New Zealand’s 2020 General Election campaign was unusual, though not unprecedented, in featuring ... more New Zealand’s 2020 General Election campaign was unusual, though not unprecedented, in featuring women as both Prime Minister (Jacinda Ardern, Labour) and Leader of the Opposition (Judith Collins, National). To explore the extent to which gender, party and style intersected in their social media positioning, we analysed all posts made on the two Party Leaders’ public Facebook pages. We found both quantitative (post frequency and composition, main topic and policy issues, audience reactions) and qualitative differences (tone, presentational style) but importantly, our research suggests that neither woman ‘performed’ gender in normatively stereotypical ways.
Book review of: Peace, Power & Politics: How New Zealand Became Nuclear Free, by Maire Leadbeater... more Book review of: Peace, Power & Politics: How New Zealand Became Nuclear Free, by Maire Leadbeater. Dunedin: Otago University Press, 2013, 344pp. , ISBN 9781877578588Journalism's focus on major political figures and high level negotiations leaves the more diffuse activities of grassroots politics in the shadows. So it is refreshing to see a well-researched book unapologetically placing civic groups at centre-stage. Marie Leadbeater’s thorough chronology of the last 40 years of New Zealand’s peace movement and the fight for a nuclear-free country fills some gaps in our knowledge about the mechanics of ‘people power’. It’s an insider’s view. Leadbeater, daughter of feminist and peace campaigner Elsie Locke, says activism is in her genes. She was secretary and then spokeperson for Auckland’s Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, closely involved with the nuclear free protests of the 1970s and 1980s and still demonstrating at Waihopai’s satellite communication monitoring station in 2013.
This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy in Wanganui and Districts, fo... more This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy in Wanganui and Districts, following in-depth, one-to-one interviews with participants in adult literacy training courses, among others. For participants in adult literacy learning, health and physical elements in their lives were shown to be important barriers. When barriers were grouped, issues with individuals' schooling were predominant in people not achieving their literacy goals, along with problems associated with goal orientation. Non-participants identified many similar barriers. Perceived conduits to literacy provide insights into ways in which adult literacy policy and funding may be better targeted.
According to Malaysian Computer Emergency Response Team (MyCERT) the number of forgery incidents ... more According to Malaysian Computer Emergency Response Team (MyCERT) the number of forgery incidents especially phishing cases in Malaysia had enormously increased. This social engineering act which tricks someone into giving their confidential information is becoming a major threat in securing a person private identity. Therefore, this paper will discuss the challenges and impacts of phishing in Malaysia. A survey is done to analyze the respondents' opinions towards phishing issues, how the phishing affected ...
This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy as determined from interviews... more This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy as determined from interviews with participants in adult literacy training courses. It also explores barriers to participation in such courses by including interviews with those not taking part in such.
This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy as determined from interviews... more This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy as determined from interviews with participants in adult literacy training courses. It also explores barriers to participation in such courses by including interviews with those not taking part in such.
This research project is funded jointly by the Ministry of Health and the Health Research Council... more This research project is funded jointly by the Ministry of Health and the Health Research Council of New Zealand (Grant number: 08/603). Ethical approval for the project was granted by the Lower South Regional Health and Disability Ethics Committee (Ethics Identifier: LRS 08/09/043). The study investigates the impact that simplified immunisation communication resources (specifically simplified wording and image use) have on delivering key immunisation information to those making decisions about whether they will ...
Local newspapers play an important role in the democratic process but they are under threat in a ... more Local newspapers play an important role in the democratic process but they are under threat in a rapidly changing media landscape. This study examines the locally produced Election 2014 coverage of two different newspapers in New Zealand: the Otago Daily Times, a metropolitan daily with a strong emphasis on regional coverage; and the provincial daily Manawatu Standard. Content analysis shows some similarities between the publications (broadly similar story size and authorship patterns) and some of the differences (number of stories and amount of coverage) accounted for by circulation. However, the two newspapers also enacted ‘localness’ in diverse ways. Nearly 80% of election stories produced by Manawatu Standard staff had a city or regional focus, a finding consistent with 2011 election data. In contrast, befitting its metropolitan status, the overwhelming bulk of Otago Daily Times’ election coverage was nationally focused, produced by its Wellington-based political reporter. However, despite its long-established commitment to Otago, more local staff and bigger news-hole, it produced considerably fewer election stories with a city or regional focus than the Standard. We consider the possible impact of other influencers on local election coverage, such as the newsworthiness of electorate races and competing regional stories, but conclude that despite its purported importance, local political news continues to occupy a tenuous position in the modern newsroom.
Introduction---*" _,':'Since the mid-1930s New ilealand governments of both left a... more Introduction---*" _,':'Since the mid-1930s New ilealand governments of both left and right wing persuasion {Labour and National} have fostered ideologically-driven changes to a wide range of public servioes, including health. In the late 1980s the Gibbs report [1933] on the provision of health services identified the need for greater accountability in health management and drew attention to the importance of being able to meet shifts in health needs and preferences and in reallocating resources according to changing demand ...
New Zealand’s 2020 General Election campaign was unusual, though not unprecedented, in featuring ... more New Zealand’s 2020 General Election campaign was unusual, though not unprecedented, in featuring women as both Prime Minister (Jacinda Ardern, Labour) and Leader of the Opposition (Judith Collins, National). To explore the extent to which gender, party and style intersected in their social media positioning, we analysed all posts made on the two Party Leaders’ public Facebook pages. We found both quantitative (post frequency and composition, main topic and policy issues, audience reactions) and qualitative differences (tone, presentational style) but importantly, our research suggests that neither woman ‘performed’ gender in normatively stereotypical ways.
Book review of: Peace, Power & Politics: How New Zealand Became Nuclear Free, by Maire Leadbeater... more Book review of: Peace, Power & Politics: How New Zealand Became Nuclear Free, by Maire Leadbeater. Dunedin: Otago University Press, 2013, 344pp. , ISBN 9781877578588Journalism's focus on major political figures and high level negotiations leaves the more diffuse activities of grassroots politics in the shadows. So it is refreshing to see a well-researched book unapologetically placing civic groups at centre-stage. Marie Leadbeater’s thorough chronology of the last 40 years of New Zealand’s peace movement and the fight for a nuclear-free country fills some gaps in our knowledge about the mechanics of ‘people power’. It’s an insider’s view. Leadbeater, daughter of feminist and peace campaigner Elsie Locke, says activism is in her genes. She was secretary and then spokeperson for Auckland’s Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, closely involved with the nuclear free protests of the 1970s and 1980s and still demonstrating at Waihopai’s satellite communication monitoring station in 2013.
This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy in Wanganui and Districts, fo... more This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy in Wanganui and Districts, following in-depth, one-to-one interviews with participants in adult literacy training courses, among others. For participants in adult literacy learning, health and physical elements in their lives were shown to be important barriers. When barriers were grouped, issues with individuals' schooling were predominant in people not achieving their literacy goals, along with problems associated with goal orientation. Non-participants identified many similar barriers. Perceived conduits to literacy provide insights into ways in which adult literacy policy and funding may be better targeted.
According to Malaysian Computer Emergency Response Team (MyCERT) the number of forgery incidents ... more According to Malaysian Computer Emergency Response Team (MyCERT) the number of forgery incidents especially phishing cases in Malaysia had enormously increased. This social engineering act which tricks someone into giving their confidential information is becoming a major threat in securing a person private identity. Therefore, this paper will discuss the challenges and impacts of phishing in Malaysia. A survey is done to analyze the respondents' opinions towards phishing issues, how the phishing affected ...
This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy as determined from interviews... more This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy as determined from interviews with participants in adult literacy training courses. It also explores barriers to participation in such courses by including interviews with those not taking part in such.
This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy as determined from interviews... more This discussion paper explores perceived barriers to adult literacy as determined from interviews with participants in adult literacy training courses. It also explores barriers to participation in such courses by including interviews with those not taking part in such.
This research project is funded jointly by the Ministry of Health and the Health Research Council... more This research project is funded jointly by the Ministry of Health and the Health Research Council of New Zealand (Grant number: 08/603). Ethical approval for the project was granted by the Lower South Regional Health and Disability Ethics Committee (Ethics Identifier: LRS 08/09/043). The study investigates the impact that simplified immunisation communication resources (specifically simplified wording and image use) have on delivering key immunisation information to those making decisions about whether they will ...
Local newspapers play an important role in the democratic process but they are under threat in a ... more Local newspapers play an important role in the democratic process but they are under threat in a rapidly changing media landscape. This study examines the locally produced Election 2014 coverage of two different newspapers in New Zealand: the Otago Daily Times, a metropolitan daily with a strong emphasis on regional coverage; and the provincial daily Manawatu Standard. Content analysis shows some similarities between the publications (broadly similar story size and authorship patterns) and some of the differences (number of stories and amount of coverage) accounted for by circulation. However, the two newspapers also enacted ‘localness’ in diverse ways. Nearly 80% of election stories produced by Manawatu Standard staff had a city or regional focus, a finding consistent with 2011 election data. In contrast, befitting its metropolitan status, the overwhelming bulk of Otago Daily Times’ election coverage was nationally focused, produced by its Wellington-based political reporter. However, despite its long-established commitment to Otago, more local staff and bigger news-hole, it produced considerably fewer election stories with a city or regional focus than the Standard. We consider the possible impact of other influencers on local election coverage, such as the newsworthiness of electorate races and competing regional stories, but conclude that despite its purported importance, local political news continues to occupy a tenuous position in the modern newsroom.
Introduction---*" _,':'Since the mid-1930s New ilealand governments of both left a... more Introduction---*" _,':'Since the mid-1930s New ilealand governments of both left and right wing persuasion {Labour and National} have fostered ideologically-driven changes to a wide range of public servioes, including health. In the late 1980s the Gibbs report [1933] on the provision of health services identified the need for greater accountability in health management and drew attention to the importance of being able to meet shifts in health needs and preferences and in reallocating resources according to changing demand ...
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Papers by Margie Comrie