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The article offers the author's insights on the search of New Zealand for a comfortable relationship with the U.S. under the collective security agreement Australian, New Zealand, and U.S. (ANZUS) treaty. Topics discussed include the prohibition of nuclear-armed vessels by former New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange, the vision of diplomat Alan Watt, and the global diplomacy with Washington, District of Columbia.

Background: Palliative care is insufficiently integrated in the continuum of care for older people. It is unclear to what extent healthcare policy for older people includes elements of palliative care and thus supports its integration. Aim: (1) To develop a reference framework for identifying palliative care contents in policy documents; (2) to determine inclusion of palliative care in public policy documents on healthcare for older people in 13 rapidly ageing countries. Design: Directed documentary analysis of public policy documents (legislation, policies/strategies, guidelines, white papers) on healthcare for older people. Using existing literature, we developed a reference framework and data extraction form assessing 10 criteria of palliative care inclusion. Country experts identified documents and extracted data. Setting: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain. Results: Of 139 identified documents, 50 met inclusion criteria. The most frequently addressed palliative care elements were coordination and continuity of care (12 countries), communication and care planning, care for family, and ethical and legal aspects (11 countries). Documents in 10 countries explicitly mentioned palliative care, nine addressed symptom management, eight mentioned end-of-life care, and five referred to existing palliative care strategies (out of nine that had them). Conclusions: Health care policies for older people need revising to include reference to end-of-life care and dying and ensure linkage to existing national or regional palliative care strategies. The strong policy focus on care coordination and continuity in policies for older people is an opportunity window for palliative care advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand confirmed a new government on 24th November, 2023, marking a shift to the right in terms of the political principles which underpin the nation's governance. The new government is the country's first three-party coalition since it switched to a mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) system in 1996, following a referendum in 1993.1 It comprises a union between the centre-right National Party, which secured 38 per cent of the votes, alongside the libertarian ACT and populist NZ First parties, which secured 8 per cent and 6 per cent respectively.2 Coalition agreements have been signed but contain little specific detail on housing policy and the new government's position remains to be clarified. Each constituent party went into the election claiming that more needed to be done, and the National Party, which secured pole position, campaigned on the basis that '[e]nding New Zealand's housing shortage is critical for New Zealand's future'.3 This paper sets out the circumstances which have contributed to the country's housing affordability challenges and some of their wider impacts, alongside context on the coalition partners' statements to date and a series of propositions that might help to address the shortfall in provision – being that the country must focus on how to densify its cities and diversify its housing stock as well as deliver new homes, with three suggested policy areas that may align with the thinking of the new government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through an examination of New Zealand legislation governing lunacy and the files from the Seacliff Asylum, this article argues how paperwork served to uphold an elusive ideal of a compassionate society. Paper, in the form of letters, reports and forms, was sent up and down the country in order to prevent wrongful confinement and to monitor costs and cure rates. Paper provided for patients allowed them to challenge their incarceration, sometimes successfully. That maze of paperwork, generated for both statutory and institutional administrative ends, mirrored the disorder of those confined within the institution. The curating of digital exhibitions of such materials flattens out their complexity and smooths over what were often disjointed narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic environmental change is accelerating with significant regional and global consequences making it critically important for Antarctic research knowledge to inform relevant policymaking forums. A key challenge is maximising the utility of evidence in decision-making, to which scholars have responded by shifting away from linear science-policy arrangements towards co-production alternatives. As an Antarctic Treaty Consultative Party (ATCP), New Zealand (NZ) is responsible for facilitating knowledge exchange (KE) among Antarctic science and policy actors at national and international levels. However, at present, we have few metrics for assessing the success of science-policy dialogues. Furthermore, studies on the Antarctic science-policy interface have so far primarily focused on the international perspective. This paper is the first to examine domestic stakeholder perspectives regarding Antarctic KE using NZ as a case study. We report on the findings of two workshops involving over 60 NZ Antarctic stakeholders in 2021 that aimed to explore the various elements of NZ's Antarctic science-policy interface and identify barriers or drivers for success, including future opportunities. Our results indicate that there is a desire to shift away from the current linear approach towards a more collaborative model. To achieve this, stakeholders share an understanding that KE practices need to become more equitable, inclusive and diverse, and that the policy community needs to play a more proactive and leading role. Described as a 'fuzzy beast', the NZ Antarctic science-policy interface is complex. This study contributes to our understanding of Antarctic KE practices by offering new guidance on several key elements that should be considered in any attempts to understand or improve future KE practices in NZ or within the domestic settings of other ATCPs interested in fostering science-policy success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater policy is driven by interrelated challenges such as declining water quality, urban expansion, and agricultural intensification. But recent research indicates that implementation of policy is less successful than its development. Given recent innovations in New Zealand's freshwater management and policy, this paper asks, What are the barriers to freshwater policy implementation in New Zealand? Data for this research were gathered through semi-structured interviews with key regional council and unitary authority employees. The research discovered several implementation barriers, such as low government and community capacity and difficulty aligning local policy with national policy. The paper argues that a closed loop between problem identification and responding to problems through planning slows the implementation of freshwater policy. In response, the paper offers a set of recommendations, designed for the New Zealand context, to enable more effective implementation of freshwater policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on the influences and outcomes of He Kāinga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme over 25 years, and their impact on housing and health policy in Aotearoa and internationally. Working in partnership particularly with Māori and Pasifika communities, we have conducted randomised control trials which have shown the health and broad co-benefits of retrofitted insulation, heating and remediation of home hazards, which have underpinned government policy in the Warm Up NZ-Heat Smart programme and the Healthy Homes Standards for rental housing. These trials have been included as evidence in the WHO Housing and Health Guidelines and led to our designation as a WHO Collaborating Centre on Housing and Wellbeing. We are increasingly explicitly weaving Māori frameworks, values and processes with traditional Western science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Services offering on-demand delivery of unhealthy commodities, such as fast food, alcohol and smoking/vaping products have proliferated in recent years. It is well known that the built environment can be health promoting or harmful to health, but there has been less consideration of the digital environment. Increased availability and accessibility of these commodities may be associated with increased consumption, with harmful public health implications. Policy regulating the supply of these commodities was developed before the introduction of on-demand services and has not kept pace with the digital environment. This paper reports on semi-structured interviews with health policy experts on the health harms of the uptake in on-demand delivery of food, alcohol and smoking/vaping products, along with their views on policies that might mitigate these harms. We interviewed 14 policy experts from central and local government agencies and ministries, health authorities, non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and university research positions in Aotearoa New Zealand using a purposive sampling strategy. Participants concerns over the health harms from on-demand services encompassed three broad themes—the expansion of access to and availability of unhealthy commodities, the inadequacy of existing restrictions and regulations in the digital environment and the expansion of personalized marketing and promotional platforms for unhealthy commodities. Health policy experts' proposals to mitigate harms included: limiting access and availability, updating regulations and boosting enforcement and limiting promotion and marketing. Collectively, these findings and proposals can inform future research and public health policy decisions to address harms posed by on-demand delivery of unhealthy commodities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary health is at the forefront of efforts to address health inequities. Effective primary health care keeps people well and improves longevity and quality of life. The persistence of health inequities, particularly between Indigenous peoples and non‐Indigenous peoples globally, suggests that there is a need to strengthen policy and practise. Unique to Aotearoa (New Zealand) is te Tiritio Waitangi, a treaty negotiated in 1840 between the British Crown and hapū (Māori [Indigenous] subtribes). This treaty is foundational to public policy in Aotearoa and requires the Crown (New Zealand government) to uphold a set of responsibilities around protecting and promoting Māori health. This paper examines to what extent Primary Health Organisations are upholding te Tiritio Waitangi. The study utilises data from a nationwide telephone survey of public health providers conducted in 2019–2020 recruited from a list on the Ministry of Health website. This paper focuses on data about te Tiriti application from 21 Primary Health Organisations from a sample size of thirty. Critical te Tiriti analysis, an emerging methodology, was used to assess to what extent the participating primary health organisations were te Tiriti compliant. The critical te Tiriti analysis found poor to fair compliance with most elements of te Tiriti but good engagement with equity. Suggestions for strengthening practise included examining relationships with Māori, utilising a planned approach, structural mechanisms, normalising Māori world views and consistency in application. The onus needs to be on non‐Māori to contribute to the cultural change and power‐sharing required to uphold te Tiriti. Critical te Tiriti analysis is a useful methodology to review te Tiriti compliance and could be used in other contexts to review alignment with Indigenous rights and aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, large amounts of administrative data are collected within official statistics systems on Indigenous Peoples. These data are primarily used for government and state policy purposes as opposed to by Indigenous Peoples to support Indigenous agendas (Taylor & Kukutai, 2017). In Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu New Zealand, Māori need high quality data to develop evidence-based policies and programs and to monitor government policies that impact on Māori. In this methodological paper, we describe uses of administrative data for Māori and current barriers to its use. We outline the development of a novel administrative data infrastructure and future longitudinal study. By explicating our Indigenous initiated, designed and controlled data project, we make a methodological contribution to Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Kaupapa Māori (Māori worldview) epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A key question in the provision of public health concerns how that provision is governed. The purpose of this paper is to examine the governance structure of a public health board and its perceived impact on the efficacy of clinical operations.Design/methodology/approach: Structural issues examined the level of centralisation and public participation, and whether governance should occur through elected boards or appointed managers. These issues were examined through multiple lenses. First was the intention of the structure, examining the issues identified by parliament when the new structure was created. Second, the activities of the board were examined through an analysis of board meetings. Finally, hospital clinicians were surveyed through semi-structured interviews with both quantitative and qualitative questioning.Findings: A contradiction was revealed between intention, perception and actual activities. This raises concerns over whether the public are significantly informed to elect the best-skilled appointees to governance positions.Practical Implications: This research holds implications for selecting governance structures of public health providers.Originality/value: Few studies have looked at the role of a publicly elected healthcare governance structure from the perspective of the clinicians. Hence, this study contributes to the literature on healthcare structure and its impact on clinical operations, by including a clinician's perspective. However, this paper goes beyond the survey and also considers the intention of the structure as proposed by parliament, and board activities or what the board actually does. This enables a comparison of intention with outcomes and perception of those outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses policies and practices designed to support digital transformation in the tourism workforce in six OECD countries, namely Germany, Greece, Iceland, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Data for the project were gathered via a questionnaire survey, interviews with key informants and examination of various policy documents in 2021. Contrasting practice in relation to digital skills development is revealed. Significant deficiencies are evident in relation to the availability of high‐quality data, evaluation, understanding, leadership, and infrastructure among the six countries. Ways in which effective policy development might emerge are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The psychological wellbeing of Queer and Gender Diverse Young People (QGDYP) has received attention of late, and increasing research evidences much higher rates of psychological distress experienced by these groups, compared to their straight, cisgender counterparts. Far more limited is research exploring queer and gender diverse young people's own perspectives on their psychological wellbeing, an absence we address with the current study. We interviewed 21 queer or gender diverse 16–18-year-olds in Aotearoa New Zealand about their understandings of mental health and wellbeing. We took a critical realist thematic approach to analysis. This paper focuses on how participants made sense of their own distress. We explore and unpack three intersecting key themes around: 1) cisheterosexism, but not personally affected; 2) dismissal of QGDYP; and 3) validation and comfort in the biomedical model. We discuss the tensions of articulating these positions and (also) challenging cisheterosexism, and the implications for recognising and reducing the distress experienced by queer and gender diverse youth. We aim to inform policy and practice to support and ultimately improve psychological wellbeing for queer and gender diverse young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artistic work in Aotearoa has long been underpaid and undervalued. In this paper, we examine policy statements made by the New Zealand government from September 2017 until November 2020 about the nature and value of artistic work. Early statements appear to challenge the economization of the arts, and to suggest alternative ways the arts might be valued, including for their inherent connection to well-being and social justice. However, rather than moving the arts away from commercial imperatives, we argue that government initiatives have been implicitly equipping artists and arts organizations to deliver their own economization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the emergence of the regulation of housing conditions in the private rental sector as a policy issue in New Zealand using an analysis of narratives in media, advocacy and political texts. Narratives are evident in public discourse and are the stories told by interest groups to identify and cast a problem as a policy issue in a way analogous to the beliefs of the speaker. This case study shows that while the narratives used by advocates for policy change were effective in raising the issue, they were ineffective in overcoming a counter-narrative of excessive regulation by the government and concerns of possible rent rises. This opposition to regulation of the private sector by a right-leaning government needs to be more effectively countered by more powerful intersecting narratives, if evidence on the relationship between housing, health and safety is to become the basis for effectively implemented government policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, New Zealand enacted the Fisheries (Foreign Charter Vessels and Other Matters) Amendment Act in response to ongoing labour abuses on board South Korean vessels in New Zealand's foreign charter vessel sector. Importantly, the legislation expresses the universality of the International Labour Organization's Decent Work Agenda: all member countries must pursue policies based on the strategic objectives of equality, dignity, safe working conditions and that workers are protected from exploitation. The Act was in response to the identification of widespread labour abuses in this sector. In June 2011, the extent of the abuses came to light when 32 Indonesian crewmen of the Oyang 75 walked off their vessel. In this paper, we explore how a range of stakeholders worked organically to bring about change. We do this qualitatively by combining semi-structured interview (with over 160 Indonesian migrant crewmen between 2011 and 2017), observation and document analysis. We analyse our data through the lens of participatory action research which provides a framework to document the processes of who was involved, the cycles of change, what was achieved in each cycle, and importantly the platform for change. Specifically, we look at how stakeholders – the crew themselves, their advocates, academics, non-governmental organisations, journalists, activists, among others – all played a part in achieving legislated protections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine new public management (NPM) reform in New Zealand Universities (NZUs) and the process by which government policy changes generated service performance reporting (SPR), and how the SPR practices were institutionalised. It seeks to explain the underlying institutional forces of the reform process, how universities were subjected to accountability pressures through government-imposed managerial techniques and how universities responded to them. Design/methodology/approach: The authors draw on the theoretical lens of neo-institutional theory and the concept of NPM to interpret the setting of SPR. Data comprise annual reports and other documents produced by the NZUs. Findings: The findings show that the development of the SPR was driven by NPM ideals and rationales of greater transparency and accountability. The institutional pressures bestowed extra power to the government by demanding greater accounting reporting of university performance. It also shows the ensemble of institutions, organisations and management practices that were deployed to reorganise performance reporting practices. Research limitations/implications: The study adds to the neo-institutional theory work that universities are experiencing extraordinary institutional pressure to become a market-type commodity in New Zealand and internationally. The findings have implications for government, universities, policymakers and public sector professionals who work in public sector reform. Originality/value: Through the institutional theoretical lens, the study offers new insights into our understanding of NPM-driven regulation and institutionalisation of managerial techniques. The insights inform policy and practice surrounding design, implementation and the potential effect of future policy changes with reference to the performance of NZUs and internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naming places is theorised as an activity in heritage whereby a name will index a people’s narrative and history. In postcolonial societies where the colonised and the colonisers share spaces, individual locations can host different sides of history and different cultural significance. To this end, the New Zealand government has pursued bilingual place-naming policy to reflect the heritage of both Māori as the Indigenous people, and Pākehā as the European colonisers. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data from an attitudinal survey of New Zealand youth about bilingual place-naming as public policy, this paper places under critical review the theoretical and policy assumption that representing heritage is a core public interest vis-à-vis place names. The paper finds that only a minority of the surveyed youth were concerned about indexing heritage, with the majority instead arguing for and against bilingual place-naming on the basis of Aotearoa New Zealand’s contemporary bicultural identity, perceived linguistic challenges and opportunities associated with bilingualism, and a concern for enforcing Indigenous rights legislation. The paper typologises how these youth argued for and against bilingual place-naming with attention to a diversity of evaluative and epistemological starting points when thinking about place names. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper interrogates the changing role of local government in tourism development. It does so through the examination of the Hurunui District, a rural district in New Zealand which has experienced significant transformation in the tourism sector and a concomitant increase in public sector input over the past 25 years. By situating this interrogation within an evolving neoliberal public policy context, this paper explores the tensions at play between tourism stakeholders and decision-makers, and it critiques the way in which local government involvement in the sector is manifested as regulation, promotion, and ownership of key tourism resources in the District. The significance of this paper is that it extends our understanding of the role of the state in tourism and of the influence of public policy on tourism development, potentially including sustainable tourism development. Specifically, it draws our attention to the rationality, roles and activities of public sector engagement in the tourism sector, particularly at local government level. We conclude that the nature and extent of debate evident in the case study, and verified in the literature, indicates that the boundary of government activity and intervention in the tourism market is, and will continue to be, socially contested and mediated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural systems have entered a period of significant disruption due to impacts from change drivers, increasingly stringent environmental regulations and the need to reduce unwanted discharges, and emerging technologies and biotechnologies. Governments and industries are developing strategies to respond to the risks and opportunities associated with these disruptors. Modelling is a useful tool for system conceptualisation, understanding, and scenario testing. Today, New Zealand and other nations need integrated modelling tools at the national scale to help industries and stakeholders plan for future disruptive changes. In this paper, following a scoping review process, we analyse modelling approaches and available agricultural systems' model examples per thematic applications at the regional to national scale to define the best options for the national policy development. Each modelling approach has specificities, such as stakeholder engagement capacity, complex systems reproduction, predictive or prospective scenario testing, and users should consider coupling approaches for greater added value. The efficiency of spatial decision support tools working with a system dynamics approach can help holistically in stakeholders' participation and understanding, and for improving land planning and policy. This model combination appears to be the most appropriate for the New Zealand national context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrastructure forms an enduring and evolving system of services, assets, projects and networks. This paper presents an overview of research into the misalignment between the strategic intent and the management of those systems. The research draws from experiences across infrastructure sectors and countries to frame the problem and then uses central and local government transportation organisations from New Zealand to explore the problem in more detail. Although infrastructure does not often fail catastrophically, there is an inability to deliver appropriate and relevant infrastructure outcomes fully over the long term. This paper presents the cross-case analysis of three detailed studies that explored this issue through three different lenses by investigating three key life-cycle/organisational transitions at the system rather than at the project level. The research has identified a pressing need for 'system stewardship' to address the increased specialisation and siloed operation within current practice. This boundary spanning function/culture is needed to deliver not only 'joined-up thinking', but also organisational learning and the ongoing transformation of the complexed asset–service–organisational–contextual system in response to ongoing change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sustainable houses remain at a low rate among the housing stock in New Zealand. Government, industry and the public are wanting to deliver homes that are energy and water efficient, healthy and adaptive to the climate. The purpose of this paper is to find out the driving forces influencing the uptake of sustainable housing in New Zealand. Design/methodology/approach: Comparative case studies of Hobsonville Point, Wynyard Quarter and Long Bay were adopted as the primary research method. Semi-structured interviews and an online survey were both conducted for data collection to increase the validity of the research. Findings: Central and local governments were the most effective driving forces for encouraging sustainable housing. Corporate brand and leadership were critical drivers for public-owned companies, whereas private-owned companies were mainly driven by local governments' policies and strategies. Social awareness and client demand were increasing to influence the sustainable housing, but there was still room for improvement. Research limitations/implications: The developers can learn from the sustainable development frameworks to set the sustainability goals. Policymakers can draw lessons from the public sectors' experiences to carry out new policies and inspire the private sectors to follow. Besides, the basic framework could help the further study to use a larger sample size and more rigorous statistical analysis to explore the synergies among the identified drivers. Originality/value: This paper provides the useful information on how to promote the uptake of sustainable housing in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The INFORMAS [International Network for Food and Obesity/Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) Research, Monitoring and Action Support] Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) was developed to evaluate the degree of implementation of widely recommended food environment policies by national governments against international best practice, and has been applied in New Zealand in 2014, 2017 and 2020. This paper outlines the 2020 Food-EPI process and compares policy implementation and recommendations with the 2014 and 2017 Food-EPI.Methods: In March-April 2020, a national panel of over 50 public health experts participated in Food-EPI. Experts rated the extent of implementation of 47 "good practice" policy and infrastructure support indicators compared to international best practice, using an extensive evidence document verified by government officials. Experts then proposed and prioritized concrete actions needed to address the critical implementation gaps identified. Progress on policy implementation and recommendations made over the three Food-EPIs was compared.Results: In 2020, 60% of the indicators were rated as having "low" or "very little, if any" implementation compared to international benchmarks: less progress than 2017 (47%) and similar to 2014 (61%). Of the nine priority actions proposed in 2014, there was only noticeable action on one (Health Star Ratings). The majority of actions were therefore proposed again in 2017 and 2020. In 2020 the proposed actions were broader, reflecting the need for multisectoral action to improve the food environment, and the need for a mandatory approach in all policy areas.Conclusions: There has been little to no progress in the past three terms of government (9 years) on the implementation of policies and infrastructure support for healthy food environments, with implementation overall regressing between 2017 and 2020. The proposed actions in 2020 have reflected a growing movement to locate nutrition within the wider context of planetary health and with recognition of the social determinants of health and nutrition, resulting in recommendations that will require the involvement of many government entities to overcome the existing policy inertia. The increase in food insecurity due to COVID-19 lockdowns may provide the impetus to stimulate action on food polices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since few decades ago, the use of traditional insignias on commercial products has been increasing, across the globe. In particular, the use of indigenous insignias on commercial products of non-indigenous origin is often in countries such as USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand where there are larger indigenous communities. Either as offensive or exploitative the respective practice is unacceptable for indigenous people. Appropriation of traditional insignias by non-indigenous people - i.e. registering indigenous names and symbols as trademarks for commercial products of non-indigenous origin has been considered as particularly unacceptable practice. The aim of the paper is to assess whether the conventional trademark law system contains mechanisms that can combat inappropriate use of traditional insignias. In order to achieve respective goal, international and European sources in the field of trademark law, as well as specific national solutions, are analyzed. Research has revealed that conventional trademark law systems provide protection against misuse of traditional insignias only in exceptional occasions. Therefore, certain countries, where there are larger indigenous communities and public policies are focused on the prevention of offensive use of indigenous insignias, have introduced minor or larger intervention in their conventional trademark law systems to increase effectiveness when it comes to combating offensive uses of indigenous insignias. It is shown how in New Zealand the concept of cultural offense as an absolute ground for trademark refusal is introduced while in Canada official insignia as a special type of trademark is introduced. The impact of those interventions is considered and whether these could be relevant for the European union. Similar interventions applicable in the conventional European trademark law for the protection against inappropriate use of European indigenous and traditional indications are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Understanding the nature of wellbeing as multidimensional and complex provides a policy window to generate a strengths-based policy orientation to promote wellbeing in education settings. The purpose of this exploratory paper is to map how wellbeing is interpreted across public education policy documents in Aotearoa New Zealand. Method: To explore the narrative that this group of documents weave, we draw on models of holistic wellbeing, ecological systems and appreciative inquiry. Policy documents were analysed using text mining software to track notions of wellbeing; their occurrence and co-occurrence with related concepts. Results: Key findings include the predominance of wellbeing, the interrelatedness of wellbeing with relationships, and the predominance of student wellbeing over the wellbeing of other stakeholders, highlighting that current education policy does not interpret wellbeing as relational, complex or contextual. Conclusion: We argue that interpreting such documents through a wellbeing lens demonstrates the complexity and disparity of the conceptualization and contextualization. We assert that it is critical to explore possibilities for deliberate and ecological wellbeing connections within educational policy and practice for the good of all stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the face of it, neoliberalism and race are distinct paradigms. Yet, evidence shows that, neoliberal policy profoundly influences, and is influenced by, racial politics. The present paper examines the articulation of these two ‘frames’ in the specific case of migration policies in New Zealand. Since the mid-1980s, immigration policy in New Zealand has clearly worked towards neoliberal goals of attracting skilled labour and boosting economic productivity. Equally, it has also mirrored race politics. Contrary to existing research that sees migration policy as a tool to ‘whiten the population’, this paper highlights a more complex inter-weaving between neoliberalism and race politics in New Zealand's migration policy. Focusing notionally on the construction of the ‘desirable migrant’, the analysis shows that while desirability was marked by race throughout the mid-1990s, in the new century, the interplay between race and economics has become far more complicated. In what seems to be an emerging form of new race politics, the desirable migrant is constructed as someone who shares similarities in global, consumptive ‘culture’, regardless of race. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the Wai 262 claim, six Māori claimant groups sought the Waitangi Tribunal's findings that the Crown had breached its Treaty of Waitangi guarantee to allow Māori to exercise tino rangatiratanga (the unqualified exercise of our chieftainship) over our mātauranga Māori (the body of knowledge originating from Māori ancestors, including the Māori worldview and cultural practices) and taonga (tangible and intangible treasures). The Tribunal publicly released its full report on the claim in 2011. Whilst the National Government (2008–2017) engaged internally with the report, it did not respond publicly. It is only since the Labour-led Government (2017–2020) came into power and proposed Te Pae Tawhiti, a work programme to address the Crown's breaches, that the government has engaged with the report publicly. In this article, I argue that, whilst Māori should engage in Te Pae Tawhiti, we must do so cautiously and with a full appreciation of the government's policies on these issues over the past decade. The article provides unprecedented insights into the government's response to the Wai 262 report. The insights will be important in helping Māori and others to hold the government accountable as the Treaty partners work together to address these issues in the Te Pae Tawhiti era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The aim of this paper is on what the authors learnt from negotiating the difficult terrain linking, or separating, research from policy advice and the political process. Design/methodology/approach – This paper outlines two case studies from New Zealand to examine what confounds and what bridges gaps between research, policy, politics and practice. The case studies were predicated on the belief that interagency and cross-sectoral actions were necessary to align actions and achieve good outcomes in social policy. Findings – Interagency processes are not the Holy Grail. More attention needs to be paid to the impact of the context in which researchers, public servants and politicians operate and of the research and policy-making processes within their organisations. Politics within and between organisations and politics on the national stage must also be understood if the gap between research, policy and practice is to be narrowed and successfully navigated. Originality/value – These are original case studies. Researchers often bemoan the failure of their findings to influence policy and practice; policy makers complain that researchers are unaware of “real world” timeframes and policy concerns, and politicians grow impatient with advice that takes little heed of political imperatives. Therefore, these case studies will be of particular interest to students and practitioners of social policy and researchers who wish to see their findings influence policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resolving challenges at the science–policy interface is key to improving the management of cumulative effects of pressures in catchments to meet societal goals for freshwater ecosystem health and water quality. This paper briefly reviews shifts in freshwater policy in New Zealand over the last six years, identifies implications for demands on science, and then offers a framework of topics to help guide freshwater scientists better help water resource managers both develop and implement policy. Key themes include: (i) being clear about the various potential roles of scientists and the particular importance of the ‘honest broker’ role at the interface; (ii) informing policy decisions on capacity for resource use, by predicting consequences of future scenarios; and (iii) integrating and communicating multidisciplinary technical and community-derived knowledge, including handling inevitable uncertainty. Understanding and practising these topics will contribute to improved policy for managing cumulative effects and benefit New Zealand’s freshwaters and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent law changes in New Zealand allowing for the detention of a "mass arrival" of asylum seekers reflect a concerning international rhetoric and associated policy trend in Australia and the United Kingdom towards those seeking asylum. This paper argues that, although the New Zealand public has not (yet) reached a "moral panic" that is prevalent within international contexts, there are concerns about a "culture of indifference" in relation to asylum seekers. By providing a policy analysis about asylum seekers and an examination on the associated discourses utilised in international contexts, this discussion presents the New Zealand context through the process of risk signification. The paper discusses how the social work profession can respond to this culture of indifference through addressing collusion (often through silence) with oppressive asylum policies, the need for stronger advocacy and action, and the associated role of social work education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Although public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been used internationally, the New Zealand Government has only recently started to consider using PPPs to deliver public assets and services. However, there is uncertainty about whether the New Zealand Government should actively enter into PPP arrangements. The government lacks a robust decision-making tool for assisting with choosing alternative procurement methods. PPPs are seen as risky, but innovative procurement options, with obstacles to overcome before they use can become common place. Nervousness about the use of PPPs requires the New Zealand Government to have a thorough understanding of the drivers and obstacles, and also to understand the applicability of international PPP experience to New Zealand. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the drivers and obstacles for adopting PPPs in New Zealand and provide details on how these obstacles might be overcome by using innovative country-specific solutions. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews with senior industry players and round table discussions are the research methods used. Findings – The research found that the drivers for PPP adoption include acceleration of infrastructure provision, better risk allocation, whole of life cost savings, improved quality of services, access additional revenue sources, benefits for local economic and social development, and improved project scrutiny. The results show that the drivers appear to be more than securing private financing for public infrastructure. Greater efficiency in the use of resources has been emphasised by New Zealand practitioners. With regard to the apparent obstacles, research showed these to be: political, social and legal risks, unfavourable economic and commercial conditions, high transaction costs and lengthy lead time, problems related to the public sector and problems with the private sector. Possible solutions to these obstacles are derived from national and international research and assessed for their applicability to New Zealand. Research limitations/implications – The paper presents discussion on the concerns expressed by the New Zealand industry about PPPs at strategic, institutional, and industry level. The identified obstacles and suggested solutions provide some initial guidance on how to proceed with PPP implementation in New Zealand. More research needs to be done to understand the various key facets identified here (e.g. tendering process, contractual arrangement, and risk allocation) and their wider effects. The research is based on interviews with a limited number of senior industry respondents, along with the general results of three industry round table discussions. Therefore, follow-on interviews need to be conducted with private sector partners, sponsors and funding bodies, in order to gain a wider view of the issues under investigation. Originality/value – The findings of the research are of assistance to decision makers in both the public and private sectors in New Zealand. By understanding the drivers and obstacles for PPP adoption, and posing solutions to these obstacles, the New Zealand construction industry might be in a better position to adopt PPP schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of national education policies on programme design practice in post-compulsory education tends to be marginalised in scholarly literature. This paper reviews and analyses the literature to explore how neo-liberalist discourses introduced in tertiary education and qualifications policies in New Zealand since 1989 continue to influence programme design in polytechnics. Tensions are identified in five areas: autonomy and accountability; the programme design process; student-centred learning; concepts of knowledge; and, cultural diversity. For each area current trends are described, based on the author's analysis of very recent policies. It will be concluded that the opportunities for educators and educational institutions to exercise autonomy in programme design continue to be limited by national policy pressures to meet economic and skills needs. Courage and willingness are required if educators are ever to turn the tide and re-focus education on the development of society beyond the needs of the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vulnerability has been a guiding narrative to state interventions towards children and their families in New Zealand. This article shows how this progressive notion has been systematically managed to fit pre-established political and policy priorities. These processes have emphasised: (i) categorisations of risk to those who demonstrate vulnerabilities; (ii) pre-emptive, multi-agency involvement in the lives of those deemed potentially 'vulnerable'; and (iii) a responsibilising expectation that children and families will avoid vulnerable situations and comply with interventions. This individualising logic of vulnerability has solidified policy interventions towards Māori, and re-emphasised colonial practices of viewing Māori children and young people as deficit-laden risks to be managed. With a late 2017 change in government, the political dalliance with vulnerability appears to be in decline. A new progressive policy discourse – of child 'well-being' and 'best interests' – is being engaged. Yet, the emphasis on risk, and its corresponding elements of pre-emption and responsibility, persist. These discursive and institutional arrangements will ensure that Māori remain perilously entrenched in welfare and justice systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of New Zealand's 1996 adoption of a mixed member proportional (MMP) voting scheme on representation in the legislature, voter turnout, vote volatility and the likelihood of an incumbent party winning re-election. I then consider whether MMP has had any negative consequences for the effectiveness of government policy in relation to fiscal accountability and countercyclical intervention. The data used in the analysis begins from the formation of the party system in New Zealand (in 1890) and extends through the adoption of MMP to the pre-pandemic present (2017). The data set covers 42 elections: 34 before 1996 and 8 after. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The aims of this paper are to measure the impacts of subsidy, work experience and training programmes on New Zealand male registered unemployed, and to examine the sensitivity of these estimates to the amount of time that participants are followed after an intervention. Design/methodology/approach - The impact of an intervention on those who participate in an active labour market programme is the key question addressed in this paper. A New Zealand panel data set is used, which includes both intervention and individual characteristics of the unemployed. Both a potential outcomes and single nearest-neighbour difference-in-differences matching approach are used to estimate the impact of participation. Findings - The key findings are that work experience programmes are the most effective in the short-term. Training programmes are the least effective. Programmes are more effective for the long-term unemployed than for short-term unemployed. The results are sensitive to the point of time examined in the post-intervention period, with short-term benefits disappearing completely three years after the intervention. Originality/value - This paper examines the relative effect of active labour market programmes in New Zealand using a consistent evaluation framework. The sensitivity of the results to different time periods, and matching estimator specifications are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neoliberal restructuring of government policies in developed nations since the 1970s has stimulated many observers to observe the “roll back” of the state from social assistance, including housing. Some suggest that the “roll out” of new forms of state activity are occurring. This paper argues that perceptions of “roll back” and “roll out” arise from a particular conception of the capacity of the state that focuses on apparent state action over discursive production. A modified version of governmentality theory is deployed to demonstrate that despite perceptions of a weakening state housing assistance presence in Australia, the UK, the Netherlands and New Zealand, the conceptive and discursive role of the state has remained strong. The paper concludes by arguing that greater appreciation of the persistent pragmatic capacity of the state to define the objects, subjects and relationships of housing policy fruitfully illuminates the condition of the state under neoliberalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines discourses and developments of the knowledge economy and learning society in Australia and New Zealand. It outlines the international context of the rise of the knowledge‐based economy and sets the New Zealand and Australian debates against this backdrop. A current heightened emphasis on education and learning in both countries is closely aligned with the key imperatives of economic development and competitiveness. Older models of the learning society based more on cultural and humanistic aspirations remain evident and competitive with economic models. Prospects for further innovative development in education and learning across the life course, and across a broader population in democratic societies are considered. The paper concludes that notwithstanding the current influence of singularly economic discourses shaping conceptions of the learning economy and society there is no definitive or triumphant model of the learning society prevailing in Australia and New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper begins by outlining the concept of multi-level environmental governance, as it will be used for the purpose of considering the three potential responses available to central government. This is followed by a brief discussion of the constitutional context within which this conflict over GMO regulation is occurring. The specific factual and legal background is then introduced. This provides the basis for discussion of three possible responses available to central government. In respect of each of these responses, this paper considers what they reveal about the current state of multi-level environmental governance in New Zealand. This paper concludes by making some general observations about sustainable development in New Zealand which, it is suggested, underpin central government's approach to GMOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labour supply in the vineyards of the Marlborough region of New Zealand is a pressing issue for industry development. Drawing on a mix of recent ethnographic and other qualitative research, this paper discusses the demographics of the labour force of the Marlborough vineyards and the experiences and meanings of this work among these workers. The paper is organized into three substantive sections. The first outlines the nature of the work, pay and conditions, and health and safety issues. The second section discusses the demographics and the experiences and meanings particular to sub-groups within the labour force. The third and final section discusses the implications of the previous two sections for policymakers. The paper argues that recognition of the diversity of labour as well as the seasonality of demand is pivotal to resolving tensions between social and economic policy, and that more work needs to be carried out in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bicultural educational policy is part of a much broader ensemble of bicultural policies that were first developed by the Fourth Labour Government elected in 1984. These policies were an acknowledgement of, and response to, the historical injustices suffered by Māori people as a consequence of colonisation. Bicultural education policy is thought to be a means of addressing the ongoing challenge of educational underachievement of Māori students in the compulsory schooling sector. At present, the dominant discourse in New Zealand education frames the educational underachievement of Māori as a problem associated with cultural differences; however, this tends to obscure explanations that focus on socio-economic disparities. This paper shows how the dominant discourse relating to the underachievement of Māori students is established in policy and maintained through various auditing systems, and how this leaves little space for other explanations or solutions. The paper advocates a move away from an either/or approach to the problem of the educational underachievement of Māori and argues for greater critical engagement with bicultural education policy in order to open up space for conversations that address both the cultural and the socio-economic factors which may affect achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Legislative changes are afoot in New Zealand that are formalising an ideological shift in policy that decreasingly positions the Māori language a matter of interethnic national identity but increasingly as one for Māori self-determination. The Waitangi Tribunal (WAI262, Waitangi Tribunal, 2011) established that, from here on, Māori language policy should be determined in large measure by Māori ideas. This paper advances the question of what these Māori ideas are, and indeed whether these align with those of non-Māori. In particular, the paper reports findings from a large scale qualitative survey that used a folk linguistic approach to solicit what sociolinguistic situation Māori and non-Māori youth envisage language revitalisation policy should produce, and what policy priorities they propose to achieve that. It then critically assesses whether the ideas of these youth align with the Māori language policy objectives of the New Zealand state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which took more than 30 years to implement in Australia is examined in this paper. We aim to address the enduring public policy question of the extent to which policies can be formulated on the basis of rational evidence-based decision making. The three landmarks for the introduction of the GST: (1) the National Tax Summit (1985); (2) Fightback! (1991, 1992); and (3) ANTS (1998, 1999) are used to demonstrate that rationality in decision making of policy makers re-emerged with each new attempt at policy formulation, despite being interwoven with complex political processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the findings of two studies of the Aotearoa coronial service that sought to understand how coronial processes engage with whānau who have lost a rangatahi to suicide. The aim of the combined study was to understand the extent to which coronial investigations met the needs of Māori bereaved by suicide. We conducted interviews with coroners to understand how they investigate suicide (Study One) and examined coronial files of rangatahi who had died by suicide, including communications between the coroner's office and the bereaved whānau (Study Two). We found that coroners relied heavily on documentation and only rarely engaged with whānau to gather evidence from those who knew the person who died by suspected suicide. Moreover, forms of communication between the coronial service and whānau were couched in legalese and did not engage with whānau in ways that would add value to the coronial investigation and lead to closure for bereaved whānau. Current efforts to embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi in government policy provide an ideal opportunity to adopt a Tiriti-based approach to coronial investigations so that they align with the needs of whānau in ways that contribute to culturally appropriate suicide investigation, suicide prevention and postvention initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New Zealand health system was substantially reformed in 1993 with the introduction of a purchaser-provider split, competitive contracting and managerialism. The new system failed to deliver the desired gains and, in 1996, the reforms were "reformed". While there has been widespread study of the 1993 reforms, there has been little discussion to date of the 1996 changes and the emerging directions for New Zealand health policy and service delivery, which remain unclear. This paper discusses the New Zealand health reforms of the 1990s. It briefly outlines the 1993 reforms and their results. Next, it details the 1996 "reforms". Third, it discusses developments since 1996, some of which have emerged out of the 1993 reforms, but which have gathered momentum only since the 1996 changes were announced. In the conclusion, the paper lists some of the directions in which the New Zealand health sector appears to be heading, noting that there is a need for coordination of the sector, and for permanence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public control of the availability of alcohol has been introduced in various forms in a number of countries, particularly where there has been a strong temperance movement. In these circumstances, public control has sometimes been promoted as an alternative to the possible introduction of national prohibition. This paper briefly summarizes the chronological events leading up to the introduction of licensing trusts in the 1940s as a form of local community control in various areas of New Zealand. Licensing trusts, the promotion of which was partly a reaction against the poor business practices of the liquor trade, quickly gained such popularity amongst the population that many local communities voted in favour of trust control whenever an opportunity to do so arose. The paper also examines the continued viability of the trusts as part of the alcohol trading scene in New Zealand in the 1980s, under social circumstances vastly different to the 1940s when trusts were first established. The dissolution of the Carlisle scheme in the United Kingdom, is briefly compared with the possible future of the New Zealand licensing trusts. It is concluded that the trust concept may have considerable potential for community participation in the reduction of alcohol problems, but liberalization of non-trust alcohol outlets in licensing trust areas may limit the effectiveness of this role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Young people drinking to extreme drunkenness is a source of concern for policy makers and health promoters. There are a variety of community groups who appear to respond to the alcohol-related problems. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the working practices and relationships among local community groups as part of the pre-intervention context-assessment process.Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the narratives of nine community workers and ten venue managers the authors examine the community level approach to inform the choice of interventions to reduce risky drinking practices and community wide alcohol-related harm.Findings There was considerable agreement across the community workers and venue managers about the nature of risk for young people in the night time economy (NTE). Two central themes of "perceived risk" and "management of risk" emerged from the data. Further, the community workers and venue managers identified different high-risk locations and strategies to improve their ability meet the needs of young people experiencing risk in the NTE. The local authorities, community organisations and night time operators adopted a broad proactive and connected approach to develop a coherent strategy to achieve new measures of safety in the NTE.Originality/value Applying the social ecological model to provide a framework for the understanding of the social, environmental and political factors that influence alcohol use in young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]