title: Education's 'inconvenient truth': persistent middle class advantage.

authors: Thrupp, Martin

subjects: education

abstract: This Inaugural Professorial Address explores how schooling is geared to the concerns and interests of the middle classes. It begins by discussing the likely advantages provided by predominantly middle class school settings and examines how the middle classes target such schools for their children. It goes on to consider how those who work in the education sector help to perpetuate middle class advantage in education: how teachers and principals collude with the middle classes as they seek out advantaged settings for their children; how policymakers and politicians fail to challenge the middle class for electoral reason, and how some academics provide support for these inequitable stances. The article concludes with suggestions for reducing middle class advantage in education including the need for more public debate about the costs and ethics of a highly segregated schooling system.

text: Education's 'inconvenient truth': persistent middle class advantage. This Inaugural Professorial Address explores how schooling is geared to the concerns and interests of the middle classes. It begins by discussing the likely advantages provided by predominantly middle class school settings and examines how the middle classes target such schools for their children. It goes on to consider how those who work in the education sector help to perpetuate middle class advantage in education: how teachers and principals collude with the middle classes as they seek out advantaged settings for their children; how policymakers and politicians fail to challenge the middle class for electoral reason, and how some academics provide support for these inequitable stances. The article concludes with suggestions for reducing middle class advantage in education including the need for more public debate about the costs and ethics of a highly segregated schooling system.

year: 2007

title: Cross-Needle analog meter to monitor charge time for Lithium-Ion single cell

authors: Mohri, Hiroshi

subjects: Cross-Needle Meter

abstract: The Cross-Needle panel meter is an analog Standing wave ratio meter with a modified panel. It consists of two meters which are mirrored horizontally and 38mm apart. One needle indicates the forward travelling wave on a trans-mission line, while the other needle indicates reverse travelling wave. A third scale, occupying the area swept by both needles, shows Standing Wave Ratio (SWR), essentially reflection coefficient, typically of an antenna connected to a radio transmitter. This thesis reports on an adaption of this idea. The first needle shows current into a battery, the second needle indicates the voltage of the battery. There is also a third scale using contour lines which show the amount of time left until the battery is fully charged.
The contour lines are calculated and drawn using analytic geometry by predetermining the rotation of the two needles. Hence the amount of time left for the battery to fully charge can be read by simply looking at where the the two needles cross and estimating from the closest contour line that displays charge time. The input current scale is expanded logarithmically with a wide range from 1mA to 10A. This scale also evenly spreads the contour lines from 10 minutes to 1 week as opposed to a linear current scale, which causes the contour lines beyond 6 hours to cluster making it difficult to observe the charge time at low charge current inputs. The battery voltage scale is offset to suit the battery voltage range.
The meter has been implemented using an embedded microprocessor on a PCB that mounts at the rear of the meter housing. The prototype has been calibrated for a single 18650 Lithium-Ion battery which is a popular scenario for portable equipment. This project provides a manufacturing solution for a low cost, low power, portable Lithium-ion battery monitor which can be easily replicated.

text: Cross-Needle analog meter to monitor charge time for Lithium-Ion single cell The Cross-Needle panel meter is an analog Standing wave ratio meter with a modified panel. It consists of two meters which are mirrored horizontally and 38mm apart. One needle indicates the forward travelling wave on a trans-mission line, while the other needle indicates reverse travelling wave. A third scale, occupying the area swept by both needles, shows Standing Wave Ratio (SWR), essentially reflection coefficient, typically of an antenna connected to a radio transmitter. This thesis reports on an adaption of this idea. The first needle shows current into a battery, the second needle indicates the voltage of the battery. There is also a third scale using contour lines which show the amount of time left until the battery is fully charged.
The contour lines are calculated and drawn using analytic geometry by predetermining the rotation of the two needles. Hence the amount of time left for the battery to fully charge can be read by simply looking at where the the two needles cross and estimating from the closest contour line that displays charge time. The input current scale is expanded logarithmically with a wide range from 1mA to 10A. This scale also evenly spreads the contour lines from 10 minutes to 1 week as opposed to a linear current scale, which causes the contour lines beyond 6 hours to cluster making it difficult to observe the charge time at low charge current inputs. The battery voltage scale is offset to suit the battery voltage range.
The meter has been implemented using an embedded microprocessor on a PCB that mounts at the rear of the meter housing. The prototype has been calibrated for a single 18650 Lithium-Ion battery which is a popular scenario for portable equipment. This project provides a manufacturing solution for a low cost, low power, portable Lithium-ion battery monitor which can be easily replicated.

year: 2018

title: The Application of the "Best Interests" Principle to Maori Children's Collective Cultural Rights: A Conceptual Shift for the New Zealand Family Court?

authors: Macbeth, Steven Alexander

subjects: "collective cultural rights"

abstract: Indigenous Peoples assert their collective rights in a world where Western liberal theory and individual rights dominate. International human rights law, however, increasingly recognises Indigenous Peoples collective rights in addition to their members’ individual rights. In 2007 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which represents the most comprehensive acknowledgement of Indigenous Peoples collective rights within international law. In 2009 the Committee on the Rights of the Child issued under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child General Comment No. 11 “Indigenous children and their rights under the Convention”. The Comment references the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as providing important guidance on the rights of indigenous children. The Comment provides authoritative guidance to State Parties that the application of the “best interests” principle to indigenous children under the Convention requires the assessment of indigenous children’s collective cultural rights and their need to exercise such rights collectively with members of their group, in addition to the indigenous children’s individual rights. Only then can the best interests of indigenous children be determined. 
As a State Party, New Zealand is obliged to implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child through legislation, judicial determinations and administrative processes. The best interests principle is already the paramount consideration and touchstone for judicial decision-making under the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989 and Care of Children Act 2004. The Family Court of New Zealand (while making some inroads in the 1980s and 90s) has yet, however, to develop a coherent and robust approach to the assessment of Maori children’s collective cultural rights when applying the best interests principle as it is obliged to do. General Comment No. 11 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples assist by providing authoritative guidance. They augment New Zealand’s family legislation, common law and social policy, which already acknowledge cultural rights and the collective nature of Maori familial relationships.
This paper looks beyond children’s individual rights and the universal application of such rights. It considers the assessment of Maori children’s collective cultural rights in addition to their individual rights under the best interests principle. Further, it analyses the relevant international and domestic authority the Family Court of New Zealand must consider when applying the best interests principle to Maori children, and the practical realities the recognition of Maori children’s collective cultural rights present. A conceptual shift by the Family Court and counsel is required. This paper urges the Family Court to develop the application of the best interests principle under the Care of Children Act 2004 and the Children Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 to include the assessment of Maori children’s collective cultural rights in addition to their individual rights. In so doing the common law will reflect New Zealand’s unique history and circumstances, and comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. If it fails to do so, the Family Court risks being the subject of criticism for breaching the Convention, being out of sync with international human rights law, domestic legislation and social policy, and increasingly losing relevancy.

text: The Application of the "Best Interests" Principle to Maori Children's Collective Cultural Rights: A Conceptual Shift for the New Zealand Family Court? Indigenous Peoples assert their collective rights in a world where Western liberal theory and individual rights dominate. International human rights law, however, increasingly recognises Indigenous Peoples collective rights in addition to their members’ individual rights. In 2007 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which represents the most comprehensive acknowledgement of Indigenous Peoples collective rights within international law. In 2009 the Committee on the Rights of the Child issued under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child General Comment No. 11 “Indigenous children and their rights under the Convention”. The Comment references the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as providing important guidance on the rights of indigenous children. The Comment provides authoritative guidance to State Parties that the application of the “best interests” principle to indigenous children under the Convention requires the assessment of indigenous children’s collective cultural rights and their need to exercise such rights collectively with members of their group, in addition to the indigenous children’s individual rights. Only then can the best interests of indigenous children be determined. 
As a State Party, New Zealand is obliged to implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child through legislation, judicial determinations and administrative processes. The best interests principle is already the paramount consideration and touchstone for judicial decision-making under the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989 and Care of Children Act 2004. The Family Court of New Zealand (while making some inroads in the 1980s and 90s) has yet, however, to develop a coherent and robust approach to the assessment of Maori children’s collective cultural rights when applying the best interests principle as it is obliged to do. General Comment No. 11 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples assist by providing authoritative guidance. They augment New Zealand’s family legislation, common law and social policy, which already acknowledge cultural rights and the collective nature of Maori familial relationships.
This paper looks beyond children’s individual rights and the universal application of such rights. It considers the assessment of Maori children’s collective cultural rights in addition to their individual rights under the best interests principle. Further, it analyses the relevant international and domestic authority the Family Court of New Zealand must consider when applying the best interests principle to Maori children, and the practical realities the recognition of Maori children’s collective cultural rights present. A conceptual shift by the Family Court and counsel is required. This paper urges the Family Court to develop the application of the best interests principle under the Care of Children Act 2004 and the Children Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 to include the assessment of Maori children’s collective cultural rights in addition to their individual rights. In so doing the common law will reflect New Zealand’s unique history and circumstances, and comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. If it fails to do so, the Family Court risks being the subject of criticism for breaching the Convention, being out of sync with international human rights law, domestic legislation and social policy, and increasingly losing relevancy.

year: 2015