The Importance Of Collective Action In Australia

1050 Words3 Pages

5. Drawing on the pool of domestic political events that have taken place over the past year (> February 2017), select an issue related to the provision of a public good and critically assess it as a collective action problem. If the problem was overcome, how was it overcome? If it was not overcome, why was it not, and how might it be? Collective Action is a unique concept, as despite it being an integral part of society, it is contradictory in it’s function with small groups often more successful then large ones in obtaining their objectives. Collective action is the rational calculus of the masses coming together in order to achieve a common goal of providing a non-excludable and non-rivalrous public good, where the benefits of such a movement …show more content…

The East West Link was a proposed 18km tollway joining the Eastern Freeway with the Western Ring Road. This project had numerous purposes, including helping Melbourne cope with a projected 30% population rise by 2033, and reducing the East-West divide in the city by creating more opportunities for business growth and jobs in the West (Eddington, 2008). However, numerous opposition groups arose to this project, including residential action groups, the Yarra city council, and the Greens. The primary reason these groups were formed were people did not want a tollway near there homes, and believed that investment in public transport and other infrastructure would be a far more suitable usage of public funds. The Labor Party narrowly won the state election, and subsequently cancelled the contracts, at the expense of 1.2 billion dollars. However, in the lead up to the upcoming state election this year, opposition leader Matthew Guy has proposed that should the Liberals take power, they are open to renegotiating contracts for an East West Link (Jacks, …show more content…

For The East West Link: R=Reward for participating in collective action for the East West Link B= Benefits; Reduced travel times, enhanced business opportunities in the Western Suburbs. P= The probability that the East West Link will generate these benefits C= The total cost of the East West Link, including cultural and environmental effects D= Other incentives provided to individuals who campaign for the construction of an East West Link, e.g. a labourer who gains employment if the construction occurs. Against The East West Link: R=Reward for participating in collective action against the East West Link B= Benefits; Reduced carbon emissions, investment in alternative transportation methods, less noise pollution in populated areas P= The probability that protesting the East West Link will generate these benefits C= The total cost of the protests, including the printing of posters, and the time of those

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