3415 (v.7) Economics (Public) 312

Area:

School of Economics and Finance

Credits:

25.0

Contact Hours:

3.0

Lecture:

1 x 2 Hours Weekly

Tutorial:

1 x 1 Hours Weekly

Prerequisite(s):

1234 (v.4) Economics 100 or any previous version

Syllabus:

Topics to be covered will be chosen from economic roles of the state. Public goods, externalities and other sources of market failure, club goods. Public choice theory, voting theory and bureaucracy theory. Principles of taxation equity. Neutrality and excess burden. Tax shifting and incidence. Types of taxation in Australia and their individual effects. Direct and indirect taxes. Taxation reform, optimal taxation, taxation policy. General equilibrium tax incidence. Taxation versus user charge.

Unit Outcomes:

On successful completion of this unit students will have- Applied the major principles and relevant public economic and taxation theories and techniques in both an Australian and international context. Accessed appropriate economic and taxation data and information. Undertaken analysis and made informed judgments as to quality and reliability. Critically analysed major Australian and international public sector and taxation issues and policies from an economic perspective.

Text and references listed above are for your information only and current as of September 30, 2003. Please check with the unit coordinator for up-to-date information.

Unit References:

Brown, R. and Campbell, H., (2003), Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press. Brown, C.V. and Jackson, P.M., (1990), Public Sector Economics, 4th ed., Oxford, Basil Blackwell. Evans, C., Pope, J. and Hasseldine, J., (Ed.), (2001), Taxation Compliance Costs - A Festschrift for Cedric Sandford, Leonards, Prospect Media Pty Ltd. Groenewegen, P., (1990) Public Finance in Australia - Theory and Practice, 3rd ed, Sydney, Prentice-Hall. Musgrave, R.A., (1959), The Theory of Public Finance, NY, McGraw-Hill. OECD (1988), Taxing Consumption, Paris, OECD. Sandford, C., (2000), Why Tax Systems Differ - A Comparative Study of the Political Economy of Taxation, Bath, UK Fiscal Publications. Parker, D., (Ed.), (2000), Privatisation and Corporate Performance, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham. Stiglitz, J.E. Economics of the Public Sector, 3rd edition, W.W. Norton, N.Y., 2000. Walpole, M. and Evans, C., (Ed.), Tax Administration in the 21st Century, Prospect Media Pty Ltd, Sydney, 2001.

Unit Texts:

Rosen, Harvey S., (2002) Public Finance, 6th ed., Boston, McGraw-Hill.

Unit Assessment Breakdown:

Final Examination 50%, Group Presentation 20% (moderated by peer group assessment), Individual report 15% - professional skills account for 5% of this mark (10% in total), Tutorial Presentation 15%. This is by grade/mark assessment.

Year	Location	Period	Internal	Area External	Central External
2004	Bentley Campus	Semester 1	Y		Y