title: Critically assessing energy hardship in Aotearoa New Zealand for strategising its eradication

authors: Fernandes Brabo, Luiza

subjects: Energy hardship

abstract: Energy hardship is a condition relating to the lack of energy access and affordability, with the latter being the most relevant aspect to New Zealand. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Kiwis are struggling with the condition, causing financial and health issues.

This doctoral thesis, with publications, uses transition management as the framework to guide the study towards answering the main research question: What are the best interventions needed to eradicate energy hardship in Aotearoa? The first step, (known as the strategic one, according to the transition management framework) was a systematic literature review conducted to understand the recent and relevant international literature on fuel poverty, energy poverty, and energy hardship, all terms that get used in the literature Additionally, semi-structured interviews were carried out with five energy experts in New Zealand to find patterns in their perspectives on the meaning of fuel poverty and energy hardship.

For the second step, tactical, sixteen people employed by sixteen organisations in Aotearoa participated in semi-structured interviews about their current interventions against energy hardship. The themes found in their responses were compared to the energy hardship framework proposed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) in 2021 to see if the interventions from the interviewed organisations were effective.

In the operational step, a quantitative study was divided into two parts: one survey with 773 customers from a low-cost electricity retailer (OurPower) in the Waikato region and another survey with 505 respondents in a nationally representative sample. Seventeen energy hardship indicators proposed by MBIE were used and correlated to household and dwelling characteristics and energy behaviours to understand better the causes and consequences of energy hardship in Aotearoa.

In the last step, reflexive, three follow-up surveys were conducted: one with organisations seeking feedback from their operations and plans, another with the nationally representative sample and the OurPower customers, which sought their opinions on survey rewards and other energy interventions they engaged in recently. All the follow-up surveys asked respondents about the role of each type of organisation (such as local government, national government, non-governmental organisations, and energy sector) in reducing energy hardship.

It was found that the best practices mostly related to reducing the energy bills of households. When linking the respondents’ suggestions to the concept of energy democracy, it became clear that more democratic and decentralised decision-making in the energy sector (e.g. community-owned infrastructure) can reduce energy costs, which is a priority for households. Increasing dwelling standards for insulation and overall energy efficiency and ensuring construction companies and landlords follow them is also of essential need. For Aotearoa to achieve energy wellbeing, we need to focus more on collaboration at the community level, not only the household level.

text: Critically assessing energy hardship in Aotearoa New Zealand for strategising its eradication Energy hardship is a condition relating to the lack of energy access and affordability, with the latter being the most relevant aspect to New Zealand. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Kiwis are struggling with the condition, causing financial and health issues.

This doctoral thesis, with publications, uses transition management as the framework to guide the study towards answering the main research question: What are the best interventions needed to eradicate energy hardship in Aotearoa? The first step, (known as the strategic one, according to the transition management framework) was a systematic literature review conducted to understand the recent and relevant international literature on fuel poverty, energy poverty, and energy hardship, all terms that get used in the literature Additionally, semi-structured interviews were carried out with five energy experts in New Zealand to find patterns in their perspectives on the meaning of fuel poverty and energy hardship.

For the second step, tactical, sixteen people employed by sixteen organisations in Aotearoa participated in semi-structured interviews about their current interventions against energy hardship. The themes found in their responses were compared to the energy hardship framework proposed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) in 2021 to see if the interventions from the interviewed organisations were effective.

In the operational step, a quantitative study was divided into two parts: one survey with 773 customers from a low-cost electricity retailer (OurPower) in the Waikato region and another survey with 505 respondents in a nationally representative sample. Seventeen energy hardship indicators proposed by MBIE were used and correlated to household and dwelling characteristics and energy behaviours to understand better the causes and consequences of energy hardship in Aotearoa.

In the last step, reflexive, three follow-up surveys were conducted: one with organisations seeking feedback from their operations and plans, another with the nationally representative sample and the OurPower customers, which sought their opinions on survey rewards and other energy interventions they engaged in recently. All the follow-up surveys asked respondents about the role of each type of organisation (such as local government, national government, non-governmental organisations, and energy sector) in reducing energy hardship.

It was found that the best practices mostly related to reducing the energy bills of households. When linking the respondents’ suggestions to the concept of energy democracy, it became clear that more democratic and decentralised decision-making in the energy sector (e.g. community-owned infrastructure) can reduce energy costs, which is a priority for households. Increasing dwelling standards for insulation and overall energy efficiency and ensuring construction companies and landlords follow them is also of essential need. For Aotearoa to achieve energy wellbeing, we need to focus more on collaboration at the community level, not only the household level.

year: 2023

title: Forty or fifty something

authors: Stanley, Peter

subjects: family work relationship

abstract: Many teachers and human service workers are 40-50 years al age and this paper explores the formative influences, and the developmental characteristics, of workers who are presently middle-aged. This leads onto an examination of the importance of relationships and work to mid-lifers. In the concluding section of the paper, there is some consideration of the significance of having an older workforce for the success of the current policy innovations in special education.

text: Forty or fifty something Many teachers and human service workers are 40-50 years al age and this paper explores the formative influences, and the developmental characteristics, of workers who are presently middle-aged. This leads onto an examination of the importance of relationships and work to mid-lifers. In the concluding section of the paper, there is some consideration of the significance of having an older workforce for the success of the current policy innovations in special education.

year: 2007

title: Cultural knowledge and identity for wellbeing and success: Trying to make the connections in the north of New Zealand.

authors: Hohepa, Margie Kahukura

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: This paper argues that secure cultural identity is essential to wellbeing and cultural identity is important to Māori youth participation and success. The roles of community and schools in developing secure cultural identity are increasingly complex, as both become increasingly more culturally and ethnically diverse in many parts of the world.
The paper discusses findings from student survey data from a 2 year project ‘Te Wehi Nui a Mamao: Maximising the potential of tribal marae and regional language among youth', which began in July 2008, supported by funding from New Zealand's Foundation of Research, Science and Technology. This project aims to strengthen the relevance of tribal marae and regional Maori language among Maori youth, which are identified as important to Māori cultural identity.
Inter-generational transfer of tribal marae knowledge and language is becoming more compromised. Many cultural values are defined on marae. Tribal leaders have long been concerned about disconnections between Māori youth and tribal marae, poor knowledge of regional dialect and the potential negative consequences for full participation in society. .It appears that Māori youth are disconnected from regional language dialects and marae knowledge now more than ever. Reconnecting Māori youth with these two sources of tribal identity is the key to the purpose of this project.

text: Cultural knowledge and identity for wellbeing and success: Trying to make the connections in the north of New Zealand. This paper argues that secure cultural identity is essential to wellbeing and cultural identity is important to Māori youth participation and success. The roles of community and schools in developing secure cultural identity are increasingly complex, as both become increasingly more culturally and ethnically diverse in many parts of the world.
The paper discusses findings from student survey data from a 2 year project ‘Te Wehi Nui a Mamao: Maximising the potential of tribal marae and regional language among youth', which began in July 2008, supported by funding from New Zealand's Foundation of Research, Science and Technology. This project aims to strengthen the relevance of tribal marae and regional Maori language among Maori youth, which are identified as important to Māori cultural identity.
Inter-generational transfer of tribal marae knowledge and language is becoming more compromised. Many cultural values are defined on marae. Tribal leaders have long been concerned about disconnections between Māori youth and tribal marae, poor knowledge of regional dialect and the potential negative consequences for full participation in society. .It appears that Māori youth are disconnected from regional language dialects and marae knowledge now more than ever. Reconnecting Māori youth with these two sources of tribal identity is the key to the purpose of this project.

year: 2010