Grant aiding rural local roads—an alternative approach

The paper points first to the significance of rural road expenditure in Australia and to the limited success of attempts to place grants for these roads within a framework of economic efficiency. Attention is then drawn to the merit good issue and to the findings of recent research which suggest that spatial equity and changing levels of aspiration are important determinants of road user attitudes. From this the authors conclude that disequilibrium between expected and actual road performance levels will be a salient characteristic and that road grants should be directed to reducing this discordance. A methodology for distributing grants is suggested and illustrated by reference to South Australian data.

     

Transport planning and the policy-modelling interface

Evidence of the inability of transport models to elucidate policy is cited and reasons for this weakness are then suggested.Attention is drawn to the fundamental changes in both opinion and policy currently taking place. There is less concern with accessibility per se and rather more concern with the provision of adequate or minimum accessibility for certain social groups. More emphasis is placed also on the environmental aspects of transportation.The implications of these changes are outlined. It is not at all clear that the need to adapt and up-date models is appreciated widely enough. Finally, it is considered whether fundamental changes in methodology may help to make transport models more responsive to policy needs.     

Transport policy and administration in Australia: issues and frameworks

Abstract

The Commonwealth Constitution establishes the parameters for transport policy and administration in Australia. The first part of this paper outlines this Constitutional structure. Section 2 reviews current issues in Australian transport, illustrating the significance of the Constitutional constraints and the administrative framework. This framework and its associated responsibilities is set out in detail in Sections 3 and 4, first with respect to the Commonwealth's transport interests and then with respect to the States. South Australia is used as an example in the latter context but significant differences between States are noted. The final section summarizes inter‐governmental transport research organizations and discusses the potential of the Inter‐State Commission provided for in the Constitution.