Housing affordability: Proper Measurement for Informed Policy Making

The broadly accepted housing affordability indicator is calculated as the housing cost-to income ratio. But this only takes into consideration two averaged variables: household housing costs and household income, both of which are ambiguous and misleading as an across-the- board average. An alternative system of housing affordability measurement is suggested in this paper based on disposable income left after accounting for housing expenses. In contrary to the broadly used conventional indicator, the proposed measurement takes into account different income groups, ages and types of households as well as the level of housing consumption. This indicator, combined with the "after housing poverty line" allows for the singling out of groups of households most in need of housing help, and therefore develop more informed housing polices. Based on the proposed system of measurement, an extensive empirical work is presented using the series of the ABS Income and Housing Surveys. The results demonstrate, from a new angle, the dynamics of housing affordability in Australia during the recent decade which leads to policy implications different to polices currently in use.Housing affordability measurement, income after housing costs.

Evading labour market regulations to preserve team performance : Evidence from the Victorian Football League, 1930-70

Sports teams that seek to maximise the number of wins, rather than profits, may not comply with league labour market regulations that compress payroll structures to promote even competition. This strategic behaviour depends on others, as teams choose a strategy to create team incentives, to which rivals will respond. A case study of four teams in a semi-professional Australian Rules football league tests the effectiveness of strategies to evade these regulations on winning percentages. Both compliance and non-compliance within this labour market regulation regime, based on different wage structures and talent distribution, were effective strategies to improve team performance

Stadiums and scheduling : Measuring deadweight losses in the Victorian Football League, 1920–70

Over a 50 year period, Australian Rules football's major league, the Victorian Football League, did not always use its largest and best-equipped stadium for regular season games between its most popular teams or schedule those teams to play twice in a regular season. We calculate deadweight losses from the use of capital goods (stadiums) and effects of match scheduling in this professional sports league. Such analysis has not been attempted previously because of the absence of a counterfactual. The welfare losses were significant but not sufficient to threaten the survival of a distance-protected cartel

Correlations of implicit leadership theory factors and frequency of visits to areas of interest (n = 81).

<p>Correlations of implicit leadership theory factors and frequency of visits to areas of interest (n = 81).</p

Stadium financing, usage and the impact of institutional change on consumer demand:the case of VFL Park, 1970-1986

Ownership, financing, and usage of stadiums are key issues that affect the commercial operations of sports leagues. Stadiums that are owned by leagues may generate deadweight losses if they are not used to full capacity. We (1) model demand to measure the impact of the Victorian Football League building a privately-funded stadium (VFL Park); (2) then use counterfactual scenarios to estimate social saving from different venues and playing days, and determine whether further welfare gains would have been possible. VFL Park provided greater control over revenue, but further institutional change was needed to fully exploit potential commercial gains from the stadium.</p

Ground sharing between cricket and football in Australia

Shared use of grounds allowed Australian cricket and football to subsidize each other, but cartel arrangements that determined the use of stadiums and the distribution of benefits and costs between sports may have been less than optimal. Estimation of deadweight losses from the use of stadiums is not possible in the absence of a counterfactual specifying the level of demand if the behaviour of cartel members had been coordinated more effectively. Archival, financial and attendance report data can be used to estimate increases in actual demand under alternative scenarios. In Melbourne and Adelaide, the controlling bodies of cricket and football uncured significant losses in welfare from joint use of their cities’ major stadium, due to the importance they attached to non-monetary aspects of utility