EXEMPLAR FOR LOW EXCELLENCE
NOTE: These exemplars do not fully show Grade Score Marking (GSM) because
of the small sample of student scripts involved, and the absence of a cut score
meeting to determine grade boundaries. GSM can be seen in the level 1 and level 2
exemplars from the 2012 examinations, which will be published on the NZQA website
when the assessment schedules are published.
This script is a low Excellence because the candidate has described the issue,
described ideological responses to the issue, incorporated social studies
concepts, described the points of view, values and perspectives of different
individuals and groups within the ideologies and explained the ways the ideologies
influence the response(s) in detail and evaluated the impact of the ideological
response(s) to the issue.
To reach high Excellence, the candidate could have evaluated the impact of the
ideological response(s) to the issue in detail by incorporating specific evidence.
E7
EXEMPLAR FOR HIGH EXCELLENCE
NOTE: These exemplars do not fully show Grade Score Marking (GSM) because
of the small sample of student scripts involved, and the absence of a cut score
meeting to determine grade boundaries. GSM can be seen in the level 1 and level 2
exemplars from the 2012 examinations, which will be published on the NZQA website
when the assessment schedules are published.
3
Palm oil is produced from the fruit of the oil palm tree. Oils are extracted from the fruit and are
used for cooking, industrial lubrication, production of biofuels and leather. Palm oil can also be
found in other things such as manufactured foods, soaps and candles. The demand for Palm oil
is rapidly increasing and this has sped up the rates and methods of palm oil production. Palm oil
production has started to cause many issues. These issues include deforestation, endangering
lives, the disappearance of wildlife and altering the nutritional quality of products such as
milk. To produce palm oil, rainforests are logged and oil palm trees are planted in their place.
The removing of these rainforests have caused deforestation of some of the most important
rainforests. Mainly in Indonesia and Malaysia. Combined these countries produce 85% of the
world’s palm oil In Indonesia an average of 34,000 hectares of forests are converted into oil palm
plantations each year. The deforestation has affected the native people (Dayaks in Borneo). Only
about 10,000 members remain. Their traditional lifestyle is threatened because the starch sago
palm, which is used for food and making weapons is being replaced to make way for oil palm
plantayions. When oil palm plantations are produced up to 90% of wildlife disappears.
The capitalist ideological response to this issue is that palm oil has major advantages over
other vegetable oils. Palm oil has better performance, versatility, yield per hectare and cost
effectiveness. Palm oil is also considered to be the most productive vegetable oil. Palm oil is the
most cost effective of the major edible oils eg. coconut and sunflower. According to the Malaysian
Palm Oil board palm meal is an ‘important product’ which generates a great deal of profit for
Malaysia. Greenpeace stated that in 2010 New Zealand has spent over $356 million on palm
meal, that money was used to clear more rainforests to make more palm oil plantations.
The capitalist ideology influenced this response because capitalism is an “economic and political
system characterised by a free market for goods and services.” Capitalists value the idea of
money and making money. Capitalists believe in the idea of having private control of production
and consumption. Ownership of means of production and distribution is made by capitalised and
Social Studies 3.1
ASSESSOR’S
USE ONLY
4
maintained. By owning palm oil plantations capitalists are earning profit, therefore they are not
concerned with any of the negative effects which may occur because of the palm oil production.
They value the notion of private enterprise and the freedom to own/manage resources to make a
profit.
The capitalist ideology and responses is shaped by a capitalism worldview. By responding to the
issue of palm oil, capitalists have promoted the idea that palm oil is better than other vegetable
oils. They have increased production of palm oil which is significant as the increasing production
will lead to more deforestation. Statistics have shown that 98% of Indonesia’s rainforests may be
destroyed by 2022. Although there are strengths in the capitalist ideology such as the fact that it
earns profit for countries such as Malaysia it has huge disadvantages as people are more likely to
be worried about the safety of the environment than the earnings of a country. By producing palm
oil the sustainability of resources are decreasing. Future generations will no longer be provide with
resources which could be found within forests.
The Malaysian Palm Oil Board believes that producing palm oil is a good thing. They believe this
because of the amount of profit it generates. “It is also an important product from oil palm industry
that generates sustainable earnings for Malaysia”. This is shaped by their capitalist worldview
which means they strongly value the idea of earning profits and owning property.
The environmental response to this issue was asking supermarket companies such as Food
Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) to label their products if it contains palm oil.
FSANZ rejected the offer as they believe they have no legal capacity to hear the case. The reason
they did this is because they are aware that awareness is being raised of deforestation causing the
customer to be discouraged to buy the product. Another action taken by environmental ideology
such as Greenpeace is lobbying against palm meal imports into New Zealand. Furthermore,
Cadbury has taken an environmental stance as they stopped using palm oil in its dairy milk
chocolate, to satisfy their customers after a response to consumer feedback.
Social Studies 3.1
ASSESSOR’S
USE ONLY
5
The reason why ideologies responded like this is because they value the environment, so work
ASSESSOR’S
USE ONLY
to protect the natural environment from damage by human activities, destruction and pollution,
advocating for protecting the environment. Therefore, it is their role and responsibilities to ensure
that palm oil stops endangering species, destroying rainforests and stopping palm oil feed into the
food chain. They are trying to stop statistics such as a quarter of the world’s supply of palm meal
coming into New Zealand.
The environmental ideologist’s response have influenced society by raising awareness. This is a
strength because people are learning about the harm of palm oil to the environment, therefore will
be discouraged to buy the products. This having a significant impact on the capitalists who are
taking advantage of the natural resources. This being a positive impact to the people living in the
rainforests, as deforestation is decreasing, meaning that the tribes living in the forest in Savawak
and Brunei such as the ‘Penan tribe’ no longer live in fear, and the 10,000 only members that do
remain, can continue living where they want.
Auckland Zoo believes that the only way to reverse the situation is for consumers to reduce their
consumption of palm oil. They believe this because they support the idea of the world being
palm oil free. The reason they believe this is because they care for animals and see the harm the
deforestation is causing to animals such as orang-utans. This is shaped by their environmental
worldview, meaning that they care about the environment such as animals and bad effects such as
pollution, deforestation of the earth’s natural resource.
This script is a high Excellence because the candidate has described the issue,
described ideological responses to the issue, incorporated social studies
concepts, described the points of view, values and perspectives of different
individuals and groups within the ideologies and explained the ways the
ideologies influence the response(s) in detail and evaluated the impact of the
ideological response(s) to the issue in detail by incorporating specific evidence.
Social Studies 3.1
E8