title: A Sea of Voices: Deep sea mining and the Solwara 1 Project in Papua New Guinea

authors: Phillips, Hayley

subjects: Anthropology

abstract: Deep sea mining is a new and increasingly important part of the capitalist exploitation of the world’s oceans. Situated off the coast of New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea, Solwara 1 is expected to become the world’s first deep sea mining project. Developments in late 2018, however, suggest that the project might not go ahead. If Solwara 1 does proceed, it shall occur in a country with a long history of mining developments that have produced widespread social and environmental harm. The aim of this thesis is to critically analyse the discursive articulations of four key stakeholder groups: the mining company, the government, local communities and the fourth estate, the latter taken to include NGOs, the scientific community, as well as media. In order to discover how each of these groups portrays and reacts to the Solwara 1 project, this thesis will examine bureaucratic artefacts, such as reports, media releases and social media. It is evident that each party has constructed its own unique discourse regarding the project and its interrelationship with the surrounding communities and marine environment. The mining company claim that local people do not have a tangible or intangible relationship to the sea, which is also echoed by the national government, who are shareholders in Solwara 1. Local communities dispute this however, and argue they are deeply connected to the sea. The fourth estate are primarily concerned with the environmental impacts that deep sea mining may cause. Ultimately, this ‘sea of voices’ presents a situation whereby each stakeholder ultimately constructs a discourse that best serves and advances their own interests, and does so on a highly uneven playing field.

text: A Sea of Voices: Deep sea mining and the Solwara 1 Project in Papua New Guinea Deep sea mining is a new and increasingly important part of the capitalist exploitation of the world’s oceans. Situated off the coast of New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea, Solwara 1 is expected to become the world’s first deep sea mining project. Developments in late 2018, however, suggest that the project might not go ahead. If Solwara 1 does proceed, it shall occur in a country with a long history of mining developments that have produced widespread social and environmental harm. The aim of this thesis is to critically analyse the discursive articulations of four key stakeholder groups: the mining company, the government, local communities and the fourth estate, the latter taken to include NGOs, the scientific community, as well as media. In order to discover how each of these groups portrays and reacts to the Solwara 1 project, this thesis will examine bureaucratic artefacts, such as reports, media releases and social media. It is evident that each party has constructed its own unique discourse regarding the project and its interrelationship with the surrounding communities and marine environment. The mining company claim that local people do not have a tangible or intangible relationship to the sea, which is also echoed by the national government, who are shareholders in Solwara 1. Local communities dispute this however, and argue they are deeply connected to the sea. The fourth estate are primarily concerned with the environmental impacts that deep sea mining may cause. Ultimately, this ‘sea of voices’ presents a situation whereby each stakeholder ultimately constructs a discourse that best serves and advances their own interests, and does so on a highly uneven playing field.

year: 2019

title: Factors affecting employer adoption of drug testing in New Zealand

authors: Haar, Jarrod M.

subjects: employee drug testing

abstract: This paper explores employer attitudes towards drug testing in New Zealand to establish under what conditions adoption may be encouraged or discouraged. A survey of 162 New Zealand employers found that adoption rates of drug testing policies were low at 6 per cent. Exploring predictors of the likelihood of drug testing adoption in the next year found that firms that are more compliant to institutional pressures were more likely to seek adoption, as were firms that perceived positive benefits from adoption. Further, firms that perceived negative effects from drug testing, such as union pressures, were less likely to adopt drug testing in the future. Additionally, the moderating effects of organisational size was explored, and significantly affected likely adoption rates, with larger firms being more influenced by institutional pressures and positive effects. However, there was no significant moderation effect towards negative effects of drug testing, which remained strongly negative irrespective of organisational size.

text: Factors affecting employer adoption of drug testing in New Zealand This paper explores employer attitudes towards drug testing in New Zealand to establish under what conditions adoption may be encouraged or discouraged. A survey of 162 New Zealand employers found that adoption rates of drug testing policies were low at 6 per cent. Exploring predictors of the likelihood of drug testing adoption in the next year found that firms that are more compliant to institutional pressures were more likely to seek adoption, as were firms that perceived positive benefits from adoption. Further, firms that perceived negative effects from drug testing, such as union pressures, were less likely to adopt drug testing in the future. Additionally, the moderating effects of organisational size was explored, and significantly affected likely adoption rates, with larger firms being more influenced by institutional pressures and positive effects. However, there was no significant moderation effect towards negative effects of drug testing, which remained strongly negative irrespective of organisational size.

year: 2007

title: Tikanga Tainui: Tikanga whare wānanga

authors: Roa, Tom

subjects: Tikanga Māori

abstract: This paper is a preliminary report on an ongoing research project begun in 1999. The project involves consultation with Waikato-Tainui, the tāngata whenua of the Waikato region, about the construction of guidelines for University of Waikato staff (both Māori and non-Māori) who are involved in gatherings that call for adherence to Tainui protocols. Here, the emphasis is on guidelines for the conduct of pōwhiri (formal welcomes) on the University Marae.

text: Tikanga Tainui: Tikanga whare wānanga This paper is a preliminary report on an ongoing research project begun in 1999. The project involves consultation with Waikato-Tainui, the tāngata whenua of the Waikato region, about the construction of guidelines for University of Waikato staff (both Māori and non-Māori) who are involved in gatherings that call for adherence to Tainui protocols. Here, the emphasis is on guidelines for the conduct of pōwhiri (formal welcomes) on the University Marae.

year: 2005-09