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Archived news for 2005 | Recent news
Maintaining some balance in power
In most countries, energy policy has traditionally comprised two features. The first is for revenue raising. The relative insensitiveness of demand...
We cannot eliminate risk
The Productivity Commission's review of government regulation shows that - contrary to popular belief - we don't actually live in an era of...
Deregulation is no pipe-dream
Premier Peter Beattie campaigns in elections as Queensland's Sir Galahad, saving voters from his own government's depredations. Incongruous as this...
Releasing industry from government ownership
Aside from his role as NSW Finance Minister, one of Michael Costa's new jobs is, alongside new Premier Morris Iemma, as the shareholder minister to...
It's all a big snow job
Snowy Hydro is a corporatised business owned by the NSW, Victoria and Commonwealth governments. NSW is the majority owner. Snowy's function is to...
Take the political regulation out of infrastructure
In the budget, Treasurer Peter Costello wisely turned a deaf ear to the cacophony of voices calling for a massive new infrastructure spending...
Rein in the regulators
We can't seem to get it right on infrastructure, the ports, pipelines, roads, rail and telecom lines, over which all of us travel and transact each...
Regulations burn holes in pockets
For businesses and households alike, regulations add costs. Among these is the tiresome process of filling in forms and paying government fees. But...
Government actions cloud water debate
The AFR has started an overdue debate with Terry Dwyer's article ('Conspiracy of silence over water charges'). Like many natural products with a...