title: Surrogacy and the law: three perspectives

authors: Walker, Ruth

abstract: In this article we argue that, from the perspective of the surrogacy triad, the legal process in New Zealand does not work well. We conducted semi-structured interviews with surrogates and intended parents about their experience of the New Zealand system and found several common themes, which we report here. Most legal professionals lack experience with surrogacy adoptions and do not always provide accurate advice, which leads to additional cost and stress for the intended parents in particular. A large part of the problem is that the legislation itself is not fit for purpose and forces the triad into a Family Court procedure that is antithetical to the intentions of all members. ECART plays a valuable role in facilitating domestic surrogacies and we argue for it to be expanded to include all traditional surrogacies and to be the only port of call for the triad to establish the intended parents as the legal parents of the baby from birth.

text: Surrogacy and the law: three perspectives In this article we argue that, from the perspective of the surrogacy triad, the legal process in New Zealand does not work well. We conducted semi-structured interviews with surrogates and intended parents about their experience of the New Zealand system and found several common themes, which we report here. Most legal professionals lack experience with surrogacy adoptions and do not always provide accurate advice, which leads to additional cost and stress for the intended parents in particular. A large part of the problem is that the legislation itself is not fit for purpose and forces the triad into a Family Court procedure that is antithetical to the intentions of all members. ECART plays a valuable role in facilitating domestic surrogacies and we argue for it to be expanded to include all traditional surrogacies and to be the only port of call for the triad to establish the intended parents as the legal parents of the baby from birth.

year: 2020

title: Issues in the non-market valuation of Coromandel coastal recreation: realism, permanence and spatial distribution

authors: Matthews, Yvonne Sharon

subjects: Choice modelling

abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to apply non-market valuation techniques to estimate the effect of coastal development and erosion protection on beach recreation values. The study area is the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. The peninsula is a popular holiday destination and the coastal landscape generates strong feelings of attachment in many New Zealanders.  However, twin pressures of rising coastal land values and shoreline fluctuations have led to conflict between people who want to protect or develop built environments and those who want to conserve or restore natural landscapes. The recreation amenity values which are under threat are difficult to include in a cost-benefit analysis of coastal policy because they have no explicit market price. 
I review the issues and limitations associated with non-market valuation methods and apply advanced visualisation and spatially-referenced data collection techniques to estimate the non-market values. This thesis comprises four papers which are either published or in the process of being published. A particular focus is whether 3D visualisations or "virtual environments" can improve the reliability and validity of stated preference results. The first paper describes the rationale and method for developing the virtual environments for use in a choice experiment about erosion protection and headland development. I find the virtual environments reduced bias, improved choice consistency and made respondents more likely to complete the survey. In the second paper I report the results of a choice experiment about development options for a specific undeveloped beach. I find that the virtual environment presentation format more strongly influences stated preferences amongst respondents with no direct experience of the site. The additional information provided by 3D visualisations may therefore be useful when people have to make decisions about the unfamiliar. 
In the third paper I report the results of tests of stability of stated preferences over time. A novel feature of this study is the use of two re-tests over time rather than just one. I find that stability at an individual level is positively associated with choice certainty. The virtual environments have a positive effect on respondent confidence but respondent education level has a larger effect. The large variation in stated value over time is consistent with the constructed preference viewpoint. However, the results are not necessarily incompatible with the alternative discovered preference hypothesis because there may have been too little consequential feedback to facilitate any preference learning.
In the fourth paper I report the results of a destination choice analysis for beach recreation on the Coromandel Peninsula, using data collected in the same survey as the choice experiments. The focus of the fourth paper is the issue of spatially correlated errors caused by the spatial distribution of sites. Visitors are influenced by opportunities available at other sites and many visit multiple beaches in one trip, which violates the conventional assumption that sites are substitutes. I analyse the cumulative attraction of each pairwise combination of sites and review modelling approaches that allow for flexible patterns of substitutions but are also computationally efficient. I find that an Agglomerating and Competing Destination Choice (ACDC) model with differentiated accessibility parameters for each attribute offers the best fit. It has complex response properties for specific site changes yet retains a computationally feasible closed form. I use the model to examine the implications of two site-specific changes.  The results highlight the importance of preserving coastal camping grounds and natural sand dunes because these attributes increase the diversity and attractiveness of the wider area as well as the individual site. 
The findings of these four papers and the data collected for this thesis make a significant contribution to knowledge about the recreation value of Coromandel beaches. This research is of particular relevance to the local policy issues of coastal erosion and development.

text: Issues in the non-market valuation of Coromandel coastal recreation: realism, permanence and spatial distribution The purpose of this thesis is to apply non-market valuation techniques to estimate the effect of coastal development and erosion protection on beach recreation values. The study area is the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. The peninsula is a popular holiday destination and the coastal landscape generates strong feelings of attachment in many New Zealanders.  However, twin pressures of rising coastal land values and shoreline fluctuations have led to conflict between people who want to protect or develop built environments and those who want to conserve or restore natural landscapes. The recreation amenity values which are under threat are difficult to include in a cost-benefit analysis of coastal policy because they have no explicit market price. 
I review the issues and limitations associated with non-market valuation methods and apply advanced visualisation and spatially-referenced data collection techniques to estimate the non-market values. This thesis comprises four papers which are either published or in the process of being published. A particular focus is whether 3D visualisations or "virtual environments" can improve the reliability and validity of stated preference results. The first paper describes the rationale and method for developing the virtual environments for use in a choice experiment about erosion protection and headland development. I find the virtual environments reduced bias, improved choice consistency and made respondents more likely to complete the survey. In the second paper I report the results of a choice experiment about development options for a specific undeveloped beach. I find that the virtual environment presentation format more strongly influences stated preferences amongst respondents with no direct experience of the site. The additional information provided by 3D visualisations may therefore be useful when people have to make decisions about the unfamiliar. 
In the third paper I report the results of tests of stability of stated preferences over time. A novel feature of this study is the use of two re-tests over time rather than just one. I find that stability at an individual level is positively associated with choice certainty. The virtual environments have a positive effect on respondent confidence but respondent education level has a larger effect. The large variation in stated value over time is consistent with the constructed preference viewpoint. However, the results are not necessarily incompatible with the alternative discovered preference hypothesis because there may have been too little consequential feedback to facilitate any preference learning.
In the fourth paper I report the results of a destination choice analysis for beach recreation on the Coromandel Peninsula, using data collected in the same survey as the choice experiments. The focus of the fourth paper is the issue of spatially correlated errors caused by the spatial distribution of sites. Visitors are influenced by opportunities available at other sites and many visit multiple beaches in one trip, which violates the conventional assumption that sites are substitutes. I analyse the cumulative attraction of each pairwise combination of sites and review modelling approaches that allow for flexible patterns of substitutions but are also computationally efficient. I find that an Agglomerating and Competing Destination Choice (ACDC) model with differentiated accessibility parameters for each attribute offers the best fit. It has complex response properties for specific site changes yet retains a computationally feasible closed form. I use the model to examine the implications of two site-specific changes.  The results highlight the importance of preserving coastal camping grounds and natural sand dunes because these attributes increase the diversity and attractiveness of the wider area as well as the individual site. 
The findings of these four papers and the data collected for this thesis make a significant contribution to knowledge about the recreation value of Coromandel beaches. This research is of particular relevance to the local policy issues of coastal erosion and development.

year: 2017

title: Te whanau o te maungarongo hikoi: Maori practice in motion (3 July 2006 to 9 July 2006)

authors: Gilgen, Maynard

subjects: Maori

abstract: What you are about to read is, in the main, a narrative. This narrative is designed to do two things. On one level it simply provides an explanation of how Puti and John Snowden used the funding received for this project. This document is therefore a demonstration of their accountability for the monies received. On another, far deeper, level this document operates to demonstrate to the reader the real power of the traditional concepts of whanaungatanga, whakapapa, tikanga, wairua, and manaakitanga. The adults, youths and elders who embarked on this journey had experiences that are not easily explained in written form. This document must try to achieve this task, and only a narrative that attempts to show these traditional concepts in action can do it.

text: Te whanau o te maungarongo hikoi: Maori practice in motion (3 July 2006 to 9 July 2006) What you are about to read is, in the main, a narrative. This narrative is designed to do two things. On one level it simply provides an explanation of how Puti and John Snowden used the funding received for this project. This document is therefore a demonstration of their accountability for the monies received. On another, far deeper, level this document operates to demonstrate to the reader the real power of the traditional concepts of whanaungatanga, whakapapa, tikanga, wairua, and manaakitanga. The adults, youths and elders who embarked on this journey had experiences that are not easily explained in written form. This document must try to achieve this task, and only a narrative that attempts to show these traditional concepts in action can do it.

year: 2008