Thesis (M.A.)--University of Canterbury, 2008. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (p. 114-122). Also available via the World Wide Web.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the economic development of Australia and New Zealand at the end of the 1980's and beginning of the 1990's and its impact on both countries' status in the Asia-Pacific region. This study consists of three chapters. The first chapter deals with the undergone microeconomic and macroeconomic reforms at the end of the 1980's and throughout the 1990's and discusses the economic situation before and after the changes. The second chapter analyses the history of and current relations between Australia, New Zealand and countries and regional groups in the Asia-Pacific region (China, Japan, South Korea, APEC, ASEAN and EAS). The chapter also pays close attention to areas that have the potential to strengthen relations and cooperation in the future. The third chapter analyses Australia's and New Zealand's relationship with the European Union and investigates possibilities of strengthening the European Union's position in the Asia-Pacific region via EU-Australia-New Zealand relations.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Canterbury, 2008. / Typescript (photocopy). "August 2008." Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-232). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Theses deals with agricultural policy of New Zealand in comparsion with the EU Common Agricultural Policy. Subject of examination is their impact on foreign trade in agricultural goods as well as impact on the farmers themselves. On the basis of the analysis of agricultural policies in New Zealand and the European Union is subsequently conducted an evaluation of both policies. The approaches in both territories are then comprehensively compared. In concclusion is outlined the possible future development.

British accession to the European Union (EU) had far reaching economic, political and social consequences for New Zealand, forcing New Zealand to transform itself from a dependent subsidiary of Britain to acting as an independent small state for the first time. Although still in its infancy, the contemporary relationship New Zealand has formed with the EU is quite different to that it first established in the 1970s. It has increasing become more institutionalised, with a slowly developing structural framework that facilitates the narrow areas of cooperation. Dominated by the important economic relationship, the main challenges faced are of an economic nature. But the relationship also encompasses areas of political and social cooperation including people-to-people links, the environment, educational linkages, mutual support for multilateral institutions and development in the Pacific. As a small state, New Zealand is expected to display certain foreign policy behaviours in its interaction with bilateral partners. Small state theory forms the theoretical framework that explains New Zealand's behaviour in its foreign policy interaction with the EU. The theory was chosen for both its perceived usefulness in explaining and understanding the foreign policy behaviour of small states and for the apparent weaknesses of the theory, which is revealed in the case study of New Zealand-EU relations. This demonstrates how the theory is useful for its explanation of small state foreign policy behaviour, but also providing an insightful revelation of the theories flaws. This thesis proposes modifications to small state theory in order to strengthen it, and make it more encompassing of the contemporary realities of small state foreign policy, demonstrating that size does matter when exercising a foreign policy.

This dissertation endeavours to address an identified gap in literature concerning the relationship between New Zealand and the European Union (EU) in the field of research, science and technology (RS&T). Examination of the partnership begins with the creation of the Science and Technological Cooperation (STC) Arrangement in 1991 and comes to a close in 2008, following the Arrangement’s ‘upgrade’ to an STC Agreement on 16 July. During this time, the intensification of the EU’s activities in RS&T is evident. The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) currently constitutes the most internationalised Programme to date. Identifying the complementary nature of New Zealand and EU research priorities thus suggests that now, more than ever, the New Zealand research community stands to gain from participation within such an inclusive venture. Aiming to assess the current status of New Zealand-EU research collaboration, the research identifies a number of recurring themes, both positive and negative, that influence the nature of the RS&T relationship. These themes focus on problems concerning visibility within the EU, geographical isolation from this important market, an absence of targeted domestic funding for New Zealand-EU RS&T collaboration and the unwieldy bureaucratic process of the Framework Programme. The research also determines the importance of both ‘official’ and ‘informal’ mechanisms’ in combating the outlined collaborative bottlenecks. Taking these themes into account, the thesis ultimately looks to provide recommendations concerning the future of New Zealand-EU engagement in this field.