title: Exogenous events, economic stimulus and its future trajectory

authors: Merrill, Natalie

abstract: The present worldwide COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that our society is continuously faced with exogenous events. Looking at the past shows policy makers use monetary and fiscal policy to respond to these events; however, the jury is not out for the superior policy or combination of policies to react to exogenous events. The primary research question within this thesis is to determine the most effective and successful economic policy response to exogenous events by using insight from historical natural disasters, terrorist attacks and pandemics. The methodological approach taken within this thesis is a deductivism approach. Specifically, the analysis uses a methodological approach similar to that of an event study methodology. To analyse key macroeconomic variables within a two-year period post the exogenous event studied to analyse how macroeconomic variables responded to the economic response introduced as a result of the exogenous event or lack of, to determine any significant abnormal results. Furthermore, synthetic controls are used to study precautionary savings levels post the exogenous events. Overall, the primary conclusion of this thesis asserted that due to the indirect nature of monetary policy and its diminishing benefits it shall be treated as a defibrillator and not the rehab. Whereas fiscal policy should be the predominant tool used to recover from long-term exogenous shocks, with the key caveat being stimulus is targeted and governments are responsible for taking on debt when the economic benefits stack up.

text: Exogenous events, economic stimulus and its future trajectory The present worldwide COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that our society is continuously faced with exogenous events. Looking at the past shows policy makers use monetary and fiscal policy to respond to these events; however, the jury is not out for the superior policy or combination of policies to react to exogenous events. The primary research question within this thesis is to determine the most effective and successful economic policy response to exogenous events by using insight from historical natural disasters, terrorist attacks and pandemics. The methodological approach taken within this thesis is a deductivism approach. Specifically, the analysis uses a methodological approach similar to that of an event study methodology. To analyse key macroeconomic variables within a two-year period post the exogenous event studied to analyse how macroeconomic variables responded to the economic response introduced as a result of the exogenous event or lack of, to determine any significant abnormal results. Furthermore, synthetic controls are used to study precautionary savings levels post the exogenous events. Overall, the primary conclusion of this thesis asserted that due to the indirect nature of monetary policy and its diminishing benefits it shall be treated as a defibrillator and not the rehab. Whereas fiscal policy should be the predominant tool used to recover from long-term exogenous shocks, with the key caveat being stimulus is targeted and governments are responsible for taking on debt when the economic benefits stack up.

year: 2021

title: What are the views and experiences of daily life for women living with visible, physical disabilities in Papua New Guinea?

authors: Yenas, Alice Mona

subjects: views and experiences

abstract: Papua New Guinea (PNG) developed its National Policy for Disability (NPD) in 2005. The NPD aims to remove barriers that hinder the right of people with disabilities to live a life that is no different to able bodied people in PNG. This policy also reflects PNG‘s commitment to the ratification on the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (United Nations, 2006). This study examines the views and experiences of women living with disabilities in rural PNG. This is the first time these narratives have been gathered for research purposes. This study adopts a qualitative approach and used the three theoretical underpinnings of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach─ phenomenology, hermeneutics and idiography─ to develop the research methodology and method. Semi-structured individual interviews from five women with visible, physical disabilities in rural PNG were used to gather narratives about their daily lives. The interviews were transcribed in Tok Pisin, translated to English, and five narratives were developed from the scripts, to capture the voices of the participants about their lives and concerns. Key findings from these narratives indicate that both the socio-cultural practices and the physical environment substantially influence the women‘s level of involvement in their communities. The narratives also revealed that the women‘s daily lives are strongly influenced by how non-disabled perceive disability and disabled people in PNG. These influences include negative self-perceptions, discrimination, marginalisation and being disadvantaged in their communities. It is suggested that current policies and practices that relate to women and people with disabilities should include programmes that raise awareness at the community level about inclusive practices and strengthen social participation and empowerment activities and programmes for women with disabilities at community levels.

text: What are the views and experiences of daily life for women living with visible, physical disabilities in Papua New Guinea? Papua New Guinea (PNG) developed its National Policy for Disability (NPD) in 2005. The NPD aims to remove barriers that hinder the right of people with disabilities to live a life that is no different to able bodied people in PNG. This policy also reflects PNG‘s commitment to the ratification on the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (United Nations, 2006). This study examines the views and experiences of women living with disabilities in rural PNG. This is the first time these narratives have been gathered for research purposes. This study adopts a qualitative approach and used the three theoretical underpinnings of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach─ phenomenology, hermeneutics and idiography─ to develop the research methodology and method. Semi-structured individual interviews from five women with visible, physical disabilities in rural PNG were used to gather narratives about their daily lives. The interviews were transcribed in Tok Pisin, translated to English, and five narratives were developed from the scripts, to capture the voices of the participants about their lives and concerns. Key findings from these narratives indicate that both the socio-cultural practices and the physical environment substantially influence the women‘s level of involvement in their communities. The narratives also revealed that the women‘s daily lives are strongly influenced by how non-disabled perceive disability and disabled people in PNG. These influences include negative self-perceptions, discrimination, marginalisation and being disadvantaged in their communities. It is suggested that current policies and practices that relate to women and people with disabilities should include programmes that raise awareness at the community level about inclusive practices and strengthen social participation and empowerment activities and programmes for women with disabilities at community levels.

year: 2019

title: Me ko Māui: Harnessing the sun to provide better outcomes for marae and communities

authors: Greensill, Waikauri

abstract: Marae are the cultural centres of Māori communities, providing a space for important gatherings both joyful and sad. With the advent of solar energy capture technologies and rising electricity bills, many marae are becoming interested in whether a solar powered system will be beneficial for them. However, marae have unique electricity demand profiles, distinct from commonly modelled building types such as residential or commercial buildings. It is thus difficult to estimate an appropriate solar and battery system size based on annual or even monthly electricity usage data, which may be the only data readily available, requiring more in-depth analysis at a highly site-specific level to find an answer. This thesis aims to increase understanding around how solar power could benefit marae, first by investigating the characteristic electricity demand profile of marae, then by observing how proposed system configurations meet the demand. The potential community benefits arising from such a system was also investigated. Using a year’s worth of half-hourly data from three marae, five characteristic day types were found in the analysis of the demand profile, namely a “Non-Event” profile that maintained a low baseload and accounted for 70% of the days in a year, a “1-Day Event” profile that lasted only a few hours, and for events spanning multiple days a “Start”, “Middle” and “End” day profile that varied greatly in demand magnitude. The demand profiles were then used to develop an annual demand profile for an average marae that was broadly representative of a wide range of marae. Different configurations of solar and battery powered systems were then applied to the annual demand and a technoeconomic analysis performed to determine whether a specific configuration met the needs of the average marae or not, which then produced a range of acceptable system sizes based on the needs specified. Not many solar and battery configurations resulted in positive economic returns for the marae alone, but widening the scope of the analysis to the surrounding community allows other interests such as local grid resilience to be considered, some of which may justify a marae’s decision to invest in a non-economic system to gain better community benefits. While investigating the use of peer-to-peer energy trading and community energy scenarios, sharing excess energy generated by a system with the wider community was also found to improve the economic outlook of solar for marae.

text: Me ko Māui: Harnessing the sun to provide better outcomes for marae and communities Marae are the cultural centres of Māori communities, providing a space for important gatherings both joyful and sad. With the advent of solar energy capture technologies and rising electricity bills, many marae are becoming interested in whether a solar powered system will be beneficial for them. However, marae have unique electricity demand profiles, distinct from commonly modelled building types such as residential or commercial buildings. It is thus difficult to estimate an appropriate solar and battery system size based on annual or even monthly electricity usage data, which may be the only data readily available, requiring more in-depth analysis at a highly site-specific level to find an answer. This thesis aims to increase understanding around how solar power could benefit marae, first by investigating the characteristic electricity demand profile of marae, then by observing how proposed system configurations meet the demand. The potential community benefits arising from such a system was also investigated. Using a year’s worth of half-hourly data from three marae, five characteristic day types were found in the analysis of the demand profile, namely a “Non-Event” profile that maintained a low baseload and accounted for 70% of the days in a year, a “1-Day Event” profile that lasted only a few hours, and for events spanning multiple days a “Start”, “Middle” and “End” day profile that varied greatly in demand magnitude. The demand profiles were then used to develop an annual demand profile for an average marae that was broadly representative of a wide range of marae. Different configurations of solar and battery powered systems were then applied to the annual demand and a technoeconomic analysis performed to determine whether a specific configuration met the needs of the average marae or not, which then produced a range of acceptable system sizes based on the needs specified. Not many solar and battery configurations resulted in positive economic returns for the marae alone, but widening the scope of the analysis to the surrounding community allows other interests such as local grid resilience to be considered, some of which may justify a marae’s decision to invest in a non-economic system to gain better community benefits. While investigating the use of peer-to-peer energy trading and community energy scenarios, sharing excess energy generated by a system with the wider community was also found to improve the economic outlook of solar for marae.

year: 2024