Economists at Large

It may be their story but we need the full story

Roderick — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:14:52 +0000

(Note – I wrote this just before going to Lao for several weeks and forgetting to post it. It relates to this Minerals Council ad, which I can’t find a better copy of:

)

Obviously the full page newspaper ads put out by the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) detailing their members’ tax payments recently

Politics beats economics. Such is life in Canberra.

William — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:23:15 +0000

William discusses pokies, mandatory pre-commitments and the confusion between economics and politics.

Grand (Prix) Theft Auto – Melbourne Grand Prix economic update

Roderick — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 02:38:26 +0000

Its that time of year again – when Victoria hands over the park and the money to Bernie Ecclestone, Bernie demands more, taxpayers complain and the Vic government bends over. Our review of the Grand Prix economic assessment has been getting some attention, with Rod on Save Albert Park’s 3CR radio show, ABC local radio and

Tarrawonga coal proposal economic assessment review

Roderick — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 06:54:50 +0000

We recently assisted the Maules Creek Community Council with another submission – this time reviewing the economic appendix of the Tarrawonga Coal extension proposal. The economic assessment fails to make a convincing case for the project. Like assessment of other coal proposals in the region, net present value is overstated due to problems with scope

Boggabri Coal – PAC up yer’ economics, ya wont be needin’ none

Roderick — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:59:48 +0000

We are disappointed to read the NSW Planning Assessment Commission’s (PAC) report on the Boggabri Coal project, giving the open-cut mine the green light. Last year we made several submissions relating to this project on behalf of the Maules Creek Community Council, pointing out the shortcomings of the economic assessment of the mine.

What’s disappointing

Queensland: lobbyists one day, premier the next

Roderick — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:00:08 +0000

Two interesting articles in the Australian Financial Review this week show that neither industry nor politicians understand what’s wrong with the mining assessment process. The stories were focussed on Queensland, but they’re relevant nation-wide. Industry reps got their side in on Monday and the AFR covered Anna Bligh’s reply the next day. The positions taken

Enough about renewable vs non-renewable. Let’s talk opportunity cost.

Tristan — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:30:46 +0000

I wrote this post after reading a short tweet by Ben Cubby, Environment Editor at the Sydney Morning Herald, who tweeted earlier today:

Should burning woodchips be classed as #renewable energy? Oakeshott and Windsor think maybe it should. bit.ly/zwipL4 #climate

I read this while walking to the office and pondered the question of whether or not wood chips should

Adam Smith vs Kim Kardashian: Can classical economics explain the modern celebrity?

Roderick — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:19:31 +0000

(UPDATED – See NW’s response at bottom)

As I sat down to breakfast the other morning I was confronted with a difficult choice of reading material. On the one hand was Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, the foundation of classical economics (I’m trying to become the only person I know who’s actually read it)

Victorian Carbon Comedy Continues!

Roderick — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:02:26 +0000

Last year I blogged about some of the Victorian government’s ridiculous claims relating to carbon pricing. I was upset that the Victorian government had made sensational claims without releasing their modelling. I was reminded to look back into this by the The Age today, claiming:

ENERGY Minister Michael O’Brien ignored his own department’s economic modelling

New report by Ecolarge. When the cows don’t come home – The economic impacts of losing livestock in a disaster

Tristan — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:21:57 +0000

Ecolarge-LivestockDisasterEconomics-Final.pdf

What happens when the cows don’t come home? This report was commissioned by the World Society for the Protection of Animals and investigates the “economic impact of losing livestock in a disaster”. It covers a wide range of material relating to the role of livestock in development, the economics of disasters, the treatment