An economic study of some location-specific services and regulations in Sydney

Abstract

This thesis is about the distributional effects of the government management of location-specific services in a metropolitan area residentially segregated by income. It is particularly concerned with the provision of area services (education, health services, local government services) and public transport in Sydney. It examines the apportionment of location-specific charges, taxes and expenditures between suburbs, and also the relative accessibility of public and other services from the various suburbs. It is argued that 1. The location of some area services, particularly hospitals, parks and kindergartens, is contrary to the requirements of redistribution from rich to poor; 1. The distributive effects of local government operations could by improved by grants to the poorer areas; 3. By the criterion of redistribution, public transport fares and service levels are in need of revision; 4. Though the present pattern of the growth of Sydney has the merit of providing most income groups with a reasonable choice of residential areas with different levels of accessibility, continued growth on this pattern is unlikely to improve the choice.