Optimal Structural Reform in Australian Local Government: An Empirical Analysis of Economies of Scale by Council Function in New South Wales

Title
Optimal Structural Reform in Australian Local Government: An Empirical Analysis of Economies of Scale by Council Function in New South Wales
Publication Date
2007
Author(s)
Dollery, Brian Edward
Byrnes, Joel David
Allan, P
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Routledge
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1080/08111140701540729
UNE publication id
une:1731
Abstract
Amalgamation has always been the preferred means of improving the operational efficiency of Australian local government through structural reform. However, its implicit assumption that 'bigger is better' has scant empirical support, especially regarding the question of economies of scale. This article considers the results of a survey of general managers in New South Wales that sought to solicit opinion on which services should be provided locally and which services should be provided on a regional basis. The results of the survey suggest that respondents felt that only some services would benefit from regional provision thereby not undermining only weakening the argument for amalgamation as a panacea, but also implicitly rejecting the view that economies of scale are ubiquitous across all services.
Link
Citation
Urban Policy and Research, 25(4), p. 473-486
ISSN
1476-7244
0811-1146
Start page
473
End page
486

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