Agenda, Volume 16, Number 3, 2009
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Agenda, Volume 16, Number 3, 2009

Table of Contents

Editor
Editorial Committee

Multi-Criteria Analysis: "Good Enough" for Government Work?

Introduction

The emergence of cost-benefit analysis

The theory and practice of cost-benefit analysis

Multi-criteria analysis: atheoretical and impractical

Some comparisons: cost-benefit analysis versus multi-criteria analysis

Whose perspective?
Choice of impacts or effects of government policies and actions
Alternative policies
Valuation of effects or merits of proposals
Efficiency versus equity
Why multi-criteria analysis is fundamentally flawed
Analytical rigour

Implications for government

Conclusions

In Defence of Cost-Benefit Analysis

The differences between CBA and MCA

Criticisms of CBA

Non-commensurability
Income distribution
Accuracy

The current state of Australian project evaluation

Assessing the Impact of Regulatory Impact Assessments

International experience with RIAs
The unintended consequences of dealing with unintended consequences
‘Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?’
‘If people don’t know what you’re doing, then they don’t know what you’re doing wrong’
Regulating regulation’s regulator
References

Advancing Accountability in Government

Switch on the Data: Changes Needed for Access to Public-Sector Information

References

Can Better Political Governance Give Australia an Improved Political Class?

The governance of political parties: the issue
The present framework
Some Proposals for Reform

Error and Design: Economics in (and some Economics of) the Australian Competition Tribunal

Abstract
Introduction
Review in action: three Tribunal decisions
Rates of return and investment
Asset valuation
Airport charging
Why do errors occur?
Implications for regulatory design: Rules and standards
Relation to Australian regulatory regimes
Conclusions
References

The Global Credit Crisis: Why Have Australian Banks Been So Remarkably Resilient?

Introduction

Performance of Australian banks during the current crisis

No bailouts of Australian banks
No US and UK-style liquidity emergency
Australian banks have avoided abnormal loan write-downs
Share prices of Australian banks comparatively resilient
Australian banks have not been downgraded

Explaining the contrasting experience

A culture of intermediation, not securitisation
Australian banks are highly capitalised
A diversified and stable funding base
Healthy profitability
Sound corporate governance
Effective financial system regulation
Separation of commercial banking from social assistance measures

Conclusions

Fiddling With the Digital TV Tuner: Recent Adjustments to a Poor Policy

Abstract
Introduction
Digital television policy
Adjusting the original plan
How many homes have digital TV?
Prospects for a 2013 switchover
Are recent policy changes sufficient?
Conclusion
References

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