There has been considerable interest in access rates in Australia since the development of National Competition Policy. This paper provides a framework for analysing the different situations in which access is an appropriate policy tool. It argues that access does not necessarily raise welfare...

Banks use a mix of wholesale and deposit funds to finance lending. If a country is a net importer of wholesale funds, then a financial crisis in a foreign country can 'infect' the banking system by raising the cost of wholesale funds. Indeed, countries such as Australia imported a crisis through...

The Australian Parliament has passed legislation compelling tobacco products to be sold in ?plain packaging?. This paper reviews this legislation and its likely effects on prices, market structure in the tobacco industry and on smoking behaviour. Industry changes following two previous sets of...

Sri Lanka's telecommunications industry was profoundly transformed during the 1990s and became one of the most open and competitive among developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region. This was driven by a series of government initiatives to open up the sector to new entrants and greater...

Sri Lanka's telecommunications industry was profoundly transformed during the 1990s and became one of the most open and competitive among developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region. This was driven by a series of government initiatives to open up the sector to new entrants and greater...