Paul Mcleod

Advertising bans, tobacco and cigarette consumption

Abstract Advertising of tobacco and cigarettes in the electronic media has been banned in Australia since 1976. Apart from a short-lived initial impact we find that it has not affected cigarette demand but does appear to have had some impact on tobacco consumption.

Combining willingness to pay and social indicator methodology in valuing public services: an example from agricultural protection.

Abstract Farmers in Western Australia valued the services of the Agricultural Protection Boards services. This government organisation controls the spread of weeds and pests. Valuations were obtained by asking willingness to pay (WTP) and subjective social indicator (SSI) questions. Despite the burgeoning literature for both methodologies there has been little comparison of the two approaches. It was found that the WTP valuations and those provided by responses to the SSI questions were poorly correlated. Individual differences in valuation were examined by dividing the farmers into four groups on the basis of the median responses to each valuation. The comparisons between the groups demonstrated a number of issues relating to the interpretation of judgements when a service is being underprovided and problems in interpreting low WTP values. Problems in the interpretation of the SSI are also discussed. The implications of the findings for future valuations of public services are discussed.

Contingent Valuation Analysis of Government Provision of Agricultural Protection Services

The contingent valuation technique has been significantly refined as a method of obtaining values of goods and services in situations where market transactions are absent and now finds widespread application in the valuation of the environment, and in valuing the preservation of animal species. Applies the technique to the valuation of more conventional government services, namely the provision by the government of a range of agricultural protection services. The empirical analysis is based on contingent valuation surveys administered to a sample of Western Australian farmers.