ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00282.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00283.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThis article reviews macroeconomic policy in Australia since the 1960s. It is argued that economic thinking by Australian governments progressed from a Keynesian approach to a classical approach in 1975 and then to a Keynesian‐classical synthesis in 1983. To the usual major indicators of macroeconomic performance, unemployment and inflation, the article adds a third indicator, called thrift. Thrift is a measure of how society is allocating its resources between current and future consumption. The record of thrift for Australia since the 1960s is described and evaluate

ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00284.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThis article constructs a median voter model of public expenditure levels, which includes as a central piece of the analysis the costs of expenditure increments to voters in various income groups. These marginal cost‐shares or ‘tax‐prices’ are derived from tax data for three separate periods over the larger period under discussion. The levels of spending predicted by the model are compared with the levels of spending that actually prevailed, as a means of checking the median voter model ‐ and in that sense, to investigate the plausibility of one line of reasoning that might be used to explain ‘continuity and change’ from 1968

ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00285.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00286.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThis article examines the budget process as a selection of priorities and how these priorities change over time with changing economic circumstances. Labor governments spend more on health, employment creation schemes, on welfare housing but less on industry assistance and on assisted immigration. The rate of growth of expenditure on social security decreased sharply after 1975. The revenue section examines how different governments have restructured the tax system. Broadly, the McMahon government pursued mildly progressive tax policies, the Whitlam government strongly progressive tax policies. Fraser's tax policies were regressive (except for taxpayers with children), with the Hawke government's policies in this area being nearer to Whitlam than to McMahon. Grouping budgets into election, pre‐election and post‐election budgets provides interesting contrasts. In terms of current (1984–85) prices the ‘average’ election budget produces tax cuts of $2300 million and expenditure increases of around $1 600 million. The two budgets which preceded the loss of office by the two Liberal Prime Ministers produced particularly large outlay increases. The categories of outlays which show evidence of being used as election‐bait are

ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00287.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00288.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractAustralia shares with several small European economies the characteristic of having a relatively coordinated union movement with the ability to influence real wage levels. This article explores the course of wages policy over the last decade by applying to Australia a model of wage determination originating in Europe, a model which assumes that the union movement can determine the real wage level. The wage level the union movement chooses is influenced by choices it faces between real wage increases and employment growth. The unions are also influenced by the public sector employment generating activity of government. Stagflation in the late 1970s is analysed by hypothesising a misperception by the union movement of the policy options available to government, and a mistrust by government of the unions' willingness to moderate wage increases if employment levels rise rapidly. The model suggests that an accord between unions and government (such as that which has been in place in Australia since 1983) is a way to escape some of these policy dilemmas.

ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00289.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00290.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

AbstractThis article consists of a review of changes in trade and industry policy, along with discussions of the determinants of change and the major problem areas. Policy between 1965 and 1985 is summarised, and the growth of unemployment in the 1970s is suggested as a key determinant of change. Higher protection in certain industries, and moves to more quantitative methods ot protection can be related to unemployment, in Australia as in other countries. Theory and empirical evidence suggest that protection is likely to prove ineffective in reducing unemployment. The reliance on protection in particular cases is ascribed to a wish by governments to preserve specific jobs, not to increase overall employment. Policy can have a role in facilitating or restricting structural change which can arise from several sources, such as changing trade patterns and preferences. The devices of policy are considered briefly to determine whether they are likely to facilitate change or not. It is concluded that they often provide incentives to avoid change. The scale problem is considered, and it is suggested that the cost of protection could be high in industries subject to significant scale economies. Scale and adjustments are considered in the light of two industries, motor vehicles and whitegoods, and the role of industry plans is examined. The actuality of trade and industry policy often differs from announced intentions, and this ambiguity can give rise to uncertainty which itself has a cost.

ISSN:0004-9018    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-8462.1985.tb00291.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1985

数据来源: WILEY