title: “Landlords wouldn’t give my application a second look.” Discrimination exacerbates inequalities in access to private rental housing

authors: Terruhn, Jessica

abstract: This report and the key insights are based on findings from a housing survey that was conducted with 800 residents in neighbourhoods in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch. 
• Perceptions of unfairness in Aotearoa’s housing sector are widespread. Renters, Māori, younger people and low-income groups as well as residents in neighbourhoods with high levels of housing deprivation are most likely to think that people are treated unfairly when trying to rent or buy a home in Aotearoa. 
• Nearly one in three respondents reported having experienced discrimination when trying to rent or buy a home in Aotearoa. Renters, Māori, younger people and low-income groups as well as residents in neighbourhoods with high levels of housing deprivation are most likely to report experiences of discrimination. 
• Advantage and disadvantage in securing a home are determined by a combination of interlocking factors, including income and employment status, age, family status, and race/ethnicity or skin colour. These patterns suggest widespread experiences of potentially unlawful housing discrimination. 
• People strategically try to avoid and mitigate discrimination. Expectations of being discriminated against and of being advantaged influence where and how home seekers search for housing. This finding signals that experiences of rejection play a role in constraining people’s housing choices. 
• The survey findings suggest that discrimination, as part of tenant selection, contributes to housing precarity and inequalities in access to rental housing. Therefore, this research points to an urgent need to address housing discrimination, especially in the context of high levels of residential mobility among renters and intense competition for rental properties.

text: “Landlords wouldn’t give my application a second look.” Discrimination exacerbates inequalities in access to private rental housing This report and the key insights are based on findings from a housing survey that was conducted with 800 residents in neighbourhoods in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch. 
• Perceptions of unfairness in Aotearoa’s housing sector are widespread. Renters, Māori, younger people and low-income groups as well as residents in neighbourhoods with high levels of housing deprivation are most likely to think that people are treated unfairly when trying to rent or buy a home in Aotearoa. 
• Nearly one in three respondents reported having experienced discrimination when trying to rent or buy a home in Aotearoa. Renters, Māori, younger people and low-income groups as well as residents in neighbourhoods with high levels of housing deprivation are most likely to report experiences of discrimination. 
• Advantage and disadvantage in securing a home are determined by a combination of interlocking factors, including income and employment status, age, family status, and race/ethnicity or skin colour. These patterns suggest widespread experiences of potentially unlawful housing discrimination. 
• People strategically try to avoid and mitigate discrimination. Expectations of being discriminated against and of being advantaged influence where and how home seekers search for housing. This finding signals that experiences of rejection play a role in constraining people’s housing choices. 
• The survey findings suggest that discrimination, as part of tenant selection, contributes to housing precarity and inequalities in access to rental housing. Therefore, this research points to an urgent need to address housing discrimination, especially in the context of high levels of residential mobility among renters and intense competition for rental properties.

year: 2024-08

title: Low copper levels measured in the aortic wall of New Zealand patients with non-syndromic ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm

authors: El-Gamel, Adam

subjects: Ascending aortic aneurysm

abstract: OBJECTIVES: Studies in animals have shown causal relationships between copper (Cu) deficiency and the development of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) [1, 2]. Cu deficiency is widespread in New Zealand (NZ) soils; the high soil pH from the use of lime fertilizers reduces the bioavailability of Cu for grazing animals and growing plants; this, in turn, reduces Cu availability in the NZ human food chain. Our study is a pilot study to explore associations between Cu and TAA. We measured Cu levels in aneurysmal aortic tissues in patients undergoing Bentall procedures and non-aneurysmal aortic tissue from coronary artery bypass graft patients. METHODS: Aortic samples were collected from 2 groups of patients during elective open-heart surgery over 4 months between November 2017 and February 2018. The groups were a TAA group, patients with non-syndromic aortic aneurysm and without the bicuspid aortic valve or known infectious or inflammatory condition (ANEURYSM; n = 13), and a control coronary artery bypass graft group (CONTROL; n = 44). Standardized digested dry tissue weighed samples were analysed from both groups. Tissue extraction of trace elements was carried out using HCl-H2O2 digestion and a highly sensitive analytical technique, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry-used to measure elemental concentrations. RESULTS: Cu concentration (mean ± SD) was significantly lower in ANEURYSM (3.34 ± 0.16 µg/g) when compared to the CONTROL group tissues (4.33 ± 0.20 µg/g) (dry weight; mean ± SD; Student's t-test, P < 0.05). Over 46% of the Aneurysm patients were Maori and live in a geographically Cu-deficient NZ territory. CONCLUSIONS: Cu deficiency may play a role in the development or progression of non-syndromic ascending aortic aneurysms in NZ. Maori patients are more at risk as they commonly live in rural NZ, dependent on locally grown nutritional sources. Further studies are required to confirm this exciting finding and to establish cause and effect relationship.

text: Low copper levels measured in the aortic wall of New Zealand patients with non-syndromic ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm OBJECTIVES: Studies in animals have shown causal relationships between copper (Cu) deficiency and the development of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) [1, 2]. Cu deficiency is widespread in New Zealand (NZ) soils; the high soil pH from the use of lime fertilizers reduces the bioavailability of Cu for grazing animals and growing plants; this, in turn, reduces Cu availability in the NZ human food chain. Our study is a pilot study to explore associations between Cu and TAA. We measured Cu levels in aneurysmal aortic tissues in patients undergoing Bentall procedures and non-aneurysmal aortic tissue from coronary artery bypass graft patients. METHODS: Aortic samples were collected from 2 groups of patients during elective open-heart surgery over 4 months between November 2017 and February 2018. The groups were a TAA group, patients with non-syndromic aortic aneurysm and without the bicuspid aortic valve or known infectious or inflammatory condition (ANEURYSM; n = 13), and a control coronary artery bypass graft group (CONTROL; n = 44). Standardized digested dry tissue weighed samples were analysed from both groups. Tissue extraction of trace elements was carried out using HCl-H2O2 digestion and a highly sensitive analytical technique, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry-used to measure elemental concentrations. RESULTS: Cu concentration (mean ± SD) was significantly lower in ANEURYSM (3.34 ± 0.16 µg/g) when compared to the CONTROL group tissues (4.33 ± 0.20 µg/g) (dry weight; mean ± SD; Student's t-test, P < 0.05). Over 46% of the Aneurysm patients were Maori and live in a geographically Cu-deficient NZ territory. CONCLUSIONS: Cu deficiency may play a role in the development or progression of non-syndromic ascending aortic aneurysms in NZ. Maori patients are more at risk as they commonly live in rural NZ, dependent on locally grown nutritional sources. Further studies are required to confirm this exciting finding and to establish cause and effect relationship.

year: 2022-09-09

title: Talking the talk: New Zealanders remember the Vietnam War

authors: Challinor, Deborah A.

abstract: From 1964 to 1972, almost 4,000 New Zealand military personnel served in Vietnam, most in an active combat role. The war was a politically and socially divisive issue for New Zealanders in general, but it can be argued that its greatest impact has been on the veterans themselves. This thesis will establish, analyse and explain what some of these New Zealander remember about the Vietnam War, why they remember it this way, and what the factors are which may have influenced this. Oral testimony has been chosen as the main form of evidence.

The thesis is divided into a detailed discussion of the methodology used in relation to the collection and analysis of the oral testimonies, a short introduction to some of the New Zealand Vietnam veterans interviewed, ten chapters which present the evidence, and a final section which analyses the evidence and suggests conclusions. References to the Australian and American experiences during and after Vietnam are made where relevant to provide a comparative element and to establish context.

Chapter One is an introduction to the origins, components and commemoration of New Zealand’s military traditions from the Boer War to the conflicts in Malaya and Borneo during the 1950s and 1960s. Chapter Two summarises the political and diplomatic rationale for New Zealand’s involvement in Vietnam and the military contribution that New Zealand made. Chapters Three to Eight recount why New Zealanders went to Vietnam and what they found there, allied relationships, the culture of the New Zealand soldier in Vietnam, the experience of combat and associated psychological and behavioural responses, and coping and stress release mechanisms including the use of alcohol, sex and aggression. Chapter Nine relates the experiences of veterans when they returned home, and Chapter Ten is a discussion of how the Vietnam War is remembered in New Zealand today. Much of the analysis of the evidence is presented in the final section, as are some conclusions.

Although only a small percentage of the New Zealanders who served in Vietnam are represented here, some patterns relating to how and why they remember Vietnam can be established. It is suggested that several versions of New Zealand’s traditional military mythology have had a significant impact in relation to some veterans’ motivations for going to war, what they experienced during their service and, in particular, the experience of coming home. The mythologies of the American and Australian experiences of Vietnam may also be an influencing factor. This thesis is intended to offer a brief glimpse of the dynamic relationship between the above factors and the process and construction of memory.

text: Talking the talk: New Zealanders remember the Vietnam War From 1964 to 1972, almost 4,000 New Zealand military personnel served in Vietnam, most in an active combat role. The war was a politically and socially divisive issue for New Zealanders in general, but it can be argued that its greatest impact has been on the veterans themselves. This thesis will establish, analyse and explain what some of these New Zealander remember about the Vietnam War, why they remember it this way, and what the factors are which may have influenced this. Oral testimony has been chosen as the main form of evidence.

The thesis is divided into a detailed discussion of the methodology used in relation to the collection and analysis of the oral testimonies, a short introduction to some of the New Zealand Vietnam veterans interviewed, ten chapters which present the evidence, and a final section which analyses the evidence and suggests conclusions. References to the Australian and American experiences during and after Vietnam are made where relevant to provide a comparative element and to establish context.

Chapter One is an introduction to the origins, components and commemoration of New Zealand’s military traditions from the Boer War to the conflicts in Malaya and Borneo during the 1950s and 1960s. Chapter Two summarises the political and diplomatic rationale for New Zealand’s involvement in Vietnam and the military contribution that New Zealand made. Chapters Three to Eight recount why New Zealanders went to Vietnam and what they found there, allied relationships, the culture of the New Zealand soldier in Vietnam, the experience of combat and associated psychological and behavioural responses, and coping and stress release mechanisms including the use of alcohol, sex and aggression. Chapter Nine relates the experiences of veterans when they returned home, and Chapter Ten is a discussion of how the Vietnam War is remembered in New Zealand today. Much of the analysis of the evidence is presented in the final section, as are some conclusions.

Although only a small percentage of the New Zealanders who served in Vietnam are represented here, some patterns relating to how and why they remember Vietnam can be established. It is suggested that several versions of New Zealand’s traditional military mythology have had a significant impact in relation to some veterans’ motivations for going to war, what they experienced during their service and, in particular, the experience of coming home. The mythologies of the American and Australian experiences of Vietnam may also be an influencing factor. This thesis is intended to offer a brief glimpse of the dynamic relationship between the above factors and the process and construction of memory.

year: 1998