Efficient road pricing is required both to generate funds which may be used for roadworks and to ration the use of what is an expensive asset. The important elements of road pricing theory are outlined and these indicate that both the structure and level of charge are important in rationalising road use and optimising the role of road transport in our modern economy.

• Review of Road Cost Recovery
  
  op_090.pdf
  (14.21 MB)

This report discusses the effect of Australian flag shipping on the balance of payments (the external account). In preparing the report, the BTCE estimated the 1986–87 contribution to the external account from all Australian shipping operations and evaluated 17 case studies of hypothetical Australian ships in international trades. The case studies were carried out using a ship costing model called BTESHIP and were based on hypothetical new vessels operating with the crew costs and conditions negotiated by the Shipping Reform Task Force (so-called MlDC ships). The case study data were also used to evaluate efficiency in earning foreign exchange with domestic resource cost analysis.

• Australian Shipping and the Balance of Payments
  
  op_099.pdf
  (5.18 MB)

This paper provides a simple method for evaluating alternative strategies for road pavement construction and maintenance using a life cycle costing approach.

• Pavement Management: Development of a Life Cycle Costing Technique
  
  op_100.pdf
  (3.86 MB)

This paper examines the financial performance of the government business enterprises (GBEs) in the Transport and Communications portfolio: Qantas, Australian Airlines, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the Federal Airports Corporation (FAC), ANL Limited (previously the Australian Shipping Commission), the Australian National Railways Commission (AN), Telecom, Australia Post, OTC (OTC Limited, previously the Overseas Telecommunications Commission) and AUSSAT Pty Limited.

• Financial Performance of Government Business Enterprises in the Transport and Communications Portfolio 1977–78 to 1988–89
  
  ip_035.pdf
  (7.7 MB)

This study provides financial and social cost-benefit analyses of options for the Australian National railways operation in Tasmania (Tasrail).

• The Future of the Tasmanian Railway System: A Cost–Benefit Assessment of Options
  
  report_069.pdf
  (9.17 MB)

While a great deal has been written on the theory and application of optimal road price and investment policy, relatively little attention has been given to the subject of roads policy in practice. This monograph's main concern is the latter line of inquiry, focusing attention on the complex of political, legal, economic and institutional factors which have shaped Commonwealth and State government roads policy in Australia since the 1920s through to the 1980s.

• Roads Policy and Australian Federalism
  
  op_106.pdf
  (13.89 MB)

This Information Paper discusses the impact of deregulation of domestic aviation for the period 1990 to 1995 including the impact on fares, passenger numbers, quality of service and competition.

• Deregulation of Domestic Aviation in Australia 1990–1995
  
  is_006.pdf
  (711.19 KB)

This Working Paper is an intermediate output in a research project being conducted by BTCE. The project team examines the adequacy of conventional methods for estimating economic benefits from transport and communications infrastructure investment.

• Evaluating Transport Investments With National Economic Models: Australian Experience With ORANI
  
  wp_013.pdf
  (2.9 MB)

A collection of contributions by leading Australians in the field, this publication presents a range of perspectives on domestic and international trading of greenhouse emissions. It contains a high-level view of Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol and associated negotiations, and explains current Australian programs and policies with respect to reducing greenhouse emissions and generating carbon sinks. This paper was authored by Dr Leo Dobes.

• Trading Greenhouse Emissions: Some Australian Perspectives
  
  op_115.pdf
  (18.53 MB)

This Working Paper forms part of a research project investigating into certain issues concerned with measuring the benefits of investment in transport infrastructure. The focus of the project is on possible benefits from increased employment; and benefits often claimed to be significant but understated by benefit-cost analyses, especially; cost savings from business logistic responses to improvements in infrastructure (for example, substitution of transport for inventory); rural regional development benefits; and the indirect benefits that an item of transport infrastructure provides to non-users of that infrastructure.

• Econometric Evidence on the Benefits of Infrastructure Investment: an Australian Perspective
  
  wp_025.pdf
  (3.03 MB)