Public Finance

The economy rationale for the government construction of a National broadband Network and the characteristic of such a network which are lkely to be consistent with the achivement of an effective and equitable outcome

The previous Australian Government had proposed to build a National
Broadband Network (NBN) that involved connecting households

to a fibre optic network (a so called ‘fibre to the node’ network). Identify and discuss the
economic rationale for the government construction of a NBN and the characteristics of such a network which are likely to be consistent with the achievement of an efficient and equitable outcome.

In your answer you should clearly define what is meant buy a NBN. Your
discussion should consider the properties of a NBN that are consistent with the

achievement of efficiency and equity objectives. Your answer should represent
a critical discussion of the NBN using economic principles canvassed in

Public Finance.

Starter references:

Despite being under review, the following website provides good background

information and an overview ofthe National Broadband Network.

http:llwww.nbnco.com.aulabout-us.html There are also a series of articles in the following journal that may provide some useful background information:

Australian Economic

Review volume 43(2), June 2010.

Finally, there are a number of perspectives that one may take when examining
the economic rationale for a broadband network and what role government

should play in its development. The following article provides one perspective
though there are others which can be identified with appropriate research:

Czernich, N. et al. (2011), ‘Broadband Infrastructure and Economic Growth’,

The Economic Journal 121(552), pp. 505-32.

PUBLIC FINANCE

Project description
1. Answer the following questions regarding Pareto Efficiency:
a. When is an allocation of resources Pareto Efficient?
b. What is the condition of Pareto efficiency in a pure exchange economy? Explain
the economic intuition of it.
c. What is the condition of Pareto efficiency in a production economy? Explain the
economic intuition of it.
d. Is it possible to have a Pareto efficient allocation where someone is worse off than
he is at an allocation that is not Pareto efficient?
e. Is it possible to have a Pareto efficient allocation where everyone is worse off
than they are at an allocation that is not Pareto efficient?
f. Can some individual be made better off if we are at a Pareto efficient allocation?
2. What is a contract curve? Show it with the help of a diagram. If you know the contract
curve, can you tell the outcome of any trading?
3. Is competitive equilibrium a good thing or bad thing for an economy? Give reasons for
your answer.
4. Assume an economy with only one consumer, Robinson Crusoe, and two goods – coconut
and fish. The traditional name for this economic model is the Robinson Crusoe economy,
after Defoes shipwrecked hero. If Robinsons marginal rate of substitution between
coconut and fish is 2 and the marginal rate of transformation between the two goods is
1, what should he do if he wants to increase his utility?
5. Suppose that in the Robinson Crusoe economy, Robinson finds a friend called Friday.
Further suppose that Robinson can produce 10 pounds of fish per hour or 20 pounds of
coconuts per hour and Friday can produce 20 pounds of fish per hour or 10 pounds of
coconuts per hour. Robinson and Friday both want 60 pounds of fish and 60 pounds of
coconut per day. How many hours must Robinson and Friday work per day if they dont
help each other? Suppose they decide to work together in the most efficient manner
possible. How many hours each day do they have to work? What is the economic
explanation for the reduction in hours?
Page – 2
6. Indicate whether each of the following statements is true, false or uncertain, and justify
your answer.
a. If everyone has the same marginal rate of substitution, then the allocation of
resources is Pareto efficient.
b. If the allocation of resources is Pareto efficient, then everyone has the same
marginal rate of substitution.
c. The Second Fundamental Theorem of Welfare Economics tells that the
competitive allocation of resources is socially desirable.

PUBLIC FINANCE

Project description
1. Answer the following questions regarding Pareto Efficiency:
a. When is an allocation of resources Pareto Efficient?
b. What is the condition of Pareto efficiency in a pure exchange economy? Explain
the economic intuition of it.
c. What is the condition of Pareto efficiency in a production economy? Explain the
economic intuition of it.
d. Is it possible to have a Pareto efficient allocation where someone is worse off than
he is at an allocation that is not Pareto efficient?
e. Is it possible to have a Pareto efficient allocation where everyone is worse off
than they are at an allocation that is not Pareto efficient?
f. Can some individual be made better off if we are at a Pareto efficient allocation?
2. What is a contract curve? Show it with the help of a diagram. If you know the contract
curve, can you tell the outcome of any trading?
3. Is competitive equilibrium a good thing or bad thing for an economy? Give reasons for
your answer.
4. Assume an economy with only one consumer, Robinson Crusoe, and two goods – coconut
and fish. The traditional name for this economic model is the Robinson Crusoe economy,
after Defoes shipwrecked hero. If Robinsons marginal rate of substitution between
coconut and fish is 2 and the marginal rate of transformation between the two goods is
1, what should he do if he wants to increase his utility?
5. Suppose that in the Robinson Crusoe economy, Robinson finds a friend called Friday.
Further suppose that Robinson can produce 10 pounds of fish per hour or 20 pounds of
coconuts per hour and Friday can produce 20 pounds of fish per hour or 10 pounds of
coconuts per hour. Robinson and Friday both want 60 pounds of fish and 60 pounds of
coconut per day. How many hours must Robinson and Friday work per day if they dont
help each other? Suppose they decide to work together in the most efficient manner
possible. How many hours each day do they have to work? What is the economic
explanation for the reduction in hours?
Page – 2
6. Indicate whether each of the following statements is true, false or uncertain, and justify
your answer.
a. If everyone has the same marginal rate of substitution, then the allocation of
resources is Pareto efficient.
b. If the allocation of resources is Pareto efficient, then everyone has the same
marginal rate of substitution.
c. The Second Fundamental Theorem of Welfare Economics tells that the
competitive allocation of resources is socially desirable.