Rethinking the Land: The Development of Inland Saline Aquaculture in Western Australia

Inland saline aquaculture may offer an opportunity for income diversification and a potentially productive use of land that can no longer support traditional agriculture in salt-affected parts of inland Australia. Interest in inland saline aquaculture is increasing in Western Australia, however, production and investment levels are characteristically low. Inland saline aquaculture presents a continuum of production and investment options for landholders and investors, from being a small-scale, hobby-like remedial use of salinised farmland to a novel and legitimate agricultural industry. Successful progress toward the latter depends on a number of factors: appropriate production technology; identification and establishment of sustainable markets; establishment of environmentally sustainable production systems; and industry management. We use preliminary data from finfish aquaculture in inland Western Australia to consider why industry success requires concurrent development across all these fields.     

TAXATION,COST OF CAPITAL AND INVESTMENT IN AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE*

The concept and measurement of the cost of capital is developed to include particularly the role of taxation in investment behaviour. The relative importance of factors influencing investment in plant and machinery is examined for five sectors which make up the broadacre industry of Australia. It is shown that residual funds are important in determining plant and machinery investment, but not through the normally hypothesised channels. It is not the increased liquidity from increased income which raises investment, but the fall in the cost of capital, which is associated with the marginal rate of tax.     

世界主要地区矿业税费研究

文章对北美、拉丁美洲、非洲、大洋洲和印度次大陆五个世界上重要的矿业资源与矿业开发区开展了矿业税费研究,对矿业税费结构、税费率、税费抵扣与补贴、矿业有效税率,以及税费与矿业可持续发展的关系进行了分析。研究结果显示,北美和拉丁美洲为全球的低矿业税费区,大洋洲与非洲为较高税费区,印度次大陆为高税费区。研究结果表明,矿业税费的设计应以平衡利润在政府与企业间的优化分配为目标,既要保持政府的合理收入,又要满足企业经济活力的需要,以达到为国家经济可持续发展提供矿产资源和矿物原材料保障的目的。     

Economic policy for rural and regional Australia

The efficiency and equity effects of economic policies affecting the quarter of Australians who live in rural and regional Australia (RARA) are reviewed. For the most part it is argued that economy-wide policies, rather than region or industry specific policies, are appropriate. Progressive income taxation, means-tested social security payments and government funded education, health and other services directly and efficiently redistribute to support equity. Subsidies for particular industries in RARA, such as dairy, and input subsidies targeted at RARA, such as community service obligations, misallocate resources and are ineffective in meeting equity goals. Better property rights and procedures for allocating most natural resources, especially water, are necessary.     

EXTRA TAX RESULTING FROM INCOME VARIATION WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO NEW ZEALAND

The extent by which expected tax payments are increased by income variance is discussed in the New Zealand setting. The cases of both normal and rectangular distributions of income are examined. The absolute magnitude of the expected extra tax for income fluctuation is lower than was expected. In Australia income variance may be higher but the more rapidly progressive tax rates of New Zealand mean that for a given mean income and standard deviation the extra tax in that country would be higher.     

SUPPLY RESPONSES IN THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN POTATO INDUSTRY

The potato industry in South Australia is characterised by very unstable prices. One hypothesis for this instability is that potato growers' acreage responses follow a cobweb pattern, that is, a one year lag of acreage to price. This hypothesis is tested, together with a two year lag and a distributed lag. The distributed lag model seems the most satisfactory and gives a short-run elasticity of acreage to price of 0.36 and a long-run elasticity of 1.09. An alternative to the lagged price hypothesis is the "constant cash return" hypothesis which postulates that potatoes are grown to provide a certain cash income to permit farm development. This explanation of acreage response only seems relevant in the dairying and fat lamb areas of the State.     

河北省林果产业发展状况及增收潜力分析

通过对河北林果重点县进行典型调查和42个县(市、区)、4200个农户林果产业收入的专项调查,指出河北林果产业发展势头强劲,果品结构调整步伐加快,林板加工业快速发展,社会化服务体系初步形成。在了解其林果产业发展状况的基础上,分析了林果业对农民收入贡献情况,指出林果业收入构成日趋多样化,收入结构有所优化;工资性收入快速增长,增收空间得到扩展;受林业生产任务调整的影响,林业纯收入下降幅度较大。林果业增收面临的主要制约因素是资源禀赋差异、产业化经营规模、林果产品外向度、政策调整约束等。林果业增收潜力极大,表现在政策、技术支持力度不断加大,林果优势产业带形成,质量品牌意识不断增强,市场需求量增大。     

THE MERINO EXPORT EMBARGO — A COMPARATIVE STATIC ANALYSIS

The genetic changes which would occur in overseas flocks as a result of the export of merino rams from Australia are unknown. Even so, Australia recently relaxed the merino export embargo and may go further. A comparative static model is presented to assess changes in annual wool income resulting from increases in the supply of apparel wool emanating from possible levels of the genetic effect.     

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF AGRICULTURAL POLICY REFORM IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND AUSTRALIA

A political-economy framework is used to explore the differences which have been observed in the pace of agricultural policy reform in the European Community and in Australia. In this framework, policy-making is endogenous in comparison with its exogenous position in applied welfare economics. It is shown that the institutional aspects of the policy process, the power of the farming lobby, and the economic philosophy of governments are important determinants of the extent of income re-distribution and of moves towards the use of more efficient instruments of income redistribution. It is argued that the degree to which politicians are captured by the farming lobby, and the extent to which they support transparency in policy-making, determine whether fundamental reforms are feasible. From this analysis, it is concluded that the pace of reform of the Common Agricultural Policy will continue to lag behind that in Australia.     

The distributional effects of the Hilmer reforms on the Australian gas industry*

We analyse changes in the Australian gas industry during 1990s that were motivated by the Hilmer Reforms. We estimate the effects on real household income of the changes by combining a computable general equilibrium model with a microsimulation model. Although the structural changes were significant in their effects on the gas industry, they are estimated to have had minor effects on real household income in all Australian regions owing to the small size of the gas industry and household gas consumption at that time, and low importance of gas as an input to other industries. The changes are estimated to have slightly increased income inequality owing to the redistribution of income from labour to other primary factors.     

Being good neighbours: Current practices,barriers, and opportunities for community engagement in Australian plantation forestry

Although community engagement (CE) is widely recognised as an essential element of sustainable management, few studies have evaluated CE at an industry-wide scale, i.e. in terms of the specific CE needs and best practice methods needed when addressing engagement issues that apply across more than one business in an industry. We explored stakeholder views of the barriers to industry-wide CE within the Australian plantation forest industry. Interviews with key informants were conducted in 2010 throughout three major plantation regions in Australia: Tasmania, south west Western Australia, and the Green Triangle region (south west Victoria and south east of South Australia). We found that stakeholders often considered CE implemented by the forest plantation industry ineffective, due to: (a) lack of strong industry voice, (b) issues of trust, and (c) because technical experts in the forest industry lack skills in CE. Measures that are likely to promote more effective CE are discussed, including enhancement of relationships with external stakeholders, and enhancing CE skills of forestry professionals.     

海洋生物资源集约利用下的我国渔民增收问题

海洋生物资源的集约利用与渔民增收之间存在着密切联系。本文将海洋生物资源集约利用与渔民收入增加结合起来进行研究，就二者的密切联系出发，从海洋捕捞业、海水养殖业和渔业产业结构等方面分析了在海洋生物资源集约利用制约下我国渔民增收面临的主要问题。     

INTER-GENERATIONAL TRANSFERS IN THE RURAL SECTOR: A REVIEW OF SOME PROBLEMS

Three kinds of inter-generational transfer are discussed. Despite the obvious advantages of partnerships and other forms of income splitting from the income tax viewpoint, about half of the primary producers in Australia continue to operate their businesses as sole traders. Some of the problems which arise with partnerships, trusts and companies in this regard are considered. The transfer of the ownership of the assets in addition to the ownership of the income stream they generate, is then considered in detail. The taxation of this transfer by means of gift and death duties raises many questions in relation to economic equity and efficiency. The third type of inter-generational transfer discussed in this paper is the transfer of the managerial role. Several suggestions are made which could help not only to reduce the family trauma which usually surrounds this issue, but which also could help reduce the tendency for farmers to hold the reins for too long.     

农业生产性服务业对城乡收入差距的影响及路径研究基于珠江—西江经济带的中介效应检验

[目的]通过分析珠江—西江经济带农业生产性服务业与城乡收入差距之间的关系,农业生产性服务业对城乡收入差距既有直接作用又有间接作用。[方法]文章从产业结构调整与城镇化这两个角度,利用2005—2018年珠江—西江经济带市级层面的面板数据,采用LSDV估计方法与IV-GMM估计方法检验了农业生产性服务业对城乡收入差距的影响机制。[结果]发展农业生产性服务业既能通过降低农业生产成本、提高生产效率直接缩小城乡收入差距,又能通过产业结构调整以及推进城镇化进程这两个间接途径来缩小城乡收入差距。[结论]农业生产性服务业对城乡收入差距的直接与间接影响显著。带域内各城市要明确发展定位,充分利用其资源优势有效衔接农业生产性服务业,优化产业布局;加快推进带域内各城市城镇化进程,为城乡收入差距的缩小创造条件,充分发挥产业结构调整与城镇化的中介作用。     

基于农民增收视角的石漠化片区分类治理研究

运用聚类分析——灰色关联法,将广西石漠化片区77个县区分为3类,对影响农民收入的植被恢复、农牧业发展、产业结构等进行关联分析研究。结果表明:地区石漠化程度与农民收入呈反比;农牧业加速土地石漠化;各类县区均存在产业结构不合理现象,第二产业基础薄弱,前两类县区第三产业发展水平落后;各类县区生态补偿等转移性支付过低,与石漠化的现状不相匹配。提出加大生态投入,提高石漠化片区农民收入的生态补偿;创造条件,增加农民财产性收入;调整产业结构,促进产业结构优化升级;大力发展林业,构建农林复合经营的生态系统;加强劳动力技能培训,提高农民就业能力等基于农民增收的石漠化片区政策建议。     

西北干旱地区特色林果业扶贫效果评估——以新疆阿克苏地区为例

根据新疆阿克苏地区485家特色林果种植贫困农户的问卷调查数据,采用二元Logistic回归模型,从农户收入状况和创收能力两方面,实证分析特色林果业的扶贫效果及其影响因素。结果表明:性别、受教育程度、家庭林果耕地面积、农户对特色林果业减贫效果的预期、政府扶持情况等因素对贫困农户收入变化具有显著影响;性别、受教育程度、农户对特色林果业减贫效果的预期等因素对贫困农户创收能力具有显著影响;农户收入和创收能力处于稳健上升状态,特色林果业的扶贫效果较好。因此,应加快健全特色林果业扶贫利益联结的机制,拓宽特色林果业扶贫的方式,增强农户受教育程度及农业技术推广能力。     

On the way out: Government revenues from fossil fuels in Australia

Australia is moving from a fossil fuel-dominated energy mix to one that is increasingly powered by solar and wind. Fossil fuel exports are also likely to decline given their poor compatibility with the net zero emission targets of key trading partners. There is the potential for a variety of new exports of zero carbon energy and products to emerge. This paper reviews implications of the ongoing energy transition for government revenues from fossil fuel extraction and use and discusses policy options in response. It concludes that the transition heightens the need for efficient government revenue-raising mechanisms across the economy. Among the possible reforms, this paper reviews the potential for Australia's corporate income tax to be reoriented towards the taxation of above-normal profits via an allowance for corporate equity approach. Other revenue-raising options that are discussed include carbon pricing, electronic road user pricing, wider use of progressive royalties, the use of industry levies as applied in Australia's agricultural sector, and the generation of revenue from government co-investments.     

A WHEAT POLICY FOR THE SEVENTIES*

A study of the origins of the wheat surplus problem in Australia suggests that more far-reaching adjustments in national wheat policy are required than those currently envisaged. Ten specific recommendations for the reform of the present policy are outlined. A new form of income stabilisation scheme is proposed.     

澳大利亚勘探业长期发展趋势及未来展望

报告包括三个主要议题 :一是勘探活动的现状。详细论述澳大利亚以及其他国家勘探支出的最新趋势 ,主要论述黄金和贱金属矿勘探支出的最新情况。二是分析探矿业面临的挑战和问题。特别阐述探矿业“如不钻探就不能发现新矿床”的问题。最后 ,讨论探矿业的未来发展方向。作者认为勘探业正面临着结构上的变化 ,为了生存并需要逐渐完善。     

SOME ASPECTS OF INCOME STABILIZATION FOR PRIMARY PRODUCERS

The objectives of this paper are two-fold. The first is to discuss the basic economics of an aggregate industry income stabilization policy for primary producers. The second is to examine post-World War II income instability in Australian wool, wheat, and beef and to apportion it into its price and output components. This analysis provides a basis for discussing income stabilization in the Australian context.