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    New Zealand farmers and environmental legislation : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in AgriCommerce at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2015) Valentine, Barbara H
    Agriculture is critical to feeding the world’s ever-increasing population but in doing so it uses the planet’s natural resources. Therefore, to remain viable and safeguard our natural resources, agriculture needs to be environmentally sustainable. Governments worldwide have introduced various methods to protect the environment under farming regimes, ranging from voluntary approaches to regulation. This thesis firstly compares two methods of legislation, that of the European Union and of New Zealand. Secondly it explores the views on environmental legislation of six farmers from the lower South Island of New Zealand. The literature review covers the subjects of the natural environment with respect to agriculture, environmental legislation in the European Union and New Zealand, the decision making process of farmers, and the impacts the legislation has on farmers. The legislation comparison was embedded in a study by the European Commission Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Development to which the author contributed. The results showed that there were limited differences between the European Union and New Zealand with respect to dairy and sheep environmental compliance costs with no country studied being disadvantaged. The research for understanding the views of six farmers used a multi-case embedded exploratory method of research with qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews. The impact of environmental legislation on the farmers resulted in a number of outcomes including financial, environmental, risk to property rights, the influence of environmental groups and the public, and different interpretations and enforcement by those who administer the RMA. These outcomes affected the farmers by causing satisfaction, uncertainty and stress.
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    Landscape boundaries : an examination of the influence of environment court decisions on the practice of landscape assessment in Aotearoa/New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2012) Read, Marion
    This project sought to answer the question, what influence have Environment Court decisions had on the practice of landscape assessment? A case study was undertaken of the practice of a number of leading landscape architects particularly relating to Section 6(b) of the RMA91. This case study used qualitative research methods involving both interviews and the interpretation of documentary evidence. The study has shown that Environment Court decisions have had both a clear and extensive influence on the practice of landscape assessment. In a positive sense the level of critique to which assessments are subject to within the legal system has resulted in an increased level of thoroughness. Aspects of the legal system, particularly the adversarial nature of the Court system, were seen as having a negative influence resulting in heightened levels of disagreement. The concepts of ‘outstandingness’ and ‘naturalness’ in relation to landscape are contentious concepts within the profession and appear to have arisen from the Act, rather than from within landscape architectural theory or practice. Practitioners showed a strong reliance on previous Environment Court decisions to support their conclusions. The dominant paradigm of landscape was found to be objectivist. This locates landscape qualities and values as inherent within the landscape. An alternative paradigm is the subjectivist or cultural paradigm. This locates landscape qualities and values within the human observer. It is considered that the application of the subjectivist paradigm would allow for truly objective analyses of landscape value. The slippery nature of the concept of landscape contributes to the tensions identified within the study. The focus on outstanding natural landscapes within the RMA91 promotes a focus on landskip, landscape as space and scenery. The wider structure of the RMA91 and its requirements for consultation promote a focus on landschaft, landscape as place and polity. In addition the dominance of the objectivist paradigm of landscape within the profession results in a focus on landskip. This results in the predominance of the expert approach to landscape assessment and in tensions between experts and communities in the management of landscapes.
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    Capital market implications of resource consent information in New Zealand listed company announcements : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Finance at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2011) Wirth, Carolyn Gail; Wirth, Carolyn Gail
    This thesis investigates the capital market impact of resource consent information disclosed in New Zealand listed company announcements from 1991 to 2007. Since 1991, New Zealand environmental law has required individuals and businesses to obtain resource consent approval to use resources or undertake development activities that may have potentially adverse environmental impacts. Wide-spread criticisms of excessive delays, uncertainties and compliance costs purportedly caused by the consenting process have motivated this study of the economic implications to New Zealand listed companies of resource consent information. This study adds to the New Zealand capital market literature, employing an event study approach that allows for rigorous, empirical testing of small samples that are problematic in small economy research. The impact of environmental regulatory delay on capital market reactions to capital expenditure announcements is investigated. A measure of the expected time to gain resource consent (regulatory) approval is developed and used as an indicator of expected resource consent compliance costs. The event study results indicate positive valuation effects from project announcements when the expected time to gain resource consent approval is long. The key findings imply that by undertaking voluntary capital expenditures with high environmental compliance costs, listed companies can create strategic advantages. The results also suggest that if New Zealand legislators are able to reduce environmental regulatory delays associated with capital expenditures through further legislative changes, then the opportunity for firms to earn economic profits may be diminished. Investor access to timely, financial resource consent information is argued to be problematic, consequently further investigations consider the capital market impact of announcements to the stock exchange that disseminate information on the progress of resource consent applications. The event study results indicate that resource consent announcements are newsworthy and provide timely, valuable information to the market. Further evidence suggests that media dissemination plays an important role in the price-adjustment process for news of resource consent successes. Given the prominence of environmental compliance issues for firms, the results of this thesis underscore the importance of timely disclosures of firm environmental risk management strategies and processes through stock exchange and press releases.