Neoliberalism and the reform of regulation policy in the Australian trucking sector: policy innovation or a repeat of known pitfalls?

Christopher Kevin Walker

Policy Studies, 2016, vol. 37, issue 1, 72-92

Abstract: This study explores the influences of neoliberalism on the design and operation of regulation policy in the Australian trucking sector. It examines the introduction of a programme of voluntary self-regulation and considers why despite known weaknesses, regulators persist with such policy reforms. The study draws on qualitative research involving representatives of policy and regulatory agencies as well as industry participants. The analysis examines the role of markets in directing truck operator interest towards public policy compliance objectives. This generates a diversity of responses from firms ranging from willing compliance to deceptive ritualism. The findings reveal how voluntary self-regulation appeals to some segments of industry and how in this case it also signals a shift in regulatory culture, facilitating a new and more engaging dialogue between industry and regulators around compliance and safety concerns. This study shows that advances in industry-regulator engagement help explain why neoliberal policy influences are often readily embraced by regulatory agencies. Here, we see how programmes of voluntary self-regulation present both symbolic and substantive value for key policy actors.

Date: 2016
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/01442872.2015.1108402 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:cposxx:v:37:y:2016:i:1:p:72-92

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/cpos20

DOI: 10.1080/01442872.2015.1108402

Access Statistics for this article

Policy Studies is currently edited by Toby James

More articles in Policy Studies from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().