The organization, ownership and performance of privately owned utilities: The case of Australia's manufactured gas supply industry

Abstract

In this paper the long-term performance of the manufactured gas industry in Australia is looked at from its origins in the mid-nineteenth century until the late 1960s. In particular, the growth in demand, the improvement of productivity, as well as changes in prices have all been examined in the context of the industry's organizational and ownership structures. The industry in Australia displayed some similarities in terms of organizational structure to those in Western Europe and North America; there were, however, variations in terms of public ownership and regulation. The industry in Australia appears to have performed credibly up until the 1950s and then declined relatively, rather than absolutely compared to the electricity industry during the 1950s and 1960s.