Finance

It is argued in this paper that an externality might exist for economically disadvantaged areas, and this might take various forms. If this is the case, it is argued in the paper that public sector intervention of various types could be required. The important contribution of the paper lies in the outlining of a different approach for&n ....

Australian farmers operate in a volatile business environment, subject to the vagaries of the Australian climate and fully exposed to capricious international agricultural commodity markets. Periodically, a combination of climate and market factors create particularly challenging periods for farm businesses, during which time there are inevitable ....

My dissertation examines how the institutional structures of Native Financial Institutions (NFIs) in the United States and Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs) in Canada have contributed to their growth and success and how these institutions are helping Indigenous communities to participate in the global economy on their own terms. ....

The NSW Standing Committee on Public Works undertook this inquiry to investigate why councils were not making greater use of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). While PPPs are by no means the complete answer to all of local government’s infrastructure funding problems, they do present one way that councils can either upgrade existing infrastruc ....

Numerous state-based and national public inquiries across Australia have demonstrated conclusively that local councils face almost insurmountable problems in coping with the problem of financing a massive backlog in local infrastructure maintenance and renewal. Various solutions have been advanced to tackle the problem, including t ....

This report deals with priorities for research into rural communities and rural social issues. The report is based on an extensive literature review, together with information derived from a survey of policy-making agencies and researchers, as well as discussion at a national workshop held in Canberra on 19 May 1999. Issues reviewe ....

Over the past decade or so there has been considerable attention given to the state of Australian local governments' finances, the capacity of local governments to fund reasonable and appropriate service levels, why local governments may have financial challenges and what if anything should be done about these matters. There have ....

The Ernst & Young report Strong foundations for sustainable local infrastructure sets out a number of recommendations for funding future local infrastructure needs. The report makes recommendations on: how councils can leverage existing funding sources for investment in new infrastructure improving councils' access to finance, and helpi ....

Micro credit represents a significant policy innovation. It is a direct investment in individuals and communities, recognising their ability to drive economic and social change. This report has been prepared to help governments understand and encourage the use of micro credit as a tool to enhance economic engagement opportunities f ....

Issues relating to Indigenous people's access to, and understanding of banking and other financial services are critical to their ability to participate in the economy, thereby improving their general quality of life and in the longer term, assisting in the reduction of welfare dependence. Indigenous people's comparatively low inco ....