Economics 101 tells us that competitive markets result in better value for consumers. Ismini Karamesinis, a regulatory analyst at the Essential Services Commission, explores how regulation is tackled in an area where monopolies rule.
Hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc across the Southern United States, causing severe flooding and breakdowns in all sorts of essential infrastructure such as transport and communication. At some point, there seems to have been an erosion of the unwritten rules that form our social norms, and at the surface, it can appear that there are profiteers seeking to make a quick buck out of the desperate – price gouging.
In the Murray-Darling Basin, water is valued as both a vital commodity and an ecological necessity. Market-based approaches towards water management have struggled to balance these competing demands, writes Eddie Go.
Why did the Government invest in desalination when cheaper, more environmentally friendly options were available? Kathryn St. John examines a questionable policy decision that we are still paying for.
The Essential Services Commission released their draft report on Melbourne’s water pricing situation; ESSA was there to bring you the latest from their investigation.
