Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Filters

2023 - 20242

Settings

Has files: NoSubject: search.filters.subject.Government policy

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The future of automated mobilities transition in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 15 October 2026.
    (Massey University, 2024-06-14) Shammut, Moayad
    Automated vehicles (AVs) have been commonly regarded as disruptive technologies of the future with multifaceted implications for cities, economies, and people’s mobilities. However, fundamental to exploiting any benefit from AVs, is the issue of complexity in transitioning towards safer AVs in the future. This research aims to fill this gap in literature and explore the complexity of safer AVs transition in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). This research develops a theoretical framework based on the mobilities approach. The mobilities approach explains a wide array of economic, social, political practices and infrastructures that all involve various kinds of movement of people, information, or objects. This framework conceptualises AVs transition through three dimensions of mobilities. First, social mobilities explores how social meanings influence AVs transition. Second, governance mobilities explores how political-institutional factors influence AVs transition. Third, smart mobilities covers how technology risk and readiness influence AVs transition. This research used a qualitative approach by applying the case study of NZ. Data were collected through interviews with government officials and the AVs telecommunication industry, critically reviewing policy and planning documents as well as analysing social media. Firstly, social mobilities involved investigating how safety perceptions, feelings, and cultural practices of society influence AVs adoption. The content analysis of Facebook posts highlighted diversified social meanings for AVs safety, freedom, control and (un)employment that influence AVs adoption. This research found new evidence that developing trust in AVs is influenced by the reputation and achievements of both regulators and developers of technology. The informal driving style of NZ locals requires ‘remarkable competence’ from AVs to negotiate the road safely. NZ society tends to be inclined towards accepting lower-level AVs to maintain the ‘driving pleasure’, and to allow taking vehicle control during safety-critical scenarios. Secondly, governance mobilities involved investigating how political leadership, institutional capacity, and policy discourses steer AVs transition on the basis of their safety. The discourse and thematic analysis of government policy documents and interviews with government officials, revealed how different NZ governments steer AVs policy direction according to their political priorities. This research highlights the complexity of governing AVs due to the involvement of various government organisations with different hierarchical levels, fragmented responsibilities, high interdependencies and conflicting priorities. A strong political leadership coupled with investments for AVs could catalyse a smooth AVs transition. Thirdly, smart mobilities involved focussing on how infrastructure development, hardware, and software influence safe AVs uptake in the future. A focus group discussion and interviews with the AVs industry revealed the necessity for AVs to operate without significant interaction with other road users due to safety risks concerning object classification, GPS positioning, connectivity, and cybersecurity. Findings revealed various potential scenarios for surveillance and exploitation of AV users’ privacy including tracking their mobility habits and data monetisation. NZ roading network requires considerable adjustments to existing (physical and digital) infrastructure. Future infrastructure development may help ease introducing AVs in NZ, especially through developing collaboration between and across tech-industry and the government, to ensure safer uptake of AVs in the future. This research finds that achieving driving autonomy is complex. Transitioning towards safe AVs is dependent on a multitude of different types of factors including social meanings and practices, institutional cultures and norms, strategic visions, political leadership, various public and private sector organisations, technology readiness and enabling infrastructure, as well as influential pioneering actors. This research challenges the traditional technical rhetoric that assumes AVs capable to be deployed ‘everywhere’ and ‘under all conditions’, and rather argues for greater understanding of the complexity of real-life regulatory and urban environments within a specific country context. This research concludes that a successful transition towards safer automated mobility systems will require a holistic understanding of the complexities and interrelationships among the three ‘mobilities’ dimensions, which (each and collectively) significantly influence AVs transition in the future. All in all, the use of the mobilities paradigm in this thesis has been valuable in terms of revealing how the transition towards safer AVs is complex, entangled, heterogenous, and cannot be understood in silos. Existing research on AVs falls short in terms of capturing the complexity of AVs transition from these collective perspectives, hence the contribution of this research to the field. This overall thesis contributes to planning practice in terms of providing insights into a future-focused, long-term, strategic planning for the transition of AVs in NZ. Crucially, this thesis highly recommends the flexibility and openness of planners as AVs transition will occur outside the extant planning processes.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Investigating the New Zealand policy response to residential methamphetamine contamination : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health, SHORE & Whāriki Research Centre, College of Health, Massey University, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until further notice.
    (Massey University, 2023) Sanchez Lozano, Claudia Denisse
    Introduction: Methamphetamine use and manufacture has been an on-going issue in New Zealand since the early 2000s. Clandestine manufacture of methamphetamine is associated with hazardous chemicals that contaminate the area in which this activity occurs, with potential health harms to occupants of these structures. From 2010, a set of policies addressing methamphetamine contamination of housing were implemented in the residential sector to determine whether a property is contaminated and the appropriate response. In 2018, a scientific review prompted a dramatic change in the recommended contamination thresholds and related policies, particularly those of Housing New Zealand. This PhD thesis aims to investigate and critically evaluate the policy process and change in approach to residential methamphetamine contamination in New Zealand. Methods: This research applied a qualitative approach to case study research. The methods used included analysis of local and overseas literature, official reports, guidelines, and policy documents, analysis of legal decisions, comparative case study analysis, and qualitative interviews of stakeholders and key experts. More specifically, thematic and content analyses of legal decisions addressing methamphetamine contamination in housing before (N = 685) and after the change in approach (N = 195) were completed. A comparative analysis of the policy responses and outcomes for public housing authorities in the United States and New Zealand was also conducted. In addition, a thematic analysis was carried out on the transcripts from semi-structured interviews with 13 New Zealand key informants (KI) from government, industry, the residential and academic sectors. Results: A range of unintended consequences from residential methamphetamine contamination policies were observed, including termination of tenancies and substantial financial expenditure on testing and remediation. Tenants were particularly disadvantaged by the policies, with public housing tenants facing additional consequences including their suspension from the public housing list. Stakeholders highlighted the need for additional guidance and industry regulation. Inconsistencies in the adoption and interpretation of policies were observed across the residential sector, particularly in the analysis of Tenancy Tribunal decisions. The US public housing authority shared many similarities in policy response and outcomes to Housing New Zealand, starting with a zero-tolerance to eventually moving to a harm reduction approach. Conclusions: Limited scientific evidence of the health risks from methamphetamine contamination in houses enhanced the influence of the political context and fundamental attitudes to drug use in the development and implementation of these policies in New Zealand. Additional guidance is required and it should balance scientific uncertainties with the outcomes of policy implementation. Evaluation of future interventions is needed to avoid further unintended consequences.