"Power Geometries

Feminist contributions to the geographical literature on capitalist restructuring have tended to emphasize the importance of examining women's experiences vis-a-vis those of men. This research in progress report on the telecommunications service industry in New Zealand suggests that assuming the relative homogeneity of ‘women’ as an analytical category, then assessing the experience of women against those of men using national data, may no longer be satisfactory in a context in which production, finance and labour markets have been internationalised.     

Shaken, Not Stirred

In a remarkable and yet largely unheralded piece off legislation, the New Zealand government has reshaped national provisions for earthquake insurance. Three major sets off issues emerge from the 1993 Earthquake Commission Act and warrant detailed investigation. The A ct will encourage significant changes in patterns of regional development in New Zealand, it heralds a simultaneous globalisation and localisation of earthquake risk through the mechanism of insurance and it gives new regulatory powers to insurers in New Zealand society.     

Benefiting from the regional problem: The politics of 60 years of regional development

The New Zealand government approach to regional development and the economy more broadly has oscillated from the 1970s economic growth and investment focus to 1980s neoliberal neglect, followed by the more recent rediscovery of the regions' importance in national economies, all with tenuous outcomes. This paper explores the changing scope of regional development initiatives by successive New Zealand governments over the last 60 years to show a pattern of opportunism and neglect that suggests regional development is more aligned to electoral priorities than regional success.     

Grassland revolutions in New Zealand: Disaggregating a national story

The grassland revolution is a national story but the intensification of New Zealand pastoral agriculture was made possible by many changes in farm practice, and application varied within New Zealand. This paper identifies aggregation issues in the narrative and explores their implications for any reassessment of the revolution. Data from six counties are analysed to illustrate some of the varied experiences across New Zealand farm districts. The paper redirects attention to local‐ and farm‐scale studies as a way to investigate the significance of the diverse drivers of pastoral productivity, their timing and effects.     

Restructuring Governance of New Zealand Seaports: Geographical Impacts of Corporatisation

This study examines the rationales for and geographical outcomes of the post 1988 changes in port governance in New Zealand and their implications from a policy perspective. The study offers insights into the interrelationship between global processes and local places in the context of economic deregulation, a devolved infrastructure planning mandate and intra‐industry competitive dynamics. A trend towards port concentration consequent on globalisation has been long recognised in the international literature. In New Zealand, the trend towards port concentration can be described as selective, limited primarily to import trade while export trade is more dispersed. This new port geography is part of wider political and socio‐economic development geographies of the national and global hinterlands and forelands these ports interact with.     

Globalising New Zealand : Fonterra Co-operative Group, and shaping the future

New Zealanders have little collective vision of their position and future in a globalising world. Recent developments in New Zealand's primary sector show potential pathways to the future. We explore two claims: thinking about New Zealand is to think about the emergence of Fonterra Co-operative Group in New Zealand's globalising economy. Thinking about Fonterra is to think about New Zealand and the implications that spring from globalising activities. Fonterra is a lens to understand better the possibilities and development options and the challenges that are arising as New Zealand forges its place in a globalising world.     

New Zealand coastal system boundaries, connections and management

Abstract:    Understanding coastal boundaries, connections and drivers of landscape change is integral to effective coastal planning and management. This concept is explored here through case studies representing two very different New Zealand systems: embayed sand beaches in eastern and western open-coast settings; and mixed sand and gravel coast river-mouth lagoons. When framed within a resource and environmental management context these studies indicate that national recognition of the dynamic and interactive nature of coastal environments is a relatively new and amorphous phenomenon in New Zealand and, as such, has been ineffective in driving integrated regional management practices and sustainable coastal outcomes.     

New Zealand Census 2013: A short commentary on the role which the Census plays and the findings of the 2013 Census

This short paper aims to discuss the role and the importance of the Census in New Zealand. It also discusses some of the multitude of uses of Census data in various contexts to help us understand the demographic and socio‐economic landscape of New Zealand. Debates internationally on the nature, scale and frequency of a national Census, or even whether a Census is necessary at all, mean that we cannot take this valuable resource for granted. With this in mind, we as geographers have a wealth of data to explore and analyse that we should take full advantage of. What gets counted counts!     

Realistic Sustainability? Urban Transport Planning in Wellington,New Zealand

Urban transport systems have key roles in supporting environmental sustainability. New Zealand's transport planning arrangements are promoted as a model by agencies such as the World Bank. This paper explores the New Zealand transport planning framework using a case study of the Wellington region's strategic balancing of transport modes and projects. The paper argues that despite some positive rhetoric, concerns about the sustainability of transport planning in Wellington remain. The paper concludes by discussing the need to reassess New Zealand's national framework, and identifies some directions for reform.     

Career Migration as Personal Biography: New Zealand Case Studies

The paper is based on autobiographical details of residential mobility for a small sample of New Zealand male career professionals collected in 1981. Classified by cohort and employment sector, the information is used to examine migration in the context of personal career development. Aspects explored include age of entry to the workforce, frequency of movement, migration and career promotion, and the spatial structure of migration. Also discussed, in conclusion, is the impact on career-related migration of the surge of national economic restructuring initiated in 1984.     

Revitalising Local Economic Development-New Zealand Policy and Practice

In common with many other advanced capitalist nations, the rolling back of the state in New Zealand has seen a decline in direct state intervention in heal and regional economies. Yet since 2000 the current Labour Coalition Government has sought to promote a renaissance in economic development at local and regional scales. A survey of New Zealand territorial local authorities indicates involvement in heal economic development (LED) is a recent phenomenon involving facilitation of outside agencies which is orientated toward tourist, advisory and promotional activities. The implications of these findings for future research in an environment of ‘revitalised’ policy and practice in the New Zealand context is explored.     

Mapping crime harm and priority locations in New Zealand: A comparison of spatial analysis methods

Despite progress being advanced with spatial approaches to crime and crime control, the geography of crime harm has to date received little attention. The recent development of “Crime Harm Indices”, which weight crimes by an estimate of the relative harm they cause, offers an opportunity to improve on volume based spatial analysis approaches to identify where crime harm concentrates.This study aims to address this issue via the use of a Crime Harm Index (CHI) developed for New Zealand. By contrast to localized ‘harm-spotting’ analysis, we apply a census unit based approach to identify, at a macro level, the neighborhoods and wider communities suffering the highest crime harm in New Zealand. This approach enables harm to be viewed not only as a total Index but as a rate controlled for population and allows for the identification of census based sociodemographic factors which predict harm. Specifically, this paper compares the CHI with the New Zealand Priority Locations Index (PLI), an existing census unit based crime analysis tool which combines crime and demographic variables to identify communities vulnerable to crime and disorder issues.In this study CHI and PLI scores were calculated for Census Area Units (normally containing 3000–5000 population) across New Zealand. Bivariate correlations and a general linear model were used to determine the relationships between the CHI and PLI and additional population related variables. The CHI and PLI were weakly correlated, with population size and urban/rural categorization also accounting for CHI variance. Mapping techniques are used to illustrate outlier locations where the CHI and PLI differ widely and to identify location features which may assist in explaining CHI/PLI differences.This work exemplifies a novel geographic approach to the problem of crime harm with implications for resource allocation at national through to local levels. Wider implications for the theory and practice of crime and crime harm control are discussed, along with limitations of the study and areas for further research.     

Trans-Tasman migration: New Zealanders' explanations for their move

Abstract:  This study investigates why New Zealanders move to Australia. A survey of New Zealanders living in Australia found 'pull' factors, notably greater opportunities and better climate, were the most common reasons. While desire for change or sense of adventure was important, dissatisfaction with life in New Zealand was also a factor. Results indicated a form of transnationalism as migrants felt at home in both countries. They maintained links with New Zealand evident in support for New Zealand sporting teams, expressions of New Zealand nationality, emotional connection and regular contact with New Zealand.     

In Pursuit of Moving Targets: New Zealand Population Geography in the South Pacific

New Zealand population geographers in the South Pacific islands early focused on resource issues, especially in Fiji and the smaller island states politically linked to New Zealand. This later extended into analysis of the structure of village level economic and social development, notably in Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Fiji. These analyses contributed to a clearer understanding of the substance of development at a key turning point in the region's history - the transition to independence. Migration, or mobility, and urbanisation attracted enormous interest throughout the region, with lengthy debates ranging over migration models, urban permanence, the ideology of return and metaphors of mobility, establishing the most distinctive thrust of New Zealand research in the region. Practical research, involving censuses and consultancies, has directly contributed to development. Despite the valuable historical legacy the extent and significance of New Zealand work on the population geography of the Island Pacific has now dwindled.     

Sustainability,corporate growers,regionalisation and Pacific‐Asia links in the Tasmanian and Hawkes Bay apple industries

This paper examines the differing modes of insertion of the Australian and New Zealand apple industries into world apple markets, part of the evolving global fresh fruit complex. It is argued that the mix and behaviours of key actors in the global apple industry are realigning market links and production systems. Industry actors in Australia and New Zealand are confronting issues of quality and sustainability as a result of pressures from consumers, regulatory measures in traditional and emerging markets, and new technologies of production and distribution. Governments are laying the foundations of national, regional and industry sustainability policies. An examination of the detailed structure and adjustments of the apple industry in Hawkes Bay and Tasmania reveals considerable differences in local responses, institutions and degree of restructuring of markets. The preferences and quality control requirements of export markets are increasingly important, to the extent that cultural dimensions appear to be altering the commodification process.     

A commentary on coastal research in New Zealand universities

Abstract:    University research in coastal geomorphology, processes and management has made a major contribution to the fundamental understanding of coastal systems in New Zealand over the past 43 years. This article examines the growth in university-based coastal research since 1964 and discusses the geographical pattern and themes of this research. Data indicate a significant geographical concentration of research effort and focus on a narrow range of research themes. Underlying reasons for these characteristics of New Zealand coastal research are explored and challenges facing university based research are discussed. Such challenges can be overcome through a more coordinated research effort to realize the huge potential to undertake coastal science of national relevance and international significance.     

Placing Geographical Imagination in Film: New Zealand Filmmakers' Use of Landscape

The paper explores the role of landscape in New Zealand films. How is the New Zealand landscape imagined and revealed? What kind of landscape do filmmakers present? I argue that New Zealand filmmakers tap into specific geographical imaginations when they make films, and that this results in certain kinds of landscapes being produced. I sketch the methodology used in a survey of New Zealand films and ‘read’ a selection of opening and closing sequences and ‘generic places’ found in a selection of contemporary New Zealand films. 1 then offer some conclusions about New Zealand films, and their production, portrayal and imagining of New Zealand.     

Secondary school student perspectives on community resilience in Grey District

For a national competition supported by the New Zealand Board of Geography Teachers, secondary school students in years 10–13 were asked to identify and investigate factors that were building community resilience in their home areas, and the entries provided young people's perspectives on how well individuals, families and communities ‘bounce back’, adapt, change and become stronger following an adverse event. This article concerns the findings of students at Greymouth High School. Their entries showed that community resilience in Grey District depended on individual and collective capacity for action. The greater their involvement in community affairs and projects, the more likely individuals and families were to form networks and participate in communal activities. In Greymouth, as elsewhere in New Zealand, membership of voluntary organisations and participation in planning for, and responding to, catastrophic events has helped residents respond effectively in times of adversity and has enhanced community resilience.     

Planned Shopping Centres

Planned shopping centres affect the geographical direction of retailing and the nature of retailing in general. As major marketing outlets for national and international chains they are especially attractive to consumers. This paper examines shopping centres in New Zealand and their impact on stand alone retailers and includes a case study of the Queensgate shopping centre in Lower Hutt.     

Homelessness in Canada and New Zealand: A Comparative Perspective on Numbers and Policy Responses

This article provides a comparative perspective on homelessness in Canada and New Zealand, with a focus on three urban regions. It seeks to document homeless numbers in the chosen cities, to evaluate the utility of counting the homeless, and to identify common and divergent approaches in homelessness policy. Research involved document analysis, key informant interviews, and participant observation. Literal homelessness is found to be several orders of magnitude higher in the Canadian cities. In one of the Canadian centers, suburban homelessness is emerging as a significant phenomenon. Efforts to count the homeless allow such trends to be tentatively quantified, and inform policymaking. Policy differences between the countries are stark: Canadian cities are seeking to respond to an emergency, which may call for a radical change of approach in the form of "housing first." In New Zealand, a national program of social housing, combined with cultural factors, reduces pressure to act.