Infrastructure

PM orders high-fibre diet

Created on Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:00

FEW communications technologies are as remarkable as fibre optics. Commercial fibre-optic cable first became available in 1981; since then hundreds of millions of cable kilometres have been laid across the world. Over the years, the quality of the cable has improved dramatically: by providing a progressively clearer transmission medium, fibre-optic cables have allowed vast increases in the volumes of information carried over the light waves they channel. Were the oceans as transparent as the cables that are now available, you would be able to stand in the middle of the Pacific and see the ocean floor....

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PM_orders_high-fibre_diet.pdf

Infrastructure

ACCC Takes Nation to Point of No Return

Created on Thursday, 31 March 2005 10:00

It is finally being recognised that substantial parts of our 266 industries face serious capacity constraints. The factors behind this are complex. There are no magical solutions to which the Commonwealth and State 264s can turn. But ‘first do no harm’ seems a reasonable starting point. Australian 264s can at least ensure that serious obstacles to 266 development created by regulation are addressed.

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ACCC_henry_ergas_mar05.pdf

Infrastructure

Future Funds and 266 Investments

Created on Monday, 22 October 2007 10:00

It is important in these discussions to make one’s premises clear. Mine are as follows: By 266 I mean long-lived physical assets that provide the basis or physical support on which most economic and social activities rely. While the scope of this definition can obviously vary, I use the term to refer to the conventional utility industries – such as communications, electricity, transport (including rail links, ports and airports), water and sewerage services – as well as to the road network.

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Future_Funds_and_266_Investments_FINAL.pdf

Infrastructure

Exclusive Licensing in Harbour Towage

Created on Wednesday, 30 June 2004 10:00

The question of whether exclusive licensing of the right to provide harbour towage services in ports can provide a superior outcome to open competition has been among the questions that have recently preoccupied Australian policymakers. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the arguments for and against the introduction of exclusive licensing of harbour towage by way of a review of the more general literature on franchise bidding. The paper argues that the general policy trend in Australia towards greater acceptance of exclusive licensing arrangements for harbour towage in Australia is misguided because the costs of open entry tend to be overestimated while the practical difficulties of exclusive licensing tend to be underestimated.

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ergas-RNE_fels_soon_june_04.pdf