The Convergence Review and the future of Australian content regulation

This article examines the place of Australian and local content regulation in the new media policy framework proposed by the Convergence Review. It outlines the history of Australian content regulation and the existing policy framework, before going on to detail some of the debates around Australian content during the Review. The final section analyses the relevant recommendations in the Convergence Review Final Report, and highlights some issues and problems that may arise in the new framework

Approximations of strongly continuous families of unbounded self-adjoint operators

The problem of approximating the discrete spectra of families of self-adjoint operators that are merely strongly continuous is addressed. It is well-known that the spectrum need not vary continuously (as a set) under strong perturbations. However, it is shown that under an additional compactness assumption the spectrum does vary continuously, and a family of symmetric finite-dimensional approximations is constructed. An important feature of these approximations is that they are valid for the entire family uniformly. An application of this result to the study of plasma instabilities is illustrated.Comment: 22 pages, final version to appear in Commun. Math. Phy

The Environmental Porter Hypothesis: Theory, Evidence and a Model of Timing of Adoption

The Porter Hypothesis postulates that the costs of compliance with environmental standards may be offset by adoption of innovations they trigger. We model this hypothesis using a game of timing of technology adoption. We show that times of adoption are earlier the higher the non-adoption tax. The environmental tax turns the preemption game with low profits into a game with credible precommitment yielding high profits (pro-Porter). If there is a precommitment game without environmental taxes, the introduction of a tax leads to lower profits (anti-Porter). An evaluation of the empirical literature indicates that the Porter hypothesis holds even for profit-maximizing firms under multiple market imperfections such as imperfect competititon, X-inefficiency, and agency costs. These are more likely to be present in sectors with large firms. In many case studies that we evaluate, though, we detect an element of explicit or implicit subsidies for environmentally friendly behaviour, which is in line with Pigovian policies.Environmental Policy, Strategic Trade Theory, Technology Adoption, Porter Hypothesis

The Environmental Porter Hypothesis as a Technology Adoption Problem?

The Porter Hypothesis postulates that the costs of compliance with environmental standards may be partially or even fully offset by adoption of innovations they trigger. The timing of the adoption aspect of the Porter Hypothesis has not been captured in formal theory so far. We show in this paper how the Porter Hypothesis can be approached using a model of technology adoption. In the Reinganum-Fudenberg-Tirole game of timing, a firm adopts earlier under stricter environmental taxation, and under some circumstances can credibly precommit to early adoption. We show that all times of adoption - preemption, following and joint late adoption - are earlier the higher the non-adoption tax. Under preemption the firm of the country that varies environmental taxes will adopt first with certainty indicating increased competitiveness, but get lower profits than without environ- mental policy. Thus the Porter Hypothesis of increasing overall profits is rejected.economics of technology ;

Taxation and Technology Adoption: A Hotelling Approach

Environmental regulation and competitiveness are issues that seem to be at odds. However, the `Porter Hypothesis' states that firms can actually gain in competitiveness if they are subject to stricter environmental regulation. We show in a simple model the basic setting of the problem to apply it then to a Hotelling framework. A non-adoption tax (adoption subsidy) is shown to destroy a non-adoption equilibrium in a closed economy model. We show that taxes not directly targeting the non-adoption problem may fail to have an adoption incentive on the firms. In an open economy model the Porter Hypothesis is shown to hold if (i) non-adoption taxes are higher than adoption costs for one country and lower for the other, and (ii) the returns of second adoption are insufficient to cover the net adoption costs.environmental regulations, industrial competitiveness, taxation

On the Quantum Resolution of Cosmological Singularities using AdS/CFT

The AdS/CFT correspondence allows us to map a dynamical cosmology to a dual quantum field theory living on the boundary of spacetime. Specifically, we study a five-dimensional model cosmology in type IIB supergravity, where the dual theory is an unstable deformation of $\N=4$ supersymmetric SU(N) gauge theory on \Rbar\times S^3. A one-loop computation shows that the coupling governing the instability is asymptotically free, so quantum corrections cannot turn the potential around. The big crunch singularity in the bulk occurs when a boundary scalar field runs to infinity, in finite time. Consistent quantum evolution requires that we impose boundary conditions at infinite scalar field, i.e. a self-adjoint extension of the system. We find that quantum spreading of the homogeneous mode of the boundary scalar leads to a natural UV cutoff in particle production as the wavefunction for the homogeneous mode bounces back from infinity. However a perturbative calculation indicates that despite this, the logarithmic running of the boundary coupling governing the instability generally leads to significant particle production across the bounce. This prevents the wave packet of the homogeneous boundary scalar to return close to its initial form. Translating back to the bulk theory, we conclude that a quantum transition from a big crunch to a big bang is an improbable outcome of cosmological evolution in this class of five-dimensional models.Comment: 91 pages, 24 figures; v2: minor reorganization of introduction, clarifying comments throughout; 77 pages, 22 figures;v5: error corrected which significantly changes conclusio

Wear observations applied to Lifeboat Slipway Launches

It is necessary to use an inclined slipway to launch a large lifeboat in locations where there is no natural harbour or where there is a large tidal range. Slipway stations consist of an initial section where the boat is held on rollers followed by an inclined keelway of nickel/chromium coated steel, the lifeboat is released from the top of the slipway and proceeds under its own weight into the water. The lifeboat is subsequently recovered to the top of the slipway using a winch line. With the introduction of the new, larger Tamar class lifeboat existing boathouses are being upgraded and existing low friction coated steel slipway lining materials replaced with a low-friction jute fibre/phenolic resin composite, which is designed to operate with unlubricated conditions. This has led to problems of high wear on slipway panels, particularly where the lifeboat mounts the slipway for recovery. This paper describes a method for assessing slipway lining materials and lubricants. The selection of an appropriate test machine, the TE92 rotary tribometer, and design of a modified ring on disc arrangement incorporating panel interfaces and attaching holes effects is described. An experimental methodology is developed using programmed running intervals to simulate dwell effects. Experimental data is thus presented to establish slipway panel wear rates for a range of lubricants and contact pressures. Experimental results are incorporated into real-world slipway surveys to develop the wear scenario. Results and implications of this research for future lifeboat slipway design are discussed

Creating Value Beyond Microfinance Through Entrepreneurship Development in Kenya

This article looks at current microfinance practices in Kenya and some of the inherent challenges that hinder human development of microfinance clients beyond accessing financial services. As microfinance providers and supporters continue to promote the importance of improving access to financial services amongst micro and small business owners, they will need to augment their microfinance services with basic entrepreneurial training.Entrepreneurship; Development; Microfinance; Microenterprise; Kenya