This dashboard shows changes in road construction prices over time using the ABS producer price index. Data is available for Australia and selected states.

In recent years, increasing attention has been focussed on the question of charges for services provided by governments. In particular, the Commonwealth Government's 'cost recovery' policies have been the subject of wide debate, especially in their application to air transport.

This Report contains results of a study of cost recovery in Australian transport generally in the year 1974–75. Each major mode of transport is included, and the analysis is comprehensive in the sense that different areas and classes of transport operations within each mode are analysed wherever applicable or practicable.

• Cost Recovery in Australian Transport 1974–75
  
  report_033.pdf
  (19.42 MB)

A knowledge of bus maintenance costs and how they vary with bus age is of value in a number of applications. Of particular interest to BTE is the importance of bus maintenance costs to optimal bus replacement strategies. The report summarises the Aggregate Bus Maintenance Studies of six bus operators in Australian capital cities and isolates the major variables influencing both maintenance and servicing costs.

• Aggregate Bus Maintenance Costs
  
  op_013.pdf
  (2.16 MB)

In many of its analyses involving shipping, the Bureau of Transport Economics has been required to estimate costs associated with owning and operating vessels of various types. This Paper presents a model for estimating long-run average ship costs that was developed by the Bureau for this purpose. The model has been developed as a computer program (BTESHIP) to enable ship costs to be evaluated quickly and conveniently. However, to use the model effectively it is necessary to have an understanding of the principles involved in estimating ship costs. This Paper contains a discussion of the nature of ship costs and their estimation, as well as a user's manual which documents the structure and operation of the program.

• A Model for Estimating Cargo Ship Costs; BTCESHIP
  
  op_083.pdf
  (6.83 MB)

The car rental industry in Australia has experienced strong growth in turnover during the past decade and a correspondingly high degree of price and service competition. Industry turnover has increased from $25 million in 1975 to in excess of $200 million in 1986, with the four national operators accounting for an estimated 80 to 85 per cent of industry turnover. The study indicates that greater operator access to Commonwealth airports since 1979 has been beneficial for consumers, operators and government airport concession revenue, alike.

• Australian Car Rental Industry Study
  
  op_086.pdf
  (5.94 MB)

This paper examines price setting policies and practices of port authorities in Australia. It provides a description of the port industry and an overview of pricing practices, then assesses these practices against various criteria, notably financial balance, economic efficiency and equity. Areas in which an improved outcome might result from the application of economic principles are identified.

• The Pricing of Port Services
  
  op_097.pdf
  (8.21 MB)

This report presents the results of a Bureau of Transport Economics project on the regional impact of ports. It includes a general framework for undertaking port impact studies in Australia and a case study that applies the framework to the Port of Fremantle, Western Australia. By measuring both direct and flow-on effects, the case study estimated that the Port of Fremantle was responsible for 0.8% of all employment in Western Australia, with a value added contribution of 0.9% to Western Australia's Gross State Product.

• Regional Impact of Ports
  
  report_101.pdf
  (558.39 KB)

Natural disasters affect every State and Territory in Australia. Good information on the costs of natural disasters is required to assess the effectiveness of expenditure on disaster mitigation. This study focuses on national economic costs, using data from the Emergency Management Australia (EMA) database, over the period 1967 to 1999.

• Economic Costs of Natural Disasters in Australia
  
  report_103.pdf
  (2.06 MB)

This publication presents monthly information on sales of new motor vehicles in each state/territory in original, seasonally adjusted and trend estimated terms. The original data are sourced from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. Sales data are available for passenger vehicles, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), other vehicles and total vehicles at the state/territory and national levels.

• Sales of New Motor Vehicles