Document library
Our document library houses all published reports from Big Data, Primary Surveys and internal research projects.
Most authors also present their findings at seminars and symposiums and copies of their presentations are found here together with a record of our working papers.
Intergenerational transmission of human capital: what makes and breaks the cycle of advantage and disadvantage?
This report uses data from the longitudinal Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) study tracking the health and development of a cohort of children born in 2009-2010, to investigate the intergenerational transmission of human capital by studying the relationship between mothers’ educational attainment and children’s cognitive skills (vocabulary, reading, and overall cognitive skills at age 8 years). Results show that mothers’ education is strongly linked to children’s cognitive skills – the higher the mothers’ educational attainment, the better children’s cognitive skills are, on average.
Underemployment and wage growth during COVID-19
This journal article analyses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on earnings progression for underutilised workers, with a focus on underemployed workers. It uses data from the NZ Household Labour Force Survey and Stats NZ's Integrated Data Infrastructure. Economic shocks usually hit vulnerable workers the hardest. But this research suggests that the pandemic was different, with the gap in employment and earnings between underemployed workers and fully-utilised workers decreasing. This paper discusses the role that government policy may have played.
Reframing approaches to workplace violence towards Pacific homecare workers in New Zealand and Australia
Workplace violence and harassment are increasing in the mostly female-dominated homecare industry. Despite this, there is a significant lack of research on the experiences of Pacific homecare workers, many of whom are temporary migrants and work in settings affected by racist attitudes and policies stemming from the historical and current labour market and migration policies in New Zealand and Australia. This article suggests a new research and policy approach to workplace violence that focuses on Pacific voices and culture to improve how to address and prevent violence and harassment experienced by Pacific homecare workers.
Gender and ethnic pay gaps: An industry-level portrait of Aotearoa
This report provides a descriptive examination of gender and ethnicity pay gaps at the industry level in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). We employ survey and administrative data to estimate industry pay gaps between 2016 and 2022, and then explore the structural and contextual factors driving these gaps.
Sexual Orientation and Financial Well-Being in the United States
This presentation summarises findings from research that examines the relationship between financial well-being and sexual orientation in the United States using data from the Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking for 2019-2022. The study finds that lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals face significantly more financial difficulties than their heterosexual counterparts, a trend that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic. The disparities are evident in various financial well-being measures, including retirement savings, emergency funds, credit card and education debts, and the use of alternative financial services like payday loans.
Chinese and Indian migrant mothers’ perceptions and experiences of utilising maternal and early childhood healthcare services in Aotearoa New Zealand: a qualitative descriptive study
This journal article is a qualitative descriptive study on the perceptions and experiences of Chinese and Indian migrant mothers accessing maternal and early childhood healthcare services. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted and data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Co-creating inclusion in research practices in the South Pacific: some highlights and challenges
This journal article looks into the collaborative efforts to foster inclusive research practices in the Oceania region. It serves dual purposes. Firstly, the authors advocate for Pacific and international business (IB) researchers to consider adopting inclusive research practices, particularly regarding Pacific and indigenous populations. Secondly, the authors argue that decolonisation presents conflicting challenges, demonstrating that the authors still have a long way to go regarding the decolonisation agenda within academia, the university, IB and broader society.
The effect of a minor health shock on labour market outcomes: The case of concussions
This presentation summarises findings from research that examines the labour market effects of a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), up to four years after the injury. Results show that suffering a mTBI has negative effects on both employment and earnings.
COVID vaccine mandates: The effect on vaccination uptake and healthcare workers’ labour market outcomes
This presentation summarises findings from research that examines the effects of New Zealand's COVID-19 vaccination mandates on vaccination uptake among mandated healthcare, education and corrections workers and on healthcare workers’ labour market outcomes.
The burden of crime victimization among the LGBTQ+ population in Aotearoa/New Zealand
This presentation summarises findings from research that analyses the victimisation prevalence of LGBTQ+ individuals compared to non-LGBTQ+ individuals.
Examining the wellbeing impacts of urban regeneration using administrative data
This presentation summarises findings from research that examines whether residents were worse-off in areas where social housing and urban development were taking place.
Maybe in my backyard (M.I.M.B.Y)
This poster was presented by Linda Kirkpatrick at the 2024 NZ Association of Economists (NZAE) conference. The poster examined whether residents were worse-off in areas where social housing and urban development were taking place.
24/05 Sexual Orientation and Financial Well-Being in the United States
This paper examines the relationship between financial well-being and sexual orientation in the United States using data from the Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking for 2019-2022. It finds that lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals face significantly more financial difficulties than their heterosexual counterparts, a trend that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic. The disparities are evident in various financial well-being measures, including retirement savings, emergency funds, credit card and education debts, and the use of alternative financial services like payday loans.
View the working paperPartisanship, elections and lockdowns: Evidence from US states
This article explores the differences in COVID-19 lockdown policies across U.S. states in 2020, analysing how elections and political affiliations influenced these decisions. Results show that Republican-led states, especially those facing upcoming elections, implemented less strict lockdown measures compared to Democratic-led states.
A Mātauranga Māori Perspective of Literacy for Adult Learners
This article aims to draw attention to the aspirations for literacy policy and practice described in Māori-led responses to the Ministry of Education’s Adult Literacy Strategy and subsequent policy statements and embodied in the practices of some tertiary organisations. The Māori view of literacy includes literacy in te reo Māori and English but extends beyond alphabetic text, emphasising embodied practices focused on reading the world culturally, spatially, and socially. We argue that current adult literacy policy does not enable a Māori perspective of literacy to flourish.
Adult literacy and numeracy in Aotearoa New Zealand: How does current research and organisational reporting align with the Living Standards Framework?
The paper examines the connections between adult literacy and numeracy viewed from a sociomaterial perspective, wellbeing outcomes, and the Living Standards Framework (LSF) – a wellbeing-focused framework underpinning all policy in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In their voice: Adult learners’ perspectives on literacy and numeracy, learning and wellbeing
This report examines mainly Māori adults’ experiences as they navigate their lives and develop their literacy and numeracy skills towards their aspirations for themselves and their families.
Wāhine Māori engagement with literacies
This case study report examines the framing and application of literacy measures in contemporary New Zealand culture. More specifically, it is about the lives and learning of wāhine (women) Māori (the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand) within that culture and their attitudes towards, and complex relationships with, literacy as it is defined in their own lives and in the current setting.
Research Summary In their voice: Adult learners’ perspectives on literacy and numeracy, learning and wellbeing
This research summary outlines the background, purpose and key findings/insights of a project titled In their voice: Adult learners’ perspectives on literacy and numeracy, learning and wellbeing.
Reading and mathematics skills and the life-course outcomes of young people in NZ: Evidence from PISA and linked administrative data
This paper examines the life-course trajectories of a cohort of NZ youth who participated in PISA 2009 when they were 15-years old by using linked administrative data to track their outcomes until 2020. PISA is a worldwide study that assesses key competencies of 15-year-old students, with a focus on reading, mathematics and science. This paper compares the outcomes of the nearly one-fifth of NZ students who were assessed at below Level 2 in either reading or mathematics (or both), which the OECD considers to be a ‘baseline’ level of proficiency, with those at or above this baseline. It finds that students with low measured skills have less favourable outcomes in a number of areas. They have lower rates of participation in, and completion of, further education. They also have lower employment rates and average earnings, with labour market differences between the low-skills and above-baseline groups being particularly stark among women.
Literacy and numeracy skills and life-course outcomes: Evidence from PIAAC and linked administrative data
This paper examines the life-course trajectories of NZ adults across different skill levels in literacy and numeracy. This is done by using administrative data and skill information collected in a PIAAC survey of the working-age adult population (aged 16-65 years). The outcomes of the one-fifth of NZ working-age adults who were assessed at below Level 2 in either literacy or numeracy (or both) are compared with those at or above this baseline. Results show that adults with low measured skills have less favourable outcomes in a number of areas. They have lower rates of educational attainment, lower employment rates and average earnings, higher rates of hospitalisation, and higher rates of criminal offending and convictions.
Adult literacy and numeracy programmes and labour market outcomes
This paper uses population-wide administrative data to examine adult literacy and numeracy (L+N) programmes in New Zealand and its effect on individuals' labour market outcomes, further education and training, and workplace accidents.
Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood vaccine uptake with administrative data
This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood vaccination coverage in NZ using population-wide administrative data. The study compares children who became eligible for immunisation during the pandemic to earlier born cohorts and finds that compared to pre-pandemic levels, the number of timely immunisations dropped during the initial phase of the pandemic. This decrease was especially pronounced among older children (aged four).
Distributional analysis of KiwiSaver contributions
This report uses data from the IDI to examine examine KiwiSaver contributions and how these differ by gender and ethnicity, in addition to other demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
New Zealand Literacy Projections 2018-2033
The aim of this paper is to derive projections of the average literacy score attained by the population, by gender and Māori /non-Māori, for an aggregate set of New Zealand regions. The estimated projections in this research illustrate a slow, gradual change in literacy levels over time, accompanied by a widening gap between regions' levels of literacy proficiency. The gap between Māori and non-Māori literacy scores (favouring non-Māori) is comparatively large and constant across the projection periods.
24/02 Parental Employment at the Onset of the Pandemic: Effects of Lockdowns and Government Policies
This paper analyses the effect of New Zealand's lockdowns and wage subsidy schemes on parental employment. Using tax records, this study compares the employment patterns of parents from the pandemic period (treatment group) to similar parents from a recent pre-pandemic period (control group). Results show a 1-2 percentage point decline in the likelihood of being employed within the first six months of the pandemic for mothers whose youngest child is aged between one and 12. There were hardly any significant changes in employment for fathers.
View the working paperSexual orientation and earnings in New Zealand
This paper provides the first evidence on sexual orientation and earnings in New Zealand (NZ), one of the most inclusive countries for LGBTQ+ people in the world. We use confidential linked census-tax data to compare outcomes for individuals in same-sex couples versus different-sex couples. We find patterns of earnings differentials in NZ that are strikingly similar to those documented in other developed countries: men in same-sex couples earn about 7 percent less than otherwise similar men in different-sex couples while women in same-sex couples earn about 6 percent more than otherwise similar women in different-sex couples.
Workforce vaccine mandates: The effect on vaccine uptake and healthcare workers’ labour market outcomes
As part of its COVID-19 policy response, the New Zealand government implemented vaccination mandates as a condition of ongoing employment for certain workers. This paper examines the effect of these mandates on vaccination uptake among mandated healthcare, education and corrections workers and on healthcare workers’ labour market outcomes. This is enabled by New Zealand’s linked population-wide administrative data, which includes a comprehensive national COVID-19 vaccination register linked to tax records to identify employment outcomes.
Sustainability Business Index in Slovenia: Development, Verification and the Initial Empirical Findings
The Sustainability Business Index is the first of its kind in Slovenia. It enables companies in the small, open, and export-oriented Slovenian economy to monitor and evaluate their sustainability-related activities in a transparent and comprehensive way. This study analyses the responses of participant companies and shows that moral motives strongly influence responsibility strategy, acting as a mediator for environmental/social practices. Financial health negatively moderates the strategy–practices relationship in the environmental model, suggesting sustainability isn’t limited to financially healthy firms.
Underutilised workers in New Zealand
Labour underutilisation has large negative implications both at the micro and macroeconomic level resulting in substantial loss of human capital, productivity, efficiency and overall well-being. This study compares individual, household, and work characteristics of underutilised and fully utilised workers, and examines how persistent experiences of underutilisation are. It also considers the reasons for underutilisation and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood vaccine uptake with integrated administrative data
This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood vaccination coverage in NZ using population-wide administrative data. The study compares children who became eligible for immunisation during the pandemic to earlier born cohorts and finds that the initial phase of the pandemic had, on average, small or nil effects on timely immunisation at the four infancy events, but a large effect at the 4-year event of -15 percentage points.
Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceptions of national scheduled childhood vaccines among Māori and Pacific caregivers, whānau, and healthcare professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand
This qualitative journal article examines the marked decrease in the uptake of routine childhood vaccinations since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among Māori and Pacific children. The researchers undertook culturally informed interviews and discussions with Māori and Pacific caregivers and healthcare professionals to understand their perceptions of routine (nationally recommended) childhood vaccines. The findings conclude that to improve uptake and immunization experiences for whānau, Māori and Pacific-led vaccination strategies should be embedded in immunization service delivery.
View the journal article here
World Internet Project
The World Internet Project (New Zealand) (WIPNZ) is a longitudinal survey investigating New Zealanders' usage of, and attitudes towards the internet. It is part of an international project that compares the uptake and social impacts of ICT in more than 30 partner countries and tracks the trends that occur.
Funder(s): InternetNZ
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood immunisation coverage in Aotearoa New Zealand
This presentation summarises findings from research that uses data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood immunisation coverage in Aotearoa. Results show that the COVID-19 pandemic had small or nil effects on the uptake of the infancy events (6 weeks, 3 months, 5 months, 15 months) but a large negative effect on the uptake of the 4-year event.
COVID-19 and perceptions of national scheduled childhood vaccines among Māori and Pacific caregivers and healthcare professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand
In Aotearoa New Zealand, there has been a decrease in the uptake of routine (publicly funded and nationally recommended) childhood vaccinations since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among Māori and Pacific children. Suboptimal and inequitable immunisation coverage poses serious risks to whānau (family) health. We aimed to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced what Māori and Pacific whānau and healthcare professionals thought about routine vaccines and their suggestions to make immunisation services better. This presentation summarises some of the findings from this study.
State Dependence in Immunization and the Role of Discouragement
This paper investigated whether having a child immunised at a prior schedule genuinely increases the likelihood of vaccinating the child at the subsequent schedule. It uses longitudinal data from the Growing Up in New Zealand study and applies a dynamic random-effects model that also controls for the initial immunisation status. Results show that having a child immunised at the previous schedule increases the likelihood of having the child immunised at the next schedule by, on average, 20.4 percentage points compared to those who are not immunised in the previous schedule. This likelihood is greater for Māori (by 5 percentage points) and also greater for mothers that report being discouraged from having their child immunised during the antenatal period (by 10 percentage points).
Research note: Empirical analysis of ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand
This research note explores the factors contributing to ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand. The gaps between the average (as well as median) hourly wages for the European workforce relative to Māori and Pacific workers are substantial. Results show that, regardless of gender, differences in job-related factors go some way to help explain the Pacific pay gap, and for women – educational differences also play a role. However, even after accounting for these observable differences, it was still found that only 27 per cent of the pay gap for Pacific males could be explained, and 39 per cent for Pacific females. The unexplained portion of the pay gap can be due to a few reasons, including differences not observed in the data, unconscious bias and discrimination in the labour market.
23/06 The effect of a minor health shock on labour market outcomes: The case of concussions
This paper uses administrative data on all medically-diagnosed mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs, commonly referred to as concussions) in New Zealand linked to monthly tax records to examine the labour market effects of suffering a mTBI up to four years after the injury. It uses a comparison group of those who suffer a mTBI but at a later date to overcome potential endogeneity issues, and employs a doubly-robust difference-in-differences method. Results show that suffering a mTBI has negative effects on both employment and earnings. Rather than dissipating over time, these negative effects grow, representing a decrease in employment rate of 20 percentage points and earning losses of about a third after 48 months.
View the working paperAdults’ reading engagement and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
This paper analysed the effects of literacy proficiency and reading engagement on the wellbeing outcomes of adults in New Zealand. It used a recent nationally representative survey data from New Zealand, multivariate regression models to estimate the effects of reading engagement on earnings, health, social trust, political efficacy and civic engagement. Results showed that reading engagement positively affected one's health, social trust, political efficacy, and civic engagement.
23/05 Sexual Orientation and Earnings in New Zealand
This paper provides first evidence on sexual orientation and earnings in New Zealand (NZ), one of the most inclusive countries for LGBTQ+ people in the world. Using confidential linked census-tax data, the paper compare outcomes for individuals in same-sex couples versus different-sex couples. Results show patterns of earnings differentials in NZ that are strikingly similar to those documented in other developed countries: men in same-sex couples earn about 7.5 percent less than otherwise similar men in different-sex couples while women in same-sex couples earn about 6 percent more than otherwise similar women in different-sex couples.
View the working paperRisk-taking behaviour and fatherhood
This study uses the identification strategy of Fadlon and Nielsen (2019) model to measure the degree of risk-taking behaviour of fathers with Accident Compensation Corporation injury claims data which holds detailed information on work and non-work-related injuries, and Department of Internal Affairs records on childbirth and fatherhood from Stat's NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure. Results suggest that men react differently to fatherhood heterogeneously dependent on age, ethnicity, past behaviour, and the nature of injury claims. Most fathers, however, exhibit a decrease in the propensity to make sport injury claims after childbirth.
NZ Women's Empowerment Principles Survey
The aim of this survey is to uncover policies and practices within New Zealand’s largest organisations on behalf of the United Nations Women, with a specific focus on Women’s Empowerment Policies.
Funder(s): New Zealand Women's Empowerment Principles
View the 2023 report and report summary
View the 2022 report and report summary
View the 2021 report and report summary
View the 2019 report and report summary
View the 2018 report and report summary
View the 2017 report
View the 2016 report
23/04 Workplace health and safety and the future of work: Evidence from linked-unit record data
Despite presenting potentially significant challenges and opportunities, the possible implications for workplace health and safety (WHS) of future-of-work trends have so far received scant attention. This paper, therefore, empirically examines the relationship between future-of-work trends and workplace injuries. It undertakes multivariate regression analysis using population-level accident compensation data for New Zealand linked to other data sources within Stats NZ’s Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) and Longitudinal Business Database (LBD), including information on business practices related to the future-of-work.
View the working paperChildhood vaccination uptake among children born in Aotearoa New Zealand based on parental nationality
This paper compares coverage rates for MMR, pertussis, and HPV vaccines among children born in Aotearoa New Zealand of overseas-born parents or NZ-born parents. Using a nationwide cohort with Stats NZ’s Integrated Data Infrastructure, logistic regression models were utilised to examine the most influential factors contributing to differences in timely vaccine uptake.
Rethinking Oceanic-Pacific Methods of Data Collection During COVID-19: Insights From the Field
COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted research regarding data collection methods during lockdowns and border closures. Consequently, online methods have become the present-day benchmark. This article shares our experiences adapting to COVID-19 while conducting focus groups and online interviews. Guided by the Samoan methodology Teu le va that recognises the special relationships between people from a Samoan context and the Talanoa method of storytelling of the Pacific people, we provide insights concerning the practical and cultural challenges of collecting data during lockdowns that strengthened the continuation and completion of the project.
Basic Reading and Mathematics Skills and the Labour Market Outcomes of Young People: Evidence from PISA and Linked Administrative Data
This paper uses Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data linked to administrative data to track the educational and labour market outcomes of young people. Students with lower skills have lower rates of participation in further education. While low-skilled men out-earn their higher-skilled counterparts when they are very young, their earnings are overtaken by those with higher skills when they are in their early 20s, and they earn around 15 per cent less by the age of 25. The differences among women are substantially larger – women with low skills earn approximately 35 per cent less than their higher-skilled counterparts by age 25.
Ethnic differences in the uptake of child healthcare services in Aotearoa
There is extensive acknowledgement and evidence that ethnic gaps (particularly for Māori and Pacific Peoples) exist in the rates of GP registration, immunisation and dental checks. Underutilisation of these healthcare services may result in a number of adverse health outcomes in the long term.
This project quantifies the contribution of potential drivers (accessibility, mobility, socio-economic, parental and child characteristics) of ethnic differences at three longitudinal time points with a view to providing potential policy drivers to assist in closing these gaps.
Presentations highlight key findings from quantitative and qualitative work funded by the Health Research Council, the Children and Families Research Fund, MSD, and Te Hiringa Hauora/Health Promotion Agency which analyses ethnic differences in the utilisation of child healthcare services in Aotearoa New Zealand.
A note on KiwiSaver and migrants on temporary visas
Migrants on temporary visas are unable to access Kiwisaver (KS), a savings vehicle that makes saving for retirement convenient and provides financial incentives to save. This research note estimates the extent of this migrant KS ineligibility issue. Using linked administrative data to create and follow a cohort of 70,000 NZ migrants on temporary work or student visas in 2009. Results show that after five years, over half of the cohort live overseas and about 10,000 remain on temporary visas and hence are still ineligible for KS. Using KS enrolment of a comparison group of resident-class migrants over the same time period, it is estimated that just over half of employed temporary migrants might have potentially joined KS if eligible. The lost individual KS contributions range between $36,000 and $51,000 by time the migrant reaches 65 years old.
Workplace Safety and the Future of Work in NZ
What are the possible implications of future-of-work trends for workplace safety? This report examines the relationship between future-of-work trends and workplace safety outcomes using information on work-related injury claims.
Funder(s): WorkSafe New Zealand
A new methodological approach for considering workers' diversity in assembly system design (by taking into account the European MAIA project)
Visiting Researcher, Niloofar Katiraee presented results from a study investigating workers’ diversity in production systems to understand how differences among workers affect production systems, with a particular focus on assembly systems. After an extensive literature analysis, new approaches and optimisations are proposed to integrate workers’ differences into assembly systems. Distinctively, a combination of worker features was considered with the objective of analysing the effectiveness of considering workers in assembly systems (in both design and rebalancing phases) and improving workers’ involvement in job assessments, promoting an inclusive culture in workplaces. This research work identifies important relations between workers’ differences and assembly system performance. The outcome of this research can be instructive for production system managers and practitioners whether deciding on investments in the design phase or in workforce management.
Community support workers' experiences of working during the COVID-19 pandemic
This paper investigates the way in which COVID-19 has exacerbated the poor work conditions within community support work in Aotearoa-New Zealand. It examines the invisibility of care work in New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of Government policy and communication, societal recognition of care work, and the spatially hidden nature of the work. It does so within the of gender norms in the socio-cultural, socio-spatial and socio-legal spheres that render this work and workers invisible. This paper documents the experiences of community support workers and contributes to our theoretical understanding of frontline health workers’ experiences of work during a global public health crisis.
'Try, Learn, Adjust'
Aotearoa New Zealand is on the verge of significant change aimed at increasing disabled people’s access to and control and choice over the support they receive in order to have the flexible, high-quality care that enables them to lead ‘good’ lives. However, the system changes – Mana Whaikaha – designed to enact the Enabling Good Lives policy has its roots in neo-liberal funding and policy approaches that undervalue support work, and has largely overlooked workers and workforce development. The lack of recognition of the disability support workforce in this policy development threatens the success of the programme to provide quality support to disabled people.
Mild traumatic brain injury increases engagement in criminal behaviour 10 years later: a case-control study
This study examines the impact of a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on criminal outcomes in later life, while controlling for socio-economic factors and past behaviour. The authors use data from Stats NZ's Integrated Data Infrastructure, and a case-control method of matching those who had sustained an mTBI with those who had experienced a lower limb fracture to examine the effect on violation charges and convictions 10 years post-injury.
Quantitative intersectionality and student success at HSIs: two examples using administrative data
This presentation highlights the step-by-step implementation of regression-based methods for quantitative intersectionality, which refers to the idea that an individual experiences discrimination differently based on the interaction of the characteristics that define their identity. It then highlights two examples of quantitative intersectionality using administrative data.
Barriers and enablers to literacy and numeracy: insights from the Pacific people
Utilising qualitative focus group discussions founded on Teu le va (relational spaces) and semi-structured Talanoa (storytelling) from 230 Pacific participants, findings show that multiple barriers exist at the macro (societal), meso (organisational, schools and training institutions) and micro (individual) levels alongside cultural and familial factors that perpetuated and sustained low literacy and numeracy skills.
Reading and maths skills and the life-course outcomes of young people in New Zealand
This presentation is a part of the MBIE expression, experience and transcendence of low skills in Aotearoa New Zealand project, and looks at the relationship between literacy and numeracy skills of young people and their future educational, labour market, health, and crime outcomes.
The effect of literacy and numeracy programmes on labour market outcomes
This presentation summarises findings from research that uses data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure to analyse the effect of literacy and numeracy programmes on labour market outcomes in New Zealand.
Gender and ethnic pay gaps: Evidence from NZ
This presentation encapsulates findings on the "explained" and "unexplained" factors that contribute to gender and ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand across the wage distribution, and highlights recommendations for pay transparency.
23/02 Banking on Snow: Bank Capital, Risk, and Employment
How does small-firm employment respond to exogenous labour productivity risk? We find that this depends on the capitalization of firms’ local banks. The evidence comes from firms employing workers whose productivity depends on the weather. Weather- induced labour productivity risk reduces this employment, and this effect is stronger in regions where the regional banks have less equity capital. Bank capitalization also proxies for the extent to which the regional banks’ borrowers can obtain liquidity when the regions are hit by weather shocks. We argue that, as liquidity providers, well- capitalized banks support economic adaptation to climate change.
View the working paper23/01 Basic reading and mathematics skills and the labour market outcomes of young people: Evidence from PISA and linked administrative data
This paper uses Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data linked to ad- ministrative data to track the educational and labour market outcomes of young people. Students with lower skills have lower rates of participation in further education. While men with low skills out-earn their higher-skilled counterparts when they are very young, their earnings are overtaken by those with higher skills when they are in their early twenties and earn around 15% less by the age of 25. The differences among women are substantially larger - women with low skills earn about 35% less than their higher-skilled counterparts by age 25.
View the working paperDeterminants of ethnic differences in the uptake of child healthcare services in New Zealand: a decomposition analysis
Using data from the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal survey for a cohort of children born between 2009 and 2010, econometric approaches were utilised to explore underlying mechanisms behind ethnic differences in healthcare service uptake. Healthcare utilisation was strongly influenced by socio-economic, mobility and social factors including ethnic discrimination. In decomposition models comparing Māori to NZ Europeans, the strongest drivers for timely first-year immunisations and GP satisfaction (2-years) were household composition and household income. Gaps between Pacific and NZ Europeans in timely first-year immunisations and choice of maternity carer were largely unexplained by factors included in the models.
Skills, Economic Crises and the Labour Market
Alexander Plum presented findings on the effects of the 2007-09 Global Financial Crisis and the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown on wage progression for workers with different skills in New Zealand.
Dynamic relationships between criminal offending and victimization
Lisa Meehan presented findings on the victim/offender overlap to identify whether there is a dynamic relationship between criminal offending and victimisation or whether population heterogeneity is the main driver of the victim/offender overlap.
Estimating intergenerational income mobility in New Zealand using longitudinal census data
Leon Iusitini presented findings from his PhD thesis on intergenerational income mobility which uses data from the NZ Longitudinal Census to estimate the intergenerational elasticity of personal income between father-son pairs and mother-daughter pairs. Results show that, relative to international studies, income persistence in NZ from fathers to sons is relatively low, while income persistence from mothers to daughters is relatively high.
Exploring paediatric COVID-19 vaccination among migrant and refugee children in Aotearoa New Zealand
This presentation explores COVID-19 vaccination among three cohorts of children in NZ: (1) Overseas-born migrant children; (2) NZ-born migrant children; and (3) NZ-born non-migrant children. The authors highlight descriptive statistics for each of the three cohorts and control for these factors to ascertain their effect on receiving COVID-19 vaccination.
Human capital formation and changes in low pay persistence
This study presents new empirical evidence on the role of time trends in low pay persistence. We utilize population-wide tax records to track monthly labour market trajectories of initially low-paid workers. By performing age- and qualification-specific regressions, we find that low pay persistence reduces with time. However, the magnitude is highly heterogeneous across workforce characteristics. For a qualified worker in their early 20s, the risk of staying on low-pay declines by, on average, 5–10% points after one year. For a worker in their 50s, persistence remains almost unchanged regardless of their qualification level. We conclude that policy initiatives need to be more nuanced than a simple one-size-fits-all approach by accounting for time trends in low-pay persistence.
Fathers' household and childcare involvement in New Zealand: A snapshot, determinants and consequences
This report uses data from the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) birth cohort to provide a snapshot of fathers' engagement during the early years of their lives, to analyse the determinants of fathers' engagement, and analyse potential consequences of different levels of fathers' engagement on children's outcomes.
Funder(s): The Ministry of Social Development
Pay gaps and the NZ labour market
New Zealand has often been described as a leader in the field of gender equality. Yet, while women have achieved substantial gains in a range of outcomes (education and labour force participation for example), the gender pay gap has changed very little. We find that this gap is largely unexplained (83 per cent).
Reading Engagement and Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
This research paper aims to disentangle the effects of two different aspects of literacy, literacy proficiency as measured by standardized tests, and reading engagement as measured by self-reports of everyday reading activities. The paper uses multivariate regression models on nationally representative survey data from New Zealand, to estimate the effects of reading engagement on earnings, health, social trust, political efficacy, and civic engagement.
Funder(s): Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Skills & Outcomes of NZ Youth
This research paper examines the life-course trajectories of a cohort of NZ youth using linked administrative data to track their outcomes. It finds that students with low measured skills have less favourable outcomes in a number of areas. Outcomes for Māori in both the low-skills and above-baseline groups are less favourable than those of their NZ European counterparts.
Funder(s): Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Skills & Life-course Trajectories of NZ Adults
This paper examines the life-course trajectories of NZ adults across different skill levels in literacy and numeracy. Findings show that adults with low measured skills have less favourable outcomes in a number of areas. They have lower rates of educational attainment, lower employment rates and average earnings, higher rates of hospitalisation, and higher rates of criminal offending and convictions.
Funder(s): Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Underutilised workers in New Zealand
This study aims to better understand the various labour market groups in New Zealand who want jobs or more hours of work, known as the underutilised workforce. We analyse the composition and characteristics of the underutilised workforce, the likelihood of movement in and out of this group and the reasons for underemployment. We also present findings on the earnings trajectories of underemployed workers relative to fully-utilised workers over the time period affected by COVID-19 compared to before the pandemic.
Funder(s): Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
State Dependence in Immunization and the Role of Discouragement
We investigate whether having a child immunized at a prior schedule genuinely increases the likelihood of vaccinating the child at the subsequent schedule. Using longitudinal data from the Growing Up in New Zealand study, we apply a random-effects model that also controls for the initial immunization status. We detect sizeable state dependence in immunization, indicated by a significant increase in the likelihood of child immunization by an average of 21 percentage points if the child was immunized at the previous schedule compared to if they were not. However, this effect is exacerbated if a mother is discouraged from having her child immunized during antenatal period.
Spare the Conviction, Spoil the Child: Effect of the Oranga Tamariki Act on Youth Crime and Labor Market Outcomes
Kabir Dasgupta spoke at the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management conference on the effect of the Oranga Tamariki Act (1989) on youth well-being.
22/05 Evidence on the variation of idiosyncratic risk in house price appreciation
Using around one million repeat sales observations of single-family homes across New Zealand, over the period 1992 to 2021, the authors provide evidence that idiosyncratic risk in real house price appreciation varies considerably across houses. The authors find that idiosyncratic risk is time varying, depends negatively on the initial house price, varies strongly across locations and reduces significantly as the holding period of the house increases. Location is the most important of these factors. By buying an above the median house in a low-risk region, and holding on to the property for a longer period, households can significantly reduce idiosyncratic risk.
View the working paperMāori care and support workers. Data from the 2019 New Zealand Care Workforce Survey
The purpose of this report is to present the experiences of Māori care and support workers working in residential aged care, home and community support, disability support and mental health and addiction. This report is a companion report to The New Zealand Care Workforce Survey 2019 Report (Ravenswood et al., 2021) and The Impact of the Pay Equity Settlement: Data from the 2019 Care Workforce Survey (Ravenswood and Douglas, 2021) and is based on the responses from 353 of the total (n=1,784 care and support worker respondents) who identified as Māori.
Harmful traditional practices in the workplace - New Zealand context: Guidance for best practice
Honour Abuse Research Matrix (HARM) is an international consortium of researchers, practitioners, policy makers and support agencies, working to research and pioneer strategies to eliminate harmful practices, including ‘honour’ abuse, forced marriage, and female genital mutilation (FGM). HARM, UK version was funded by Research England to produce this jargonfree, evidence-based, workplace guidance for best practice so organisations and their employees feel motivated, confident, and empowered to respond appropriately when they suspect or encounter harmful traditional practices.
The authors' recommendations are based on a Rapid Evidence Review of the most up-to-date research. With manaakitanga, the authors acknowledge the Treaty of Waitangi and the tangata whenua. This report is designed to inform all public, private, and third sector organisations, of any size. This report is also useful for professionals and families, in understanding and facilitating hidden and visible harms pertaining to domestic/intimate partner/spouse abuse, forced marriage and FGM.
View the report
Paying Adolescents for Health Screenings Works
With regard to their future health, adolescents are at a critical stage. Previous evaluations have shown that health screenings, counselling, and other intervention programmes during this phase of life are important, particularly for those with a low socio-economic background. Unfortunately, adolescents tend to have little interest in preventive programmes. We designed a field experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of financial incentives to promote participation in health screenings. Our study comprises more than 10,000 participants, observed via high-quality administrative data from Austria.
22/04 State Dependence in Immunization and the Role of Discouraging Information
Using longitudinal data from Growing Up in New Zealand study, we apply a random-effects probit model that also controls for the initial immunisation status. We detect sizeable state dependence in immunisation, indicating that the likelihood of a child increases, on average, by 21 percentage points if the child was immunised at the previous schedule compared to if not. This effect is further exacerbated if the mother received antenatal discouraging information on immunisation.
View the working paperThe gender reveal: The effect of sons on young fathers' criminal behaviour and labor market activities
We use New Zealand's administrative court charges data to document child gender-specific differences in future criminal behaviour of young fathers.
Journal: Labour Economics
NZ Superannuation residency eligibility changes: Evidence from border movement data
In November 2021, amendments to the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 increased the residential qualification total time requirement from 10 to 20 years. As a first step for understanding the potential impact of the NZ Super residency criteria change, this report uses Stats NZ’s Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) to examine how long NZ-born emigrants live overseas and estimate the size of the population potentially affected by this change.
Funder(s): Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission
The Pacific workforce and the impact of COVID-19
This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 (COVID) on the labour market disparities between Pasifika and New Zealand European (NZ European). To analyse these disparities, we assess labour market outcomes for the pre-pandemic period (January 2017–December 2019, inclusive) and quantify how they changed during the COVID period (March 2020–June 2021, inclusive). We are interested in understanding whether COVID amplified ethnic disparities in job accession and benefit dependence; job and wage mobility; and job separation.
Funder(s): Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
KiwiSaver and migrants on temporary visas
This report follows 70,305 NZ migrants aged 18 or over, and tracks their visa status and border movements from 2010 to 2019. The aim of this analysis is to provide insights into how long migrants stay on temporary visas before progressing to a visa type that allows them to stay in NZ indefinitely and therefore have access to KiwiSaver as a means for convenient retirement savings.
Funder(s): Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission
View the report
Pacific Pay Gap Inquiry - Empirical analysis of Pacific, Māori and ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand
This research note aims to explore the factors that contribute / explain the Māori and ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand. In particular, pay gaps for Māori, Pacific, and Asians relative to Europeans. We use Stats NZ data from the Household Labour Force Survey for 2019 and 2020.
Funder(s): Human Rights Commission
In-work Poverty in New Zealand: A Focus on Pacific Peoples
This report examines the prevalence of, and characteristics associated with, Pacific in-work poverty in New Zealand. The analysis within this study draws primarily on linked data from Inland Revenue and the 2013 Census, as well as supplementary information provided by the Household Labour Force Survey.
Funder(s): Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
The gender pay gap
Professor Gail Pacheco spoke on the gender pay gap at the 2022 Gender Pay Equity Webinar for International Working Women's Day.
View the presentation
The Devil is in the Details: Identifying Unbiased Link Between Alcohol Purchasing Rights and Youth Delinquency
This article utilises the Integrated Data Infrastructure to examine the effect of an alcohol-purchasing legislation change on alcohol-induced criminal behaviour at the minimum purchasing age.
Voices from the Front Line
This report utilises a qualitative and quantitative survey (n=396) to highlight employment and work concerns in the hospitality sector such as problematic pay and working conditions, a high proportion of insecure contracts, bullying and harassment, and non-compliance with employment law.
Labor market returns to adult literacy and numeracy: a focus on migrant assimilation over the lifecycle
Dr. Christopher Erwin presented findings which summarised labour market returns to high-skill immigration at the 2022 Association for Education Finance and Policy Conference.
In and out of unemployment-labour market dynamics and the role of testosterone
In this paper, we use population variation in testosterone levels to explain transition probabilities into and out of unemployment. We find that individuals with high testosterone levels are more likely to become unemployed, but they are also more likely to exit unemployment. We argue that these effects are likely driven by personality traits and occupational sorting of men with high testosterone levels.
The Impact of the Pay Equity Settlement: Data from the 2019 New Zealand Care Workforce Survey
This report presents the experiences of those working in residential aged care, home and community support, disability support and mental health and addiction in relation to the impact of the Care and Support Workers (Pay Equity) 2017 Act (and subsequent amendments). This report is a companion report to The New Zealand Care Workforce Survey 2019 Report (Ravenswood et al., 2021) and follows up qualitative research on the impact of the Care and Support Workers (Pay Equity) 2017 Act (Douglas and Ravenswood, 2019).
22/01 Skills, Economic Crises and the Labour Market
This working paper studies the effects of the 2007-09 Global Financial Crisis and the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown on wage progression for workers with different skills in New Zealand.
View the working paperExamining the wellbeing impacts of urban regeneration using administrative data
Linda Tran presented her PGR9 which seeks to estimate the social return-on-investment to housing and urban developments in New Zealand by measuring population-level wellbeing using administrative data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure.
Dynamic relationships between criminal offending and victimization
Dr. Christopher Erwin presented findings which summarised the victim/offender overlap in New Zealand and the dynamic relationship between criminal offending and victimisation at the 2022 Allied Social Sciences Association Virtual Annual Meeting.
The Effectiveness of Sinking Lid Policies in Reducing Gambling Expenditure
Sinking lids are designed to gradually reduce machine caps by prohibiting the transfer of gaming licenses. This study leverages variation in the geography and timing of local policy interventions to estimate the effect of sinking lids on gambling expenditure. Results suggest that sinking lids reduce gambling expenditure by 13% relative to regions not adopting policies beyond national-level restrictions.
Journal: Journal of Gambling Studies
Capping Gambling in NZ: The Effectiveness of Local Government Policy Intervention
This research analyses the effects of Class 4 gambling policies on the availability of non-casino gambling machines, also known as pokies, and associated gambling behaviour. This research assesses the impact of Class 4 gambling policies on pokie machine and venue availability, as well as gambling expenditure.
Funder(s): Ministry of Health
Māori Māmā views and experiences of vaccinating their pēpi and tamariki: A qualitative Kaupapa Māori study
This report explores the complex social and cultural reasons that Māori may be less likely to engage with childhood vaccination services. Delayed immunisation is a factor strongly associated with increasing rate of infectious diseases.
Funder(s): Te Hiringa Hauora/Health Promotion Agency
Glass hearts?! Successful visible ethnic minority women migrants at work in Iceland and New Zealand
Our qualitative empirical research reveals, and compares, how visible ethnic women migrants (VEWM) experience their journey to professional success in Iceland and New Zealand. The findings reveal that for VEWM success is a continuous journey with many different challenges. For VEWM in Iceland, success means independent hard work and aligning with other women. VEWM in New Zealand experience success through religion and giving back to the community.
Journal: Journal of Management and Organization
The effectiveness of sinking lid policies in reducing gambling expenditure
Christopher Erwin, Research Fellow, presented research coauthored with Gail Pacheco, Director, and Alexandra Turcu, Research Officer, on the effects of local policy interventions on gambling expenditure in NZ.
Productivity in New Zealand: The role of resource allocation among firms
This paper analyses the role of resource allocation in NewZealand’s productivity performance by applying a three-factor revenue productivity measure of within-industry misallocation to firm-level data. It finds that if all market distortions were eliminated, total factor productivity could increase by more than a third.
Journal: New Zealand Economic Papers