Browsing by Author "Muhammad, Imran"

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    Governance of automated mobilities transition in Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Elsevier Ltd., 2024-06) Shammut, Moayad; Muhammad, Imran
    This paper explores how political-institutional factors influence the transition towards automated vehicles (AVs) in New Zealand (NZ). Using the lens of ‘mobilities paradigm’ and analysing policy documents along with interviews data from government officials, the findings reveal the complexity of governing AVs transition due to fragmented responsibility, contested visions, and high interdependency across government agencies. The findings suggest that strong political leadership coupled with infrastructure investments and building regulators’ capability are important catalysts of change towards AVs transition in NZ. The paper concludes that the complex governance environment, and the central government action and inaction to set priority for the AVs agenda, may hinder or facilitate a smooth transition towards AVs in NZ. This paper ontributes to the mobilities paradigm by enriching our understanding of the political-institutional challenges associated with the emergence of AVs and offers illuminating policy guidance to better inform decision-making around governing the future transition towards AVs.
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    Power dynamics in environmental decision-making for large-scale infrastructure projects : the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme, New Zealand : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024) Ali, Syed Weqas
    Environmental assessment (EA) has been internationally recognised in the last three decades as an important tool for managing environmental damage from development projects and has been integrated into environmental planning and decision-making systems around the world. However, questions are increasingly raised as to whether EA is achieving its intended purpose. A major concern is the technocratic nature of EA that overlooks the socio-political influence of different actors within the process. This research explores power dynamics that enable or constrain stakeholders’ influence on the environmental assessment of infrastructure projects. Institutions shape large-scale infrastructure projects through highly complex combinations of factors that include the features of political regimes, regulatory frameworks, and the role and flow of resources. By using the theory of power, this research explores how these factors influence large-scale infrastructure projects. A theoretical framework is developed by extending the theory of power into political, technical and social power. Political power examines how institutional relationships, power and finance are influential in large-scale infrastructure projects. Technical power considers methods being used to analyse environmental problems and present solutions. Social power considers how environmental problems are perceived by the local communities affected by large-scale infrastructure projects. Taking New Zealand’s largest irrigation project, the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme (RWSS) as a case study, this research highlights how power dynamics enable and constrain stakeholders’ influence on the impact assessment and decision-making. Through in-depth analysis of relevant project documents and an online survey, the research examines the influence of political actors, technical experts and individuals. The applicant’s Assessment of Environmental Effects [the form of environmental impact assessment adopted in New Zealand in the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA)], submissions made by interested groups and individuals, the hearing transcripts and the Board of Inquiry’s report and decisions were examined to determine how environmental assessment information provided by different stakeholders was incorporated and valued in the decision-making process. First, the research discovers an increasing influence of the Minister for the Environment after ‘streamlining and stratifying’ the consent process in 2009. Therefore, large-scale infrastructures are becoming politicised in order to advance the government’s agenda. The research finds that the RMA is gradually creeping away from the principle of sustainable management towards a form of centralised planning that the Act was introduced to replace. Second, the research finds significant deficiencies in water contaminant modelling, addressing risk and uncertainty, and practicability of proposed mitigation measures. However, these deficiencies have been undervalued under a greater technocratic influence in predicting the environmental impacts of the infrastructure project. Third, the research highlights that the opportunities for the general public to participate in the decision-making for large-scale infrastructure projects are constrained due to the technical nature of the information. Overall, the research concludes that the complexity of the political, technocratic and social dynamics of power hinders the effectiveness of environmental assessment in achieving its intended goal of safeguarding the environment through informed decision-making for permitting infrastructure projects.
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    Public value creation : exploring partnerships in value capture projects in China : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Wang, Xinning
    The urban planning literature has identified a positive relationship between public transport investment and the land value of adjacent properties. In many cities worldwide, the increase in land value has been captured (called value capture (VC)) to fund public transport infrastructure and services. However, the key issue for the planning and implementation of VC is the complexity of the multiple stakeholders’ collaboration and coordination in the process, and few studies have investigated this complexity. This research aimed to fill this gap and explore how different stakeholders have worked together to plan and implement VC policies and projects in China. This research developed a theoretical framework based on public value and partnership theories. These theories provide a comprehensive strategic triangle framework to explore interdependent processes of enabling environment, operational capabilities, and goals to create public value of VC development. Based on the framework, this research proposed three types of partnerships for investigating the VC process. The political–institutional partnership analysed how government organisations and local transport agencies create an enabling political and institutional environment to take the initiative and plan for VC projects. The financial partnership focused on how local transport agencies develop partnerships with other public and private organisations to share the risks, responsibilities, and benefits of developing real estate in VC projects. The social partnership examined what role culturally sensitive communication and trust play in building relationships between local government and local communities. This research used a qualitative research approach by applying the case study method. Two Chinese VC projects, the Qianhai project in Shenzhen and the Luxiao project in Chengdu, were selected as case studies in this research. Data were collected from 55 semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders, and from policy and planning documents produced at the central, provincial, and local government levels, supplemented by enterprise reports, media information, and research papers. Firstly, the research found that stable and sustained political–institutional support is crucial to the initiation planning, and implementation of a VC project. Because of continuous political support, Shenzhen initially adopted the Hong Kong model but later developed its own model and institutional capacity for VC projects. In contrast, VC projects in Chengdu suffered as a result of uncertain political support, a fragmented planning framework, an insufficient land exchange market, and a lack of experience and knowledge of VC projects. Both case studies showed that creating a partnership between local government and local transport agency is vital for mobilising land resources, sharing planning power, and generating institutional innovation in land transactions. Secondly, the research illustrated that a financial partnership between local transport agencies and developers is fundamental for implementing VC projects. In Shenzhen, the local transport agency established proactive working relationships with developers, creating a flow of the resources necessary for implementing the projects. In contrast, the local transport agency in Chengdu ignored developers and worked directly with the district-level government without a competitive selection process. This process created concerns for real estate development in the later stages of implementation. Thirdly, the research identified that developing a trustworthy social partnership between the local government and the local communities is beneficial for enhancing the legitimacy of VC projects. Shenzhen adopted both top-down and bottom-up public participation processes to engage local communities. In comparison, weak communication in Chengdu led to limited community involvement and a lack of public awareness of the VC project. Both case studies showed a strong emphasis on expert opinions and little contact with non-governmental organisations in China’s VC projects. This research concluded that political–institutional, financial, and social partnerships have contributed significantly to VC planning and implementation in China. These partnerships worked together and developed an enabling environment, promoted legitimacy, and established operational capacities to deliver the VC projects. However, these partnerships were not developed in a vacuum, and macro and contextual factors played an essential part in the planning and implementation of the VC projects.