Transporting Moments: Mobility, Australian Railways and the Trained Society
Transporting Moments: Mobility, Australian Railways and the Trained Society

Author: Colin Symes

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Published: 2015-04-06

Total Pages: 215

ISBN-13: 1681080117

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Sociologists have suggested that being on the move entails a complex choreography, comprised of passenger comportment, signage, announcements and posters. Employing insights from mobility theory, Transporting moments provides an account of railway culture from a passenger’s perspective. The book uses the context of commuting in Sydney, at a time when elements of its intra-urban rail network were being upgraded as its principal case study. This upgrade covers its rolling stock, infrastructure and linguistic landscape. It is argued that understanding the rationale behind these changes requires an understanding of the historical and policy context in which the railways of Sydney’s, New South Wales and Australia are embedded. This is also the case with the nation’s long distance trains, whose operators have fought hard to stave off competition from airliners and cars. Transporting moments, therefore, presents strong case for preserving public transport as a more equitable and sustainable form of mobility. Governments, Australian or otherwise, can use these insights for productive investment in their rail networks and public transportation service in general, and for reducing the nation’s addiction to the automobile. With its invaluable insights into travelling on trains, Transporting moments is a fascinating addition to the growing corpus of literature on day-to-day mobility.

Back on Track
Back on Track

Author: Philip G. Laird

Publisher: UNSW Press

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 9780868404110

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Australia's freight transport system now has the highest proportion of truck use of any developed country in the world, and with New Zealand, its cities are heavily dependent on cars. Back on Track considers the historic, economic and political issues that have led to this situation, and concludes that the emergence of such a strongly road-oriented system has not been in the national interest, on both economic and environmental grounds. It develops a detailed analysis of Australia's 'road transport deficit'. The authors suggest that rail is the neglected element in Australian and New Zealand transport systems and despite a history of 'policy paralysis', they offer a rail-based ten point plan that could see both countries' transport systems 'back on track'. Using new data on transportation trends from Australia and around the world, the book sets out a vision for the future of freight and inter-capital transport in Australia and New Zealand, and offers innovative transport strategies for each of the major cities in both countries.

Monopoly Control
Monopoly Control

Author: Malcolm Abbott

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-05-23

Total Pages: 378

ISBN-13: 9819927269

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This book traces the historical development of the network utilities sector in Australia (communications, rail, gas, electricity, water supply, and sewerage services). It looks across industries, time periods and the state and federal jurisdictions, to identify what motivated the various governments to establish these enterprises and what issues arose. The book is therefore informed by the relationship between politics and society on the one hand and economic history on the other; as well as the efforts of governments in Australia to promote economic growth and the wealth of Australians. The main focus of the book is to identify and analyse the following two main questions: (i) What were the main drivers and motivations for governments establishing government-owned business in the network utilities sector? (ii) To what degree were these government-owned businesses successful at achieving the aims of these governments? In doing so the inherent characteristics of these industries are identified, in terms of their need for rights of way, network effects, the monopoly characteristics, and the potential for stimulating growth.

The Rise of the Must-See Exhibition
The Rise of the Must-See Exhibition

Author: Anna Lawrenson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-12-07

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1317090993

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Blockbuster exhibitions are ubiquitous fixtures in the cultural calendars of major museums and galleries worldwide. The Rise of the Must-See Exhibition charts their ascent across a diverse array of museums and galleries. The book positions these exhibits in the Australian cultural context, demonstrating how policy developments and historical precedents have created a space for their current domination. Drawing on historical evidence, policy documents and contemporary debates, the book offers a complex analysis of the aims and motivations of blockbuster exhibitions. Its chronological approach reveals a genealogy of exhibits from the mid-nineteenth century onward to identify precursors to current practice. This provides a foundation upon which to examine the unprecedented growth of blockbusters in the latter half of the twentieth century. The examples discussed offer a unique opportunity to study how institutional growth, political support, individual champions and audience interest have influenced the development of large-scale temporary exhibitions. The Rise of the Must-See Exhibition considers blockbusters as an international phenomenon and, as such, is highly relevant to practitioners working across the cultural sector around the world. The book will also appeal to academics and students engaged in the study of museums and galleries, arts management and curating, as well as those interested in the history of exhibitions and cultural policy.