Tag Archives: roads

Anarcho-capitalism and a Libertarian analysis of COVID with Prof. Walter Block – my latest podcast episode

My latest Economics Explored podcast episode contains an introduction to the concept of anarcho-capitalism and a libertarian analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic with Professor Walter Block, Harold E. Wirth Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair in Economics at Loyola University and senior … Continue reading

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Second GC motorway should have been built decades ago – BODBTN extract

It was good to see in a media statement yesterday the state government’s commitment to a second M1: The Palaszczuk Government’s economic recovery plan will be significantly boosted with a $755 million commitment to build the 16-kilometre stage one of … Continue reading

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Unfreezing discount rates with Marion Terrill from Grattan – latest podcast episode

Building Queensland and Infrastructure Australia require the use of a 7% discount rate in cost-benefit analyses of public infrastructure projects, but is a 7% discount rate applied to the future benefits of public infrastructure projects too high? Marion Terrill of … Continue reading

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Quiggin calls for economically sensible road charges in outstanding Colin Clark Lecture

UQ’s Professor John Quiggin was only called upon Wednesday to fill in for an ill Richard Holden at the annual Colin Clark Lecture at Brisbane’s old Customs House yesterday morning, but nonetheless he managed to deliver an outstanding presentation titled: … Continue reading

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Terminating KSD contract probably provides a better return for ratepayers than proceeding

Jim Binney returns to the topic of the controversial $650 million Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade in a new guest post. From an economic point of view, avoiding costs is akin to a benefit. In fact this is the logic that … Continue reading

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What does the sensitivity analysis for KSD upgrade show?

Governments and local councils would be much better off making business cases for public projects such as the $650 million Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade public before they commit to them, so they are tested by the critics and the politicians … Continue reading

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Productivity Commission re-litigates road pricing reform

In situations where demand exceeds supply, a good or service can either be rationed by queuing or rationed by price. Economic theory is clear that it is most efficient to ration by price, as the good or service goes to … Continue reading

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Weekend reading – 15-16 March

The Productivity Commission’s monster of a report on Public Infrastructure, which (rightly) recommends congestion pricing on roads, is worth reading, particularly because of the excellent Chapter 14 in Volume 2 on Social and Economic Regulation. On the costs to business … Continue reading

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