Open Journal Systems at the Victoria University of Wellington Library
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Drain the Swamp to Save the Swamp: mitigating capture in environmental regulatory systems
Full text linkRegulatory capture undermines the integrity and effectiveness of environmental regulatory systems by allowing the power of vestedinterests to undermine the public interest in nature (i.e., humanity’s collective interest in a healthy and sustainable biosphere). Mitigating the capture of environmental regulatory systems necessitates a deliberate rebalancing of the power of different actors within a democratic context to reduce the typical dominance of vested interests. This rebalancing must address both the narrative framing and direct capture actions of vested interests (Ulucanlar et al., 2023). Cumulatively, the mitigation strategies we propose (promoting evidence-based policy, rigorous analysis, transparency and supporting public interest advocacy) will support that rebalancing
Interesting Times: Some New Zealanders in Republican China.
Full text linkChris Elder’s latest book is a fascinating, engaging and well-written account telling the stories of some of the many New Zealanders in Republican China, the period from the end of the imperial dynasty (1912) to the beginning of the People’s Republic of China (1949). Elder writes with sympathy, humour and knowledge in this excellent book
Edith Collier: Early New Zealand Modernist.
Full text linkEdith Collier: Early New Zealand Modernist is a new substantial publication by Massey University Press 2024 funded by Creative New Zealand, Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui and the Edith Collier Trust. The publication was shortlisted for the 2025 Ockham Book Awards and builds on two previous publications on Collier’s work, Edith Collier in Retrospect (1980) and Joanne Drayton’s Edith Collier: Her Life and Work, 1885-1964 (1999).
 
Building Evaluation Expertise in a Government Agency Context in Aotearoa New Zealand
Full text linkThe Education Review Office is the external education evaluation agency for schools and early childhood education services in Aotearoa New Zealand. Shifts from an accountability to an improvement-oriented evaluation approach have increased the professional expectations of, and knowledge and expertise required by, external evaluators. This article describes the design and development of two frameworks, Capabilities for High Quality Education Evaluation in Aotearoa New Zealand and External Education Evaluation in Aotearoa New Zealand: Principles of Practice for review officers working in a public sector context. The article also explores the early implementation of the frameworks and concludes that an ongoing focus on the professionalisation and primacy of evaluation practice that focuses on what makes the most difference for learners is critical in addressing educational challenges
Proof Invariance: Embedding Hyperformalism in Justifications
No full textWe explore depth substitution invariance, or hyperformalism, and extend known results in this realm to justification logics extending weak relevant logics. We then examine the surprising invariance of justifications over formulas and restrict our attention to the substitution of proofs in the original relevant logic. The results of this paper indicate that depth invariance is a recalcitrant feature of the logic and that proof structures in hyperformal logics are quite inflexible
‘They Never Even Thought About Me’: Loneliness, Tanhai and Empathic Dissonance in the Lives of Never-Married Muslim Pakistani Women
Full text linkFor never-married women resident in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, the tendency is for their life-stages, needs and desires to be cultivated under the care of their natal families. These women are not physically isolated; neither do they consider the relationships with their natal families as meaningless. However, proclamations of tanhai – a situated form of loneliness – are still evident in their narratives. What does it mean to undergo tanhai while still remaining embedded in the everyday relationships within one’s natal household? Based on 10 months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted with 23 never-married female Pakistani Muslims in Rawalpindi, and through a phenomenological approach, I proclaim tanhai to be a form of subjective affliction. Moral breakdowns within the web of kin relations contribute to differential forms of temporal striving among individual family members, leading to intersubjective empathic dissonance. For upper middle-class never-married women, this dissonance contributes to temporal manifestations of emotional introspection on existing intersubjective dynamics, leading to tanhai
The Privilege of Refusal: A sex-worker’s reflection
Full text linkIn this short reflection essay, I examine the conditions that enabled my acts of refusal as a sex worker and activist in Aotearoa New Zealand. Drawing on lived experience and critical reflection across a decade of sex work and activism, I argue that acts of refusal are a privilege that can challenge and transform perceptions of marginalised communities. The privilege of refusal is both deeply personal and inherently collective. My individual acts of refusal — refusing the victim/agent binary, refusing to be hidden, refusing to be isolated, and refusing singular identities — have been enabled by structural privileges, and created ripple effects extending beyond my own experiences. Through this piece, I exercise the privilege of speaking from within rather than being spoken about, working toward a future where such refusals become less necessary
Managed iwi investment schemes: an exploratory study on retirement
Full text linkManaged iwi investment schemes and iwi savings schemes represent targeted financial initiatives established to enhance the economic security, autonomy and collective wellbeing of iwi members. These schemes are designed to address the unique needs of whänau (iwi-affiliated families), emphasising the need to save for significant life events such as tertiary education, home ownership and retirement. Despite their growing relevance, there remains a paucity of research concerning these schemes. In response, Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission commissioned Ihi Research to conduct an exploratory study aimed at understanding the current landscape of iwi savings schemes. This article presents two case studies: the Ngāi Tahu Whai Rawa managed iwi investment scheme and the Ka Uruora WhänauSaver savings scheme. Key learnings emerged from the data that can inform the establishment and strengthening of future schemes. Successful schemes are grounded in iwi aspirations and development strategies, supporting financial wellbeing, tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) and cultural connection. Holistic support, including financial education and kanohi-ki-tekanohi (face-to-face) engagement, is essential to building confidence and trust among whānau. Early enrolment of tamariki (children) and a focus on intergenerational impacts are vital for creating long-term change. Flexibility in scheme design increases participation, although balancing immediate financial needs, such as housing, with long-term retirement savings remains a key tension. Managing partnerships with financial providers requires active stewardship to ensure iwi values are upheld, and government support for financial education remains a critical enabler.
 
Occupation and Subjective Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
Full text linkThis article investigates the relationship between occupation and wellbeing in New Zealand, using data from the New Zealand General Social Survey (NZGSS), the New Zealand Household Economic Survey (HES) and administrative records. It addresses a gap in information available to inform career decisions beyond pay and working conditions. Findings reveal that while higher incomes generally correlate with higher life satisfaction, this isn’t always the case, with some occupations reporting higher or lower life satisfaction than expected based on income alone. ‘Defence force, firefighters and police officers’, ‘teachers’, and ‘air and marine transport professionals’ all have an average level of life satisfaction that is well above what might be expected based on their incomes. By contrast, while ‘legal professionals’ (lawyers) have the second highest average income in the dataset, their life satisfaction is below average and well below what might be expected based on their income. This information on the relationship between occupation and wellbeing can aid career decision making, as well as help to identify occupations needing support to improve worker wellbeing
From Disaster Response to Anticipatory Governance: why Aotearoa New Zealand’s long-term resilience thinking must address global catastrophic risk and systemic vulnerabilities
Full text linkThe Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s 2025 draft briefing on long-term hazard resilience is commendable in emphasising anticipatory governance. However, it still exemplifies broader limitations in risk assessment focusing on familiar local natural hazards while excluding global catastrophic risk. We examine how current risk reduction approaches remain trapped within frameworks addressing symptoms rather than systemic forces. Effective resilience requires expanding hazard scope to include global hazards: large-scale (nuclear) conflict, large global volcanic eruptions, and bioengineered pandemics. Building resilience to these and similar risks requires recognising cascade dynamics and implementing transparent approaches to generalised resilience to ensure basic needs
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