Appendix 1: Methodology

Topic Knowledge and Context

NFO researchers spent time with Council members and were briefed on all of the information, issues and context of the proposed research. NFO researchers read and utilised reading materials supplied by the Council.

Focus Groups

NFO conducted ten focus groups at several locations, and among carefully selected groups that were decided on in consultation with the Council. At all stages NFO remained in close contact with the Council, so that it could have ongoing input and gain maximum knowledge of the focus group process. Materials that the council wished to have shown to the participants were included in the groups. Further details regarding the focus groups follow.

Discussion Guide

Qualitative research is unstructured in that it does not use a standardised or structured questionnaire. Therefore a discussion guide was used, which included all the materials to be presented, and covered all the points (based on the objectives of the research) to be discussed with participants.

The key advantage of the discussion guide is that it allows flexibility. Points were discussed as they naturally arose (i.e. not in the order they appear in the guide), and participants could raise issues of relevance to them (rather than simply responding to what the client or researcher assumes is important). If points were relevant, researchers explored them for understanding.

On completion of interviewing, all points in the discussion guide were discussed.

Venues for the Focus Groups/Council Viewing

Venues for the focus groups include rural, and urban locations as follows: Wellington, Whakatane, Auckland, Fielding, Palmerston North, and Methven. Groups that are held in Wellington and Auckland were conducted at NFO premises (these have client viewing facilities), and the other groups were conducted at a suitable venue in the area.

Some focus groups not conducted in Wellington and Auckland were viewed by council members sitting in the same room as the groups as a silent observer.

Sample Considerations

We anticipated that there would be different views based on a number of factors. Therefore, to cover a wide range of people, participants were recruited on the following criteria:

• Ethnicity (the Treaty requires us to explore issues for Māori, and Pacific people as key groups in the New Zealand population)
• Gender (there may have been gender differences in the way people view the issues)
• Education level (an understanding of science, in particular, will have affected the extent to which people can understand the issues)
• Socio economic status/own business (the time available to think about issues over and above daily life may vary according to how much effort is going into surviving, and self employed people, especially farmers, are likely to view the issues from a different perspective).
• Location (in particular, there may have been differences between rural and urban dwellers)
• Age (young people may have a different perspective from their parent's generation - a factor that will influence governments in the future)
• Family structure (e.g. children/no children - it may have been that people change their views once they have the responsibility of children).

We looked on the sample as individuals with different backgrounds, and we allocated these individuals to the most appropriate group.

We conducted ten groups among fifty-eight participants who were selected according to particular criteria. All of the participants were New Zealand residents.

Sample

58 people were interviewed as follows:

Ethics

NFO adheres stringently to the Code of Practice of the Market Research Society of New Zealand. The Code of Practice protects the privacy of participants and confidentiality of information and has quality and honesty standards that must be met.

NFO does not enter into research outside the company's level of expertise. Our research/evaluation teams are drawn together on the basis that the researchers have the skills and experience to competently undertake the required work.

NFO has the capacity to work successfully with clients, respondents and researchers from different cultures (see below). We have a principle of treating all parties with dignity and respect. One of NFO's core values is valuing one another.

Ethical Treatment of Participants

Informed Consent

• At the time of obtaining participants for the research, NFO:
  • Advised all people contacted that participation in the research is voluntary. Further, it was explained that they could withdraw at any time without explanation or consequences to themselves (this was verbally reiterated at the time of the interview).
• All participants in the research received written confirmation of the group and information about the research, its purpose, and NFO's involvement.
• At the time of interview, NFO:
  • Provided all participants with information outlining the purpose of the research and confidentiality of respondents' input.
  • Guaranteed all participants that the information they provide would be kept confidential to NFO, that they would not personally be identified in the research, and that only pooled data will be reported.
  • Gave all participants an opportunity to ask any questions they may have about the research.

Interview Process

• Participants in the qualitative interviews were treated with dignity, respect and politeness at all times. For Māori and Pacific Peoples, cultural integrity was upheld throughout interviews.
• NFO ensured that participants were not harmed (physically, psychologically, emotionally or culturally) during any interview. Our aim was for participants to feel no worse (and ideally better) than before the interview started. The researchers took time to build rapport and create a safe environment at the outset, and maintained this throughout interviews.
• If participants appeared fatigued, they were offered the opportunity of taking a break.
• NFO ensured that the potential for participant harm from the interview schedules was minimised through using soundly designed and culturally appropriate interview schedules that have ethical approval.
• Researcher neutrality throughout interviews helped participants to answer questions frankly (i.e. without fear of judgement).

Cultural Considerations for Māori and Pacific Peoples

The NFO Social Research Team has developed guiding principles for undertaking research/evaluations with Māori and Pacific Peoples as below. These principles were applied in the research.

• Only undertaking research with a clear purpose (i.e. not over burdening Māori or Pacific Peoples with research/evaluation participation);
• Working with people grounded in Māori/Pacific Peoples philosophies to design our research approach and tools. For this project we included our consultant Māori and Pacific Peoples researchers to conduct the Māori and Pacific Island groups;
• Using culturally appropriate methodologies (i.e. using face to face methods wherever possible);
• Respecting cultural practices and ensuring the integrity of the culture is maintained at all times (e.g. not sitting on tables); and
• Not making assumptions about what being Māori or a Pacific Peoples means

Our commitment to the appropriate inclusion of Māori in our research has led to us taking the following steps:

• The Wellington NFO team undertook a series of lessons in te reo;
• The Social Research Director has attended courses in biculturalism, te reo and tikanga and the Treaty of Waitangi; and

The Wellington NFO team has developed a sound working relationship with our consultant Māori and Pacific Peoples researchers.

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