THE PRICE OF GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN THE AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT SECTOR. 13TH AUSTRALASIAN TRANSPORT RESEARCH FORUM, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, 18-21 JULY 1988; FORUM PAPERS. VOLUME 1 AND 2

The current interest of transport policy makers with the deregulation debate, and the calls by some to privatise or corporatise the public transport operators in Australia, is a reflection of the community's concern with the perceived high level of government participation in the Australian transport sector and with the effectiveness of that participation in meeting their transport needs. This paper contributes to the discussion by providing some first order perspectives that might help shape its parameters. One of the first requirements or prerequisites, for discussion is a broad understanding of just what is spent on transport in the taxpayer's name, and on what sort of services in the taxpayer's interest. However, the unique nature of Australia's governmental structures, coupled with the vast array of interventionist mechanisms they pursue, makes it extraordinarily difficult to quantify the costs of government participation in the transport sector. The paper provides estimates of the total cost of government participation in the Australian transport sector in 1986/87. It assesses some of the differences in financial performance between the states and between modes, and explores the differences between total government expenditure and, after accounting for identifiable earnings, the net price of services to the taxpayers. As a consequence, the results provide a "snapshot" of government activity in transport: but, in so doing, they produce for the first time a comprehensive background within which to cast the overall policy debate. (Author/TRRL) (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0477052096
• Corporate Authors:

  Ministry of Transport, New Zealand

  38-42 Waring Taylor Street, P.O. Box 3175
  Wellington,   New Zealand 
• Authors:
  • MICHAEL, E
• Publication Date: 1988

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 701-40
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Ministry of Transport, New Zealand
  • Publisher: Ministry of Transport, New Zealand

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Costs; Deregulation; Economic factors; Economics; Federal government; Financing; Industries; Level of service; Performance; Policy; Public transit; State government; Transportation
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ITRD Terms: 8006: Australia; 8525: Conference; 224: Cost; 144: Deregulation; 5910: Durability; 263: Economics of transport; 244: Financing; 183: Government (national); 332: Industry; 653: Level of service; 173: Policy; 744: Public transport; 1155: Transport
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00492902
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 0-477-05209-6
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1990 12:00AM