title: The race to bridge the gap: An analysis of women's policy within the spectrum of New Zealand politics in the lead up to the 2014 general election

authors: Holdsworth, Roxanna Elizabeth

subjects: Gender

abstract: Women in Aotearoa New Zealand were the first in the developed world to receive the right to vote in parliamentary elections. However, despite this early promise of gender equality, the introduction of a variety of initiatives aimed to foster equality has had limited success, and such equality remains a contentious issue. This paper focuses on political communication surrounding women’s affairs in the most recent general election in Aotearoa New Zealand. I examine the media campaigns and policy statements from seven political parties to determine how each party represents the gender divide and seeks to address women’s issues. My analysis is based on interviews with party spokespersons for women’s affairs and documented party policy sourced from both websites and party representatives. I draw on thematic and critical discourse analysis to determine how messages about women’s affairs are constructed and positioned in relation to current socio-political issues. Through the implementation of gendered communication theory, which acknowledges that men and women observe and practice different communication tools and styles, and social construction feminism—the exercise of gendering as a consistent aspect of who we are, how we view others, as well as our societal standing—my analysis of the findings identifies the dominant discourses within the political spectrum in New Zealand. I discuss the implications of the various party policies in relation, for example, to parental leave and domestic violence and whether the enactment of these policies is likely to prove beneficial to New Zealand women. My analysis of the findings highlights the strategic direction of current policy aimed at closing the gender gap and addressing women’s issues in Aotearoa New Zealand, represented through themes. The discussion demonstrates that differing perspectives of equality as opposed to equity require further consideration before significant progress can be made towards developing cohesive, culturally relevant practices, as opposed to the temporary measures often instigated by ideology to support a political campaign.

text: The race to bridge the gap: An analysis of women's policy within the spectrum of New Zealand politics in the lead up to the 2014 general election Women in Aotearoa New Zealand were the first in the developed world to receive the right to vote in parliamentary elections. However, despite this early promise of gender equality, the introduction of a variety of initiatives aimed to foster equality has had limited success, and such equality remains a contentious issue. This paper focuses on political communication surrounding women’s affairs in the most recent general election in Aotearoa New Zealand. I examine the media campaigns and policy statements from seven political parties to determine how each party represents the gender divide and seeks to address women’s issues. My analysis is based on interviews with party spokespersons for women’s affairs and documented party policy sourced from both websites and party representatives. I draw on thematic and critical discourse analysis to determine how messages about women’s affairs are constructed and positioned in relation to current socio-political issues. Through the implementation of gendered communication theory, which acknowledges that men and women observe and practice different communication tools and styles, and social construction feminism—the exercise of gendering as a consistent aspect of who we are, how we view others, as well as our societal standing—my analysis of the findings identifies the dominant discourses within the political spectrum in New Zealand. I discuss the implications of the various party policies in relation, for example, to parental leave and domestic violence and whether the enactment of these policies is likely to prove beneficial to New Zealand women. My analysis of the findings highlights the strategic direction of current policy aimed at closing the gender gap and addressing women’s issues in Aotearoa New Zealand, represented through themes. The discussion demonstrates that differing perspectives of equality as opposed to equity require further consideration before significant progress can be made towards developing cohesive, culturally relevant practices, as opposed to the temporary measures often instigated by ideology to support a political campaign.

year: 2015

title: Machine learning techniques for accurate prediction and improved matching of renewable energy production, storage, and consumption

authors: Pasandideh, Seyedmostafa

abstract: In recent decades, the electricity industry has undergone considerable transformation, characterized by the expansion of competitive electricity markets, integration of renewable energy sources, and the deployment of digital systems. These developments have contributed to increased complexity and variability within power systems, highlighting the need for more accurate, adaptive, and intelligent methods for managing electricity generation, storage, and consumption. This thesis focuses on addressing these challenges, with a particular emphasis on advancing New Zealand’s renewable energy ambitions through the application of machine learning (ML) and digital twin technologies for optimizing renewable energy forecasting and management in both industrial and residential contexts.
In the industrial domain, the research develops real-time solar power monitoring systems and predictive models employing convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and long short-term memory (LSTM) networks. These models are designed to enhance forecasting precision and system efficiency by accounting for the inherent variability in renewable energy generation. Complementing this, fuzzy logic-based control strategies are implemented to manage electricity consumption adaptively in industrial processes, including applications within the meat processing industry. The incorporation of digital twin technologies further facilitates real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and agile response to evolving operational conditions, thereby supporting system resilience and efficiency.
In residential and community energy systems, the thesis introduces an innovative adaptive energy management framework combining streaming machine learning (SML) with a fractal-structured microgrid architecture. This framework utilizes incremental learning algorithms and digital twin principles to enable real-time adaptive control of energy flows, local trading of electricity, and dynamic adjustments in response to fluctuating supply and demand. The approach aims to enhance battery management, support local energy autonomy, and potentially reduce dependency on centralized grids. Comparative evaluations of centralized, distributed, and hybrid battery storage configurations provide insights into the trade-offs between grid interaction, storage longevity, and operational flexibility, offering practical solutions for optimizing residential microgrids.
In conclusion, this thesis explores a combined, case-study based approach to enhancing renewable energy utilization through the combined application of advanced machine learning and digital twin technologies. By addressing both industrial and residential energy systems, the research contributes to the broader vision of developing reliable, efficient, and sustainable power infrastructures. The findings align with New Zealand’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and advancing renewable energy technologies, offering case-study evidence and potential approaches to support the transition toward a low-carbon energy future.

text: Machine learning techniques for accurate prediction and improved matching of renewable energy production, storage, and consumption In recent decades, the electricity industry has undergone considerable transformation, characterized by the expansion of competitive electricity markets, integration of renewable energy sources, and the deployment of digital systems. These developments have contributed to increased complexity and variability within power systems, highlighting the need for more accurate, adaptive, and intelligent methods for managing electricity generation, storage, and consumption. This thesis focuses on addressing these challenges, with a particular emphasis on advancing New Zealand’s renewable energy ambitions through the application of machine learning (ML) and digital twin technologies for optimizing renewable energy forecasting and management in both industrial and residential contexts.
In the industrial domain, the research develops real-time solar power monitoring systems and predictive models employing convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and long short-term memory (LSTM) networks. These models are designed to enhance forecasting precision and system efficiency by accounting for the inherent variability in renewable energy generation. Complementing this, fuzzy logic-based control strategies are implemented to manage electricity consumption adaptively in industrial processes, including applications within the meat processing industry. The incorporation of digital twin technologies further facilitates real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and agile response to evolving operational conditions, thereby supporting system resilience and efficiency.
In residential and community energy systems, the thesis introduces an innovative adaptive energy management framework combining streaming machine learning (SML) with a fractal-structured microgrid architecture. This framework utilizes incremental learning algorithms and digital twin principles to enable real-time adaptive control of energy flows, local trading of electricity, and dynamic adjustments in response to fluctuating supply and demand. The approach aims to enhance battery management, support local energy autonomy, and potentially reduce dependency on centralized grids. Comparative evaluations of centralized, distributed, and hybrid battery storage configurations provide insights into the trade-offs between grid interaction, storage longevity, and operational flexibility, offering practical solutions for optimizing residential microgrids.
In conclusion, this thesis explores a combined, case-study based approach to enhancing renewable energy utilization through the combined application of advanced machine learning and digital twin technologies. By addressing both industrial and residential energy systems, the research contributes to the broader vision of developing reliable, efficient, and sustainable power infrastructures. The findings align with New Zealand’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and advancing renewable energy technologies, offering case-study evidence and potential approaches to support the transition toward a low-carbon energy future.

year: 2025

title: Research note: Empirical analysis of ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand

authors: Cochrane, William

abstract: This research note explores the factors contributing to ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand. The emphasis here is on description, as a causal analysis is beyond the capability of the methods used. The gaps between the average (as well as median) hourly wages for the European workforce relative to Māori and Pacific workers are substantial. A statistical analysis by Treasury in 2018 also showed that the ratio in average hourly wages (based on published survey estimates by Stats NZ) for both ethnic groups relative to European had stayed at a similar level for the last decade; as they state “there has been movement from year to year but no consistent upward or downward trend” (Treasury, 2018, p.1).

text: Research note: Empirical analysis of ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand This research note explores the factors contributing to ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand. The emphasis here is on description, as a causal analysis is beyond the capability of the methods used. The gaps between the average (as well as median) hourly wages for the European workforce relative to Māori and Pacific workers are substantial. A statistical analysis by Treasury in 2018 also showed that the ratio in average hourly wages (based on published survey estimates by Stats NZ) for both ethnic groups relative to European had stayed at a similar level for the last decade; as they state “there has been movement from year to year but no consistent upward or downward trend” (Treasury, 2018, p.1).

year: 2023-10-19