Background: The burden of fatal and non-fatal injury for the New Zealand construction industry is larger than most other industrial sectors. Injury preventions efforts for construction have however been hampered because of insufficient, industry-specific, surveillance data that is essential for the effective targeting and evaluation of interventions. Aim: This thesis aimed to describe and test a feasible framework of Injury Surveillance for the New Zealand construction industry. Accordingly, the specific objectives to accomplish this aim were: To identify an optimal surveillance dataset for New Zealand construction injuries; To assess potential sources of data and collection methods; To describe an ideal study design for undertaking injury surveillance; To implement an operational design based on industry stakeholder input; To undertake and evaluate an injury surveillance trial; and To suggest how a viable surveillance system could be permanently established. Method: A trial injury surveillance system was developed by identifying known construction injury risk factors from the literature, reviewing the data collection practices of the New Zealand industry and other potential data sources and consulting with industry stakeholders about the most feasible collection methodology. This surveillance framework was then tested by combining national data from routine Government sources and data from 3 construction companies that employed approximately 720 workers between them. National construction injury data was obtained from the Accident Compensation Corporation, the Department of Labour and the Injury Information Manager. The trial Surveillance System was then evaluated in terms of its ability to collect the full range of an optimal dataset, the quality and completeness of information actually collected, the ability to identify and monitor injury priorities for the industry, and the future viability and acceptability of this surveillance design to the industry. Results: A total of 468 medically treated injuries were recorded by the participating companies, with 15 (3.2%) considered to be Serious Harm injuries as defined by the Health and Safety in Employment Act. The level of data completeness across companies was especially low, with on average 18 out of 34 data fields (53%) completely unrecorded. The data from one company was sufficiently complete (i.e. 63% across all fields) to allow individual risk factor analyses to be conducted, whereas the absence of complete denominator data prevented the completion of the same analyses for the other two companies. Viewed overall, Government agency data was sufficiently detailed to estimate national longitudinal trends, injury agency and mechanism priorities for specific occupations and industry subsectors, and allowed a rudimentary evaluation of a national intervention programme. However, questions about data accuracy, completeness and under-reporting were raised for each of the Government data sources used. Conclusions: Using data entirely from Government sources appears to be the most immediately viable framework of Injury Surveillance for the New Zealand construction industry. As such, the relevant range of analyses demonstrated by this study should be continued, expanded and improved. In contrast, obtaining injury surveillance data from companies in the manner that was tested does not appear to feasible, given the difficulty in recruiting companies and the poor data completeness of those companies that did participate. However, the increased range of prevention targets identified by the company that did largely contribute data as intended, demonstrated that company surveillance had merit relative to existing procedures. Suggested steps toward implementing viable construction injury surveillance within New Zealand are outlined, including a recommendation to the industry�s Health and Safety organisation, SiteSafe, to investigate the most feasible data collection protocol for its members.

Globalisation, localisation and tourism are processes that are closely interconnected. They relate to historical mobilities and non-mobilities of humans, ideas and capital that impact on environment, economy, culture, politics and technology. Yet, these impacts on local tourism destinations are not well researched. Small destinations are not researched in relation to the impact of globalisation and tourism overtime. The thesis develops an historical understanding of globalisation, localisation and tourism within the context of the Otago Peninsula in Dunedin, New Zealand. It portrays the �glocalisation� processes, the specific mix of local and global forces that shaped the Otago Peninsula and created the basis for the current conditions, especially for tourism. The research on the Otago Peninsula clearly identifies different stages of mobilities to the place, generally following a similar pattern to other places in New Zealand settled in the latest phase of colonialism. The first settlers, the Polynesians, were followed by white explorers, sealers and whalers at the beginning of the 19th century who exploited a local resource that was valuable to international markets. After the over-exploitation of the resource white settlers arrived to �conquer� nature and to improve on their living conditions in a new country. They provided the basis for the following mobilities by developing or facilitating a local, national, regional and international infrastructure. Towards the end of the 19th century the major European migration had ended. The next major mobility movement was recreationists from the close urban centre of Dunedin who used the infrastructure on the Otago Peninsula at weekends, as time, money and technology limited mobilities to places further away. From the 1920s onwards, when these limitations were reduced by, for example, a better infrastructure and new technological developments such as the car and more disposable income and time, New Zealanders started to more widely discover their own country. Finally, international travellers started to arrive in the 1960s after the main obstacle, the distance and time needed to travel to New Zealand and the Otago Peninsula, was reduced by technological development, especially airplanes. During all of these phases of mobility, the Otago Peninsula became increasingly interconnected with other places on the globe, creating the conditions for tourism. In this study, within the context of the phase model of mobilities, a variety of research methods were used to assess the impact of globalisation, localisation and tourism on the Otago Peninsula. These methods include literature, newspaper, local promotional materials and photographic images analysis, as well as participant observation and historical interviews. The research clearly highlights the changes to the Otago Peninsula created by historical events that happened as a consequence of human mobility. Internal and external conditions at different geographical scales, ranging from the local to the global, changed the economy, the environment, culture, politics and the use of technology on the Otago Peninsula. The place was (and still is) constantly glocalised. Consequently, international tourism, as one of the more recent forces, has to be managed within this historical framework of stretched social relations, the intensification of flows, increasing global interactions and the development of global infrastructure and networks.

Tuhoe is considered to be one of the last bastions of 'traditional' Maori language and culture. The main purpose of the research was to examine the mental health status of Tuhoe kaumatua (elderly). Even before the research was undertaken anecdotal evidence indicated that a significant feature of the Tuhoe aging population was the apparent absence of mental health problems. Kaumatua are however particularly susceptible to physical diseases that afflict modern Maori, regardless of geography or tribal origin. To explore the health status of Tuhoe kaumatua, the study needed to take into account external cultural influences and, in particular, the colonial experience. This justifies a comprehensive theoretical approach that includes European philosophical influences which, it will be argued, have impacted on Maori lifeways. Notwithstanding, the study draws principally on Maori conceptualisations of the world, mainly because kaumatua mental wellness was considered to be inextricable to Tuhoe language and culture. The research attempted to isolate those factors that sustain kaumatua mental wellness. In determining the causal factors of wellness it soon became apparent that the practice of traditional Maori healing, embedded in ancient esoteric knowledge, was of considerable significance. This feature is apparent from the outset. The opening karakia of the Tuhoe tohunga (specialist/healer), Hohepa Kereopa invokes ancient Maori atua (Gods) and endows the work with an aura of spiritual protection. He has stipulated that both the karakia (prayer) and mihi (greeting) remain in Maori (Tuhoe dialect) because he believes that the essence of these rituals are best preserved in the Maori language. Throughout this entire body of work Hohepa Kereopa maintains a discernible and enduring presence.

The replacement of the Meat Act 1981 by the Animal Products Act 1999 opened a new era for food safety management in New Zealand. Administering food legislation is now the sole responsibility of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority instead of being shared between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of Health as previously. At the core of the legislative change is the requirement for Risk Management Programmes (RMP). Every single animal primary processing business is required to have an RMP for each type of product. An RMP is required to embrace the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP). While there have been some studies considering the implementation of HACCP in food businesses worldwide, there has not been any study focusing on HACCP adoption in New Zealand. The mandating of RMP has also made the implementation process more complex. On the other hand, it also brings new experience in terms of food safety management. This thesis examines the implementation process of HACCP/RMP in New Zealand. It also explores the interaction between food safety management and international competitiveness through an economic analysis of the impacts of the program on a New Zealand food processing industry. The meat industry was chosen as a case study as it is one of the first industries that had to comply with the first deadline of the implementation (July 2003). Also, being a significant export-oriented industry of New Zealand, the meat industry provides an ideal case for the purpose of this study. The thesis consists of four parts. Part I presents an introduction to the study including a review of international and national food safety issues, the relationship between food safety and trade and international competitiveness, and the HACCP economic literature. This background helps to shape the research objectives and methodology as described in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 discusses the design of the survey to collect plant experience regarding the implementation of HACCP/RMP in New Zealand. Part II analyses the experiences within the New Zealand meat industry regarding the implementation of HACCP/RMP. It discusses plant motivations to adopt the program and the implementation issues they are facing. Plant observations on the costs and benefits of the implementation are reported. Further, data gathered from the survey are used in a non-parametric analysis of the influences of the plant characteristics on the HACCP/RMP implementation process. The analysis provides implications for HACCP/RMP policy design. Part III presents the modelling techniques to quantify the costs and benefits of HACCP/RMP implementation. In Chapter 8, a quality-adjusted cost function is used to estimate the change in variable cost of production due to HACCP/RMP. It shows that this type of cost can make up a significant proportion of the total implementation cost. In Chapter 9, an export model is employed to analyse the impact of HACCP/RMP on meat industry export performance. The results show that the programme can bring a positive impact on exports. However, the magnitude of the impact depends on the status of existing food safety management before HACCP/RMP implementation. In Chapter 10, the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model is used to simulate the scenarios where market accesses to significant export destinations are lost when HACCP/RMP is not adopted. The estimated costs of these losses signal the potential benefits of HACCP/RMP. The research results show that HACCP/RMP can deliver a net benefit to the New Zealand meat industry. The thesis concludes with implications for policy design and future research directions. It signifies that the research findings, in addition to reporting an investigation into HACCP/RMP implementation process in New Zealand, provide an important foundation for future research on food safety and international competitiveness.

This thesis synthesises theoretical and empirical knowledge from four strands of the innovation literature and then uses this knowledge to develop a framework for analysing the determinants of innovation. The framework is tested on one part of the New Zealand economy - the biotechnology sector - an area of rapid technological change where innovation is of particular significance. Theoretical approaches to the economics of innovation and technological change are reviewed with particular reference to the neo-classical, endogenous growth, evolutionary and systems of innovation approaches. Alternative methods of measuring innovation output and innovation rate are also discussed. This is followed by a series of hypotheses regarding the determinants of innovation and a review of their place in the innovation literature. The thesis includes a detailed description of the New Zealand biotechnology sector based on a re-analysis of the first comprehensive (1998/99) survey of biotechnology in New Zealand, data from an original (2002) survey conducted by the author, data from interviews with senior management in a sample of biotechnology firms and a detailed review of secondary sources. This material is used in chapter 5 to address the question 'Does New Zealand have an innovation system for biotechnology?' Count data regression models and data from the 1998/99 and 2002 surveys are then used to test the framework's innovation hypotheses. Hypothesis testing focuses on the effects of several determinants (firm size, firm type, conduct of R, involvement in modern biotechnology, specialisation, and alliances) on innovation output and the innovation rate. Results relating to the effect of demand, technological opportunity and appropriability are also reported. The analysis in this thesis confirms the importance of most of the innovation determinants included in the framework. It also provides a detailed examination of the biotechnology sector and empirical insights into the innovation behaviour of biotech enterprises in New Zealand. Prior to the analysis in this thesis, knowledge of the sector's parameters was very limited or absent.

The 1998 television broadcast of The New Zealand Wars documentary series was a significant public event, which had a major impact on a broad range of communities and individuals in Aotearoa New Zealand. This popular television history engaged with issues of historical veracity, race, culture and nationhood and challenged previously dominant discourses associated with these concepts. In doing so, it provoked heated debate, and a re-imagining of 'nation', and also opened up spaces for alternative ways of engaging with historical narrative. Informed by post-colonialism, cultural studies and cultural memory, this thesis explores the discursive and affective role of The New Zealand Wars, as it has operated within the turbulent climate of 1990s New Zealand cultural relations. This catalytic function is described in this thesis as a phenomenon of a television series shaped by, whilst also intervening in, processes of cultural colonisation and decolonisation. While both of these processes involve the transmission of discourse via cultural forms, the act of cultural decolonisation requires, in addition, the convergence of a number of agents (people and communities, discursive and memory resources) and circumstances, within particular contextual conditions. Such a convergence provided the conditions for the discursive synthesis, which shaped the production, construction and reception of this series. The role of audio-visual media (and specifically television documentary) in transmitting cultural memory is significant as it enables the flow of memory through channels or forms (such as visual, oral and aural traditions) that can bring about new perspectives and critical reflections upon colonial discourse and dominant concepts of nation and culture. In addition to these social and intellectual processes of audience engagement, this thesis argues that experiential and affective dimensions of cultural memory can (in these specific circumstances) open up radical spaces, offering the potential for generating awareness and sparking political action. These issues are explored through a tripartite analysis of the production context, construction and reception of The New Zealand Wars series. The integration of these three phases of analysis has generated a number of insights into the potential of audio-visual forms, including their producers and audiences, to participate in the negotiation of, and resistance to, colonial discourse. Such insights serve to challenge taken-for-granted constructions of nation and history, and suggest the increasing relevance of alternative concepts such as community-building and cultural memory. Ultimately, this thesis argues that television documentary can serve as a prime site for the articulation of these concepts. The New Zealand Wars serves as a case study, which demonstrates both the potential of this site, and the significance of the social-historical and cultural context in framing this series.

This thesis explores the relationship between journalism as a specific type of socio-cultural practice and the production of meaning in public discussion. Through a case study of newspaper coverage of the issue of genetic engineering in New Zealand (2001-2002), it specifically examines journalists' newsgathering methods, their use of sources and their story-telling frames, and analyses how the news media uses the norm of objectivity to shape public debate on contentious issues. The study argues that elements and structures of journalistic practice both determine a newspaper's ability to address events and issues in a meaningful way and define a newspaper's potential to create a space for public debate. Drawing on field theory, discourse studies and the sociology of journalism, the thesis develops a new operational framework for investigation of journalistic practice by looking at the ideal of objectivity as a method of news gathering, an account of representing reality, and an attitude towards the reality so constructed. This framework is applied in the case study of newspaper coverage of the GE issue where four components of journalistic practice are analysed: journalistic form, transparency of newsgathering, sources and frame. Using content analysis, discourse analysis, interviews and a survey, the thesis explores the relationship between journalistic norms around these elements of the practice and the discursive potential of the news text to represent, interpret and construct reality. The findings of this study highlight the tension between outmoded forms of practice and the complexity of issues in the public domain. The analysis reveals how the norm of objectivity, originally developed as a shield for the defence of the autonomy of the profession to mediate reality, became, in the case of media coverage of genetic engineering, an obstacle in extending journalism's potential to contribute to public debate. As a method, objectivity failed to provide a set of transparent protocols for the representation of the issue in the public arena; as an account, it reflected the impossibility of separating 'facts' from 'views' and positions of detachment from those of partisanship; and as an attitude, objectivity was endangered by the increasing power of economic imperatives in the production of news. Following this analysis, the thesis explores the influence of journalistic norms on public debate by looking at journalism as a text, as a discursive practice and as a field of cultural production. The GE issue, constructed in the New Zealand press as a key component of the 'knowledge economy', drew attention to the dynamics between the economic imperatives and professional standards of the journalistic field. The objectivity norm was reduced in news reports to reporting 'what people say' rather than what the issue or argument meant, which led to a simplification of the genetic engineering issue in the public domain. The study concludes with the call for a re-examination of the journalistic field in light of the press's incapacity to challenge the status quo and map the social world for its readers.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the drivers and dynamics of credit losses in Australasian banking over an extended period of time in order to improve the means by which financial institutions manage their credit risks and regulatory bodies safeguard the stability and integrity of the financial system. The analysis is based on a specially constructed data base of credit loss and provisioning data retrieved from original financial reports published by Australian and New Zealand banks. The observation period covers 1980 to 2005, starting at the time when such information was published for the first time in bank financial statements. It moreover covers the time of major crises which occurred in both Australia and New Zealand in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The heterogeneity of reporting the data both amongst banks and through time requires the development of a reporting typology which allows data extraction with equivalent informational content. As a thorough study of credit risks requires long data series often not available from third party data providers, the method developed here will provide value to a range of researchers. Based on an evaluation of many alternative proxies which track a bank's credit loss experience (CLE), the thesis proposes a preferred model for impaired assets expense (as % of loans) as dependent variable, mainly because of its timely nature and good data availability. Explanatory variables include aggregate macro variables of which changes in unemployment and the return in the share markets are found to have the most significant influence on a bank's credit losses. Bank-specific control variables include a pre-provision earnings proxy whose significance points to the use of provisions for the purpose of income smoothing by Australasian banks. The model also controls for size and nature of lending as smaller, retail-oriented housing lenders, on average, exhibit lower loan losses. Clear results are found with regard to the effect of rapid expansion which appears to be followed by a surge of bad debt provisions 2 to 3 years later. Moreover, inefficient banks tend to suffer greater credit losses. An important part of the thesis looks at the characteristics of alternative CLE proxies such as stock of provisions, impaired assets and write-offs which have been used by earlier literature. Estimating the preferred model with such alternative CLE parameters confirms their peculiarities such as the memory character of stock of provisions and the delayed nature of write-offs. These measures correlate rather poorly amongst themselves which calls for caution in the comparative interpretation of earlier studies that use differing CLE proxies.

Abstract This thesis examines the progress of pupils through New Zealand schools in the last two decades of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth century. The purpose of this study was to apply demographic techniques to primary historical education data to enable the progress of pupils to be quantified and to allow comparisons to be made among different Education Districts and longitudinally over a period of some three decades. The present work applies demographic methods using cohort and period analyses to overcome difficulties in direct comparisons of historical education data because of differences in population structure and differing examination pass rates in various Education Districts. This approach allows the determination of retention rates of pupils both by age and by level from Standard 4 to Standard 6 using primary data from the nineteenth century. In addition, gender differences in retention by age are analysed from the 1880s to the end of the first decade of the twentieth century. Previous published work considered school attendance only in general terms and usually on a national basis, but generally without analysing specific educational data on gender differences. Studies prior to the present work have suggested that in the nineteenth century Education Districts differed in school enrolments (Hodder, 1996) and it is thus likely that there were differences in school retention of pupils between various Education Districts. Pilot research to the present work developed demographic methods for studying retention of pupil populations allowing for changes in the number and structure of the pupils populations over time (Hodder, 2005). These pilot methods are applied in the present research to study pupil retention in all thirteen Education Districts over the approximately 30 years from the 1880s. In addition to age and level cohorts, gender differences are analysed. Direct comparisons among all Education Districts and over time are now possible. This study has used a novel approach to the analysis of historical education data. The results enable comparisons to be made among all thirteen Education Districts and across several decades; such comparisons have not previously been possible and will facilitate future research on the possible factors affecting pupil retention particularly in relation to employment opportunities for school leavers and differences according to gender. __________ Hodder, C. (1996). Cambridge District High School and its community, 1880 - 1888. Unpublished Master of Arts thesis, Department of Education Studies, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Hodder, C. (2005). Old data, new methods: the use of demographic methods to study historical education data. Unpublished Directed Study, Department of Societies and Cultures, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.

This study looks at the roles of kaum tua and investigates how these roles have changed over time. With the ageing Māori population and the reported importance of kaum tua roles in the wellbeing of Māori communities, the findings of this study provide an insight into the possible future direction of these roles. The study was conducted with the assistance of members of one hapu (N=47) that were 65 years of age and over. The study was by interview, utilising a semi-structured questionnaire with both open ended and closed questions. Narratives from participants was analysed and compared to the roles of kaum tua that were found in the literature, namely; Leadership, cultural knowledge, dispute resolution, protection and nurturing of young, provide spiritual and other guidance, social control, provide rituals, preserve te reo Māori and live active and healthy lives. Findings of this research supported the roles found in the literature. The roles of kaum tua still exist but may have diminished over time. The change in roles is in the adaptation to meet the needs of the time period while maintaining the core values of each role and providing a continuation of practices.