth Rate of Lessonia Variegata J. Agardh: Investigating its Potential as a Commercial Species
Authors:   , Abbott Lynaire Jane
Published: November 2021

The endemic brown alga Lessonia variegata has recently been shown to be four separate lineages. To determine differences between the four morphologically similar lineages, the economically valuable polysaccharides alginate and fucoidan were extracted and yields from each of the lineages were compared. In order to determine seasonal patterns in the yield of alginate and fucoidan, and the growth rate within L.variegata, polysaccharides were extracted and the growth rate measured on a monthly basis from March 2010 until February 2011 on plants from the Wellington lineage. The alginate and fucoidan yields were obtained via stepwise extraction with dilute acid and sodium carbonate as per the previously published methods of Usov et al. (1985). The growth rate of L. variegata from the Wellington lineage was assayed using the hole punch technique first described by Parke (1948). The yield of alginate within the Wellington lineage of L. variegata fluctuated seasonally with the highest percent occurring in spring and summer 2010. The yield of fucoidan in the Wellington lineage was at its highest in mid-autumn and late spring 2010. Two different growth rates were detected for the Wellington lineage of L. variegata. There was a period of significantly high growth from late winter 2010 until late summer 2011.The Wellington lineage had the lowest yield of alginate and the highest yield of fucoidan compared to the Northern lineage, the Kaikoura lineage and the Southern lineage. Based on the findings of this study, an appropriate harvest period for the Wellington lineage of L. variegata would be in early to mid-summer when polysaccharide yields and growth rates are high and the alga is vegetative.
Food and Identity in New Zealand: the Cross-Generational Transmission of Cultural and Gender Identity through Food
Authors:   , Kudo Kathey Kyoko
Published: November 2021

This thesis examines the previously under-explored area of the intersection of individuals’ cultural and gender identity in relation to food within the framework of New Zealand food culture. The analysis focuses upon how the cross-generational transmission of food culture has occurred within Pakeha families in New Zealand, and how the process has affected gendered identities. The study was based on analyses of in-depth interviews and reminiscences provided by 15 individual respondents from six families about their food preferences and practices. This interview data was summarised and organised into six family case histories. Also in analysing New Zealand cookbooks, the thesis considers social changes related to the changing meaning of food and cooking in association with individuals’ gender roles. Particular attention was paid to the ‘de-gendering’ of cooking. If men are cooking more nowadays than in the past, do they invest this activity with different social meanings from women? If women spend less time on food preparation than in the past, do they depend more on convenience foods? This thesis investigates how such changes interact with the cultural and social significance of food and cooking.
Marine protected areas in the north east Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean : the role of regional organisations in areas beyond national jurisdiction
Authors:   , Sothieson Dhaxna
Published: November 2021

The international community has recognised Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as an important tool for area-based management of ecosystems. Regional organisations have taken the lead in areas beyond national jurisdiction to create MPAs. This paper will compare the issues facing the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the relevant Antarctic Treaty bodies in the Southern Ocean, to the North-East Atlantic Ocean where the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) are the lead bodies. Many of the issues that face each region in designating MPAs differ due to geopolitical differences; resulting in the North-East Atlantic producing more success in designating a network of MPAs. The North-East Atlantic organisations, however, face more difficulties to ensure the comprehensive management of MPAs. As CCAMLR and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty sit within the Antarctic Treaty System, the potential exists for a better integrated management framework in the Southern Ocean. The themes from both regions will then be put into a wider global context to provide some guidance and identify issues for other regional organisations seeking to establish MPAs in ABNJ.
Projection: Architecture of Intimacy
Authors:   , Revie Penelope Katherine
Published: November 2021

This thesis unravels ties between the individual and architecture. Offering an architectural demonstration of and for the body. The primary goal is to challenge the conventional relationship of architecture as a form of housing for the body, exploring the possibility of the body's dynamism in respect to movement, transformation, and reaction, informing an intimate architecture of the individual and highlighting the importance of a personalised architectural condition. The boundary between the individual and architecture is explored through the idea of intimacy. Intimacy becomes the goal of a relationship that is intrinsic to the body. Through intimacy this provides security and comfort for the individual. The individual is projected upon architecture to create an intimate environment.  The research is grounded by three main themes: Firstly 'proximity', the degree to which the interface between the body and architecture can become intrinsically tied. Secondly 'speed', the movement of the body in relation to architecture as a static form. And lastly 'duration', the flexibility and adaptability of possible architectural solutions. Each of these themes is developed in the research chapters and explored from both a written and visual narrative. The 'Chair' is adopted as a familiar object which allows for discussion and development of ideas. The chair becomes a means of developing the argument, and demonstrating these ideas through imagery and text.  A train carriage is the apparatus which will be used as a vehicle for the design exploration. A train carriage has been identified as being a transitory zone for the individual, and therefore, employed as the point of departure for further design experiments, tying the three themes of proximity, speed, and duration together. The train carriage acts as a conceit; a way of describing and demonstrating ideas through extended metaphors. The design is revealed through diagrams of components used within the housing of the individual, then further presented with varying scenes exploring the dynamic possibilities of an architectural interpretation.  This research informs and demonstrates a design initiative which emphasises the poetic form of individuals and their bodies within the architectural discipline. Bringing to light the importance and possibility of the fluctuations of the body, in constant movement and evolution to the discipline of architecture. Allowing for intimacy of the body to be defined in unison with architecture, a growing spatial relationship with the individual.
The Museum of Me: Architecture and the Publicity of the Private
Authors:   , Wagstaff Mitchell
Published: November 2021

Both architecture and privacy express ideals of personal, social, and cultural identity. From the development of virtual social environments has emerged new boundaries between the public and private. Consequently, this progression has shifted the historical normalities of privacy. While architecture appears to develop within its own conditions of creating material expressions, it has yet to show awareness of the reality and developments of our contemporary social environments. This thesis addresses the shifting boundary between public and private through an architectural enquiry.  It proposes that the traditional boundary between public and private be re-evaluated in conjunction with contemporary social norms, focusing on the contemporary notion of publicity and control. This thesis explores the design of a public museum as a manifestation of contemporary society. It establishes an appropriate relationship between public and private situating itself as a mediator. It builds upon the influence of the theoretical and conceptual means through an architectural analysis and experimentation to find one architectural design solution that re-configures the public and private boundary.  The outcome of this research reflects a new boundary between public and private; however it states that its spatial and organisational form needs to engage with contemporary society. It finds that online social environments offer new opportunities useful for the re-configuration of boundaries between public and private. This thesis concludes that the new mediation of virtual environments does not limit architecture, but rather presents a new space that mediates and reflects contemporary social interaction.
An Information Visualisation Tool for Emergency Management
Authors:   , Ramsay Neil
Published: November 2021

The development of computerised information systems for large scale emergency management is lacking. These systems could present information and support information transfer across shifts. This is important as providing timely information is critical for efficient search and rescue operations in an emergency environment. This thesis contributes the design and prototype implementation for an interactive visualisation, called RescueTime, which is then evaluated. The evaluation showed that RescueTime is as effective as a traditional tool used by emergency managers. This demonstrates the feasibility of designing and developing larger information systems, for the purpose of emergency management.
Micro-Living: Learning to Live Large in Small Spaces
Authors:   , Richmond Simon
Published: November 2021

High-density living has always been proclaimed as a way of the future, but the future is now here and we are plagued by inadequate, uninviting city-living environments. This design research paper aims to produce an alternate design method that can be applied to apartment living in New Zealand to produce positive, affordable apartment designs.  The late 20th and early 21st centuries has seen urban New Zealand become an increasingly popular place to live. Large numbers are drawn to the cities by the convenience of closer proximity to amenities and greater job prospects. This urbanisation overlaps with the constant growth of the country’s overall population which, combined, puts pressure on cities as land becomes an increasingly rare commodity. In response, cities often expand outward. The negative effect of this has been heavily documented.  The introduction of high density living solutions has attempted to combat the ever increasing ‘suburban sprawl.’ Many apartment complexes have risen in response to this demand, especially in the cities of Auckland and Wellington. However, this is where the problem develops. A large proportion of smaller, more affordable apartments have been identifi ed to be poorly designed, producing low quality spaces and unsatisfactory living environments. Moreover, the public perception of these ‘shoebox’ apartments is highly negative.  This research not only investigates the issues associated with the small apartments in New Zealand but seeks to improve upon them by learning from an international precedent. The Japanese architectural movement of Kyosho-Jutaku or Micro-living provides urban accommodation through space effi cient stand-alone dwellings. These dwellings were developed in response to the harsh urban and economic conditions in the early 1990s and continue to be built throughout Japan’s urban prefectures. The architects of Japanese micro-architecture approach small spaces with design strategies resulting in interiors which appear expansive beyond their physical limits and produce quality living environments. Through the analysis and diagrammatic formulation of these Japanese micro-architecture design strategies, this research aims to produce an applicable technique for ‘micro’ design in New Zealand. The contexts are removed allowing the singular strategies to be understood and manipulated, expanding the design possibilities for each technique. Ultimately, this thesis tests the applicability of planning and spatial design strategies, adapted from Japanese micro-architecture, to a New Zealand context in the development of small, high quality urban apartments.
Foucault, Biopower & International Relations: A New Conceptualization of Global Biopower
Authors:   , Kendrick Jamie Brian William
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this paper is, first and foremost, to accurately describe how biopower enters IR. It does this because so far IR theorists have inaccurately deployed the concept. Due to the tripartite nature of biopower – sovereign, disciplinary, biopolitical – and idiosyncratic conceptualizations of sovereignty by predominant theorists, a number of disparate conceptualizations of biopower populate the literature, none of which satisfactorily extend Foucauldian analysis into international relations. This paper attempts to remedy this conceptual ambiguity to produce the sorts of insights Foucault was concerned with. Central to my argument is thus a discussion of sovereignty. Notwithstanding Foucault‘s warnings about slavish devotion to his work, I nonetheless maintain that an accurate exposition of biopower in IR necessitates a conceptualization of sovereignty that adheres to Foucault‘s methodological principles. Following a deconstruction of sovereignty that identifies a 'history of practices,‘ I maintain that state sovereignty continues to play a central biopolitical role. From this position, I then argue biopower must enter into international relations in a specific manner. I argue that global, or more accurately, international biopower should be identified according to a genealogical method stemming from the biopolitics of states first elucidated by Foucault. I proceed by investigating how 'domestic‘ mechanisms of security are becoming transnational. My ultimate argument focuses on identifying how processes of biopolitical normalization resonate with international processes, and successfully translates Foucauldian scholarship into IR by extending our understanding of how modern liberal societies are governed by norms. By showing how biopolitical normalization is becoming a transnational phenomenon, I reconceptualize 'global biopower‘ as international biopolitical normalization.
Deconstructing the New Zealand Transport Agency Economic Evaluation Manual: Bringing the best research on transportation and its economic benefit into the applied New Zealand context
Authors:   , Pettit Thomas S.
Published: November 2021

This paper explores the New Zealand Transport Agency Economic Evaluation Manual from the perspective of best practices in international literature. Drawing upon research from the international community and policy-focused bodies like the OECD, the paper seeks to improve the NZTA EEM’s quality by employing hedonic and revealed-preference methods to create a more accurate tool to derive the value of certain transport investments. The paper finds that the value of time in New Zealand is far too low, the discount regime improperly reflects the nature of such investments, cycling benefits are undervalued, and property values are not accounted for as well as they could be. The paper then applies these findings to the recently-completed Public Transport Spine Study in Wellington, New Zealand to illustrate the importance of accurate economic evaluation of transport investments.
She'll be wrong: Rethinking corporate and officer responsibility under the Health and Safety Reform Bill
Authors:   , Rodgers Zoe
Published: November 2021

New Zealand has a poor health and safety record with alarming rates of workplace injuries and fatalities. The current health and safety regime fails to promote corporate and director responsibility and leaves New Zealand open to potentially catastrophic harm. This was demonstrated in 2010 with the Pike River disaster which revealed an urgent need for reform. This paper analyses the Health and Safety Reform Bill. The Bill represents the most comprehensive overhaul of New Zealand’s health and safety regime in 22 years. The focus in the Bill is no longer on the status of the employment relationship meaning better protection for workers. This paper argues that corporate and officer responsibility is crucial to turning things around. The Bill drives responsibility through the introduction of a proactive due diligence duty on officers and stronger deterrence mechanisms. Placing obligations on officers means those in the best position to monitor and reduce risks have a legal obligation to do so. The Bill targets those who have the ability to initiate change and requires these people to take a proactive approach to managing health and safety. This paper concludes that the Bill represents a positive step forward in New Zealand’s health and safety regime.
Resistance to microtubule-stabilising agents following point mutation of human βI-tubulin
Authors:   , Rowe Matthew R.
Published: November 2021

Marine environments represent a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites that may be harnessed for use in a therapeutic context. Two novel compounds, peloruside A and laulimalide, isolated from the marine sponges Mycale hentsheli and Cacospongia mycofijiensis, respectively, both demonstrate useful pharmacological properties in mammalian cells. These compounds share major similarities with microtubule-stabilising agents. Like other agents in this class, peloruside A and laulimalide bind to the β-tubulin subunit of microtubules, the primary cytoskeletal element of eukaryotic cells. These compounds enhance polymerisation dynamics between ternary microtubule structures and severely hinder necessary cytoskeletal rearrangements within the cell.  Over the course of a patient’s treatment, cancerous cells may develop multi-drug resistance phenotypes. P-glycoprotein drug efflux pumps play a major role in the development of therapy resistance in many cancers, as the current generation microtubule-stabilising agents are easily removed from diseased cells by upregulated efflux mechanisms. Unlike agents already in clinical application, both peloruside A and laulimalide are poor substrates for removal by these mechanisms, making them and their synthetic derivatives interesting as potential treatments for drug-resistant tumours.  Peloruside A and laulimalide exhibit potent nanomolar anti-mitotic activities in vitro and arrest cell cycle progression in G₂/M phase, leading to cell death – a characteristic mode of action among microtubule-stabilising agents. Unlike all known agents in this class, peloruside A and laulimalide share a secondary, unique binding region in β-tubulin. In the past decade our understanding of this region has developed, revealing a second, unique mechanism for stabilisation of microtubules.  Using mammalian cells to model physiological tubulin, the present study investigates the predicted role of aspartic acid 297 of human βI-tubulin in the binding association of both peloruside A and laulimalide. This particular amino acid is predicted to hydrogen bond with both compounds, contributing to their activity as stabilisers.  It was revealed that the introduction of a point mutation in D297 resulted in a small but highly consistent resistance phenotype to both compounds, but not to microtubule-stabilising agents that bind to the traditional, taxoid site on β-tubulin. It was concluded that aspartic acid 297 is likely to be one of the amino acids directly involved in the binding association of peloruside A and laulimalide to β-tubulin, contributing partial compound stabilisation. The rational synthesis of future analogues may benefit from these findings in the design of molecules with enhanced interactions at this particular amino acid residue.
A study of efficiency in New Zealand election prediction markers
Authors:   , Cao Tram P.
Published: November 2021

The development of prediction markets has naturally given rise to studies of their efficiency. Most studies of efficiency in prediction markets have focused on the speed with which they incorporate information. A necessary (but not sufficient) condition of efficiency is that arbitrage opportunities must non-existent or transitory in nature so that the systematic generation of abnormal profits is not possible. Using data from New Zealand’s first prediction market, iPredict, I examine the potential for arbitrage in the contracts for the party vote for the 2011 General Election. Relative to the risk-free interest rate, the returns from arbitrage are generally low, consistent with an efficient market. Regression analysis requires that the data not be subject to the possibility of spurious regressions - something that is not addressed in the literature. After confirming the non-stationarity of the price level and the stationarity of the price changes by the unit root test, I use the iPredict data in conjunction with opinion poll data to test whether the polls impact on market pricing behaviour. Using a number of different model types, I find that the opinion poll data has a very limited impact on market prices, suggesting that the information contained in the poll is largely already incorporated into market prices.
Euthanasia for children?
Authors:   , Sloan Anna Elizabeth
Published: November 2021

Any thought of child euthanasia seems quite shocking on first instinct. However, Belgium forced a flow of international discussion through its extension of euthanasia laws to suffering patients of any age. This essay looks at its possible application in New Zealand, considering the competence of minors, the need for parental consent (or not) and issues of mental suffering. A final conclusion is drawn that euthanasia, if legalised, would be appropriate only for patients 16 years and over. This essay draws analogies with the law around consenting to other medical procedures, abortion, transgender treatment and contraception. For patients under the 16 age threshold, paediatric palliative care is convincingly the safest and most comprehensive option to assist young terminally ill children and their family through the final stages of life.
The Protection of Journalists’ Sources in New Zealand and Australia
Authors:   , Stuart Thomas
Published: November 2021

The degree of legal protection given to journalists’ sources in New Zealand and Australia has progressed considerably over the last 30 years. Both nations have moved from a landscape of virtually no source protection to a strong presumption against source disclosure. This paper examines the history of this progression, its merits and its shortcomings. It highlights a distinct ‘Australasian approach’ to source protection and assesses this approach against other domestic and international methods in order to determine its effectiveness. It concludes that while source protection in New Zealand and the Commonwealth of Australia is relatively stable and comprehensive when compared to other jurisdictions, some refinement in approach is necessary in order to guarantee equitable protection for all journalists and their sources.
Judicial specialisation: A principled approach for future consideration
Authors:   , McConnell Caleb Dynes
Published: November 2021

Judicial specialisation is a reality worldwide. The New Zealand judiciary must approach proposals for further specialisation with caution. Although there are compelling arguments in favour of specialisation, there are equally compelling arguments opposing specialisation. Therefore, a principled approach must be adopted when assessing the merits of further specialisation in any given field of law. The purpose of this paper is to develop a set of criteria that transcend the abstract advantages/disadvantages, which can be applied generally. These criteria will highlight the nuances inherent in the particular field of law that support/oppose specialisation. The purpose of these criteria is to provide a tool to a decision-maker to help inform, on a principled basis, whether judicial specialisation in any given field of law is appropriate.
Freedom Of Expression And Freedom Of Movement In The Immigration Space: Substance Over Forum
Authors:   , Cross Nicholas
Published: November 2021

Globalisation and the availability of information through television and the internet have been a boon for the spread of ideas and for freedom of expression. These trends have also created challenges for the regulation of expression. Those with hateful views or harmful information have just as much access to modern communication tools as the rest of us. How policy makers respond to the free flow of information raises a multitude of questions.  However there is no doubt that the state still holds the upper hand in controlling the freedom of movement between borders. Despite the availability of information technology there is still a need for interpersonal communication to facilitate the freedom of expression. The freedom of movement is therefore important to enabling the freedom of expression, and states can restrict the later by restricting the former.  The aim of this paper is to comprehensively scrutinise the different approaches taken to regulating freedom of movement for the purpose of regulating freedom of expression. It looks with judicial reviews within common law jurisdictions and how the issue is managed within their existing human rights legal frameworks.  Firstly the paper will lay out a preferred approach to dealing with the regulation of freedom of expression in an immigration context, bearing in mind the rights which states have to control their borders and the justifications for doing so. The approach places strong emphasis on protecting the freedom of expression for all groups without seeking to challenge the existence or legitimacy of the ways states choose to regulate expression within their borders. It suggests that regulation should be limited to situations where it is likely that the visitor would choose to break the laws of the state they seek to visit, or where their visit could spark disruption involving violence which could not reasonably be controlled by law enforcement.  Secondly the paper will examine four cases from two common law jurisdictions in detail. There is an emphasis on understanding two themes. The first is explaining the broader context of human rights protection within those jurisdictions and how their approach to immigration control reflects or contradicts that protection. The second is upon critiquing and understanding the administrative law implications of the standards of review applied. Reference is made back to the preferred framework to help understand to what extent the cases stand for genuine protection of freedom of expression.
Battling the bulge: Is a ban on children's food and beverage advertising consistent with freedom of expression?
Authors:   , Mazenier Matthew
Published: November 2021

Obesity is increasingly recognised by policymakers as a threat to public health and wellbeing. Despite obesity’s many causes, one commonly cited concern of public health advocates is the prevalence of food and beverage advertising. In particular, concerns have focused upon the targeting of unhealthy food and beverage advertising towards children. The current evidence reveals children’s vulnerability to product advertising and its consequential effects upon children’s food-related attitudes and behaviours. Though the evidence of a link between food advertising and obesity is equivocal, it is sufficient to make the case for a ban on the advertising of unhealthy food and beverages to children. However, any advertising restrictions upon commercial advertising must be consistent with the right to free expression under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. An analysis of the theoretical justifications underlying free speech protections suggests greater leeway should be afforded legislators to regulate in the face of a public health crisis. In spite of the New Zealand Government’s willingness to rely upon a self-regulatory framework for advertising regulation, the success of statutory advertising restrictions internationally illustrates the potential for a stronger approach. Though a lack of evidence precludes an objective assessment of the efficacy of the current self-regulatory scheme, the theoretical incompatibility of self-regulation with the achievement of public health goals underscores the need for government-led regulation. Ultimately, the growing threat posed by the obesity epidemic, the absence of reasonable alternatives to statutory restrictions and the narrow scope of a ban on the advertising of unhealthy food and beverages to children mean the suggested ban represents a demonstrably justified limit upon free expression.