000			01860pab a2200181 454500
008			180718b1996 xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
100			_aFelmingham, Bruce
245			_aNational Competition Policy and its implications for local government
260			_c1996
300			_ap.26-35
362			_aJun
520			_aTwo aspects of National Competition Policy (NCP) are likely to be the catalyst of change in Australian local government (LG): competitive neutrality and the reform of public monopolies. Competitive neutrality will be achieved in LG through the imposition of tax equivalents, removal of debt guarantees and cross-subsidisation deemed not to be in the public interest. The reform of public monopolies will open more functions to competition. But other items of the NCP are also of significance to LG. The imposition of prices oversight of LG services will make these more cost reflective. Legislative reviews at LG level will produce deregulation in some cases and greater uniformity in others while the issue of allowing private access to LG assets has competitive potential in relation to the services and provision of roads, parks and sewerage treatment. We emphasise the importance of recognising the present benefits of current LG operations and cite the current proposal to privatise Tasmania's water and sewerage services as an example. NCP has the potential to produce further LG boundary amalgamations, or to accelerate regional cooperation as an alternative. The role of cross-border and competitive tendering in this respect are highlighted. Finally, we analyse the implications of the NCP for the Local Government Grants Commission process. - Reproduced
650			_aLocal government - Australia
650			_aLocal government
700			_aPage, Bruce
773			_aAustralian Journal of Public Administration
909			_a33003
999			_c33003 _d33003