This thesis investigates issues central to population ageing in Australia. A principal policy concern is financing the retirement incomes of an increasing number of aged retirees from a shrinking working age population. The investigation has two primary aims. The first is to measure the budgetary savings that alternative social security reforms may yield, and the implications of these reforms for the economic wellbeing of the elderly. The second is to examine how the aged can become more self sufficient through an exploration of the potential role of home equity conversion, an understanding of why the labour force participation of mature age Australians is low, and how labour force participation may be promoted as retirement approaches. A microsimulation model is employed to conduct empirical analyses in the context of the new tax system introduced in July 2000. The main microsimulation exercises include measurement of the impacts of potential social security reforms and home equity conversion on the economic well-being of the elderly, and estimation of work disincentive measures, that is, effective marginal tax rates and replacement rates. The Replacement rate estimates are then used in econometric models of labour force participation. Innovative approaches are developed to overcome methodological problems that have prevented the inclusion of replacement rates in previous models. The major findings are that reforms motivated by budgetary savings can have sizeable adverse impacts on the economic well-being of the elderly. Home equity conversion can promote financial independence, but significant risks are borne by elderly homeowners in those states and regions with less buoyant house prices. Blunt work incentives are experienced by specific mature age socio-economic groups, in particular persons whose partners’ incomes help to cushion their economic position on quitting employment. The replacement rate is found to have a significant impact on the participation decision of mature age persons.

Iceland faces problems in achieving decarbonization goals, especially regarding its transportation sector having highly car-oriented passenger transport in the capital city, Reykjavík. Therefore, there is a need to shift toward more sustainable transport modes. It is well established that private and car-centered mobility regimes impose externalities on the environment and the livability of cities. Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) is a recent mobility service concept that poses a promising solution to shift much of the travel demand within urban settings from private car ownership to shared mobility. This thesis aims to determine whether MaaS can function as a disincentive for private car ownership and find use in the context of Reykjavík, Iceland. Specifically, it provides an initial investigation on how influences on car ownership and use, and opinions on shared mobility services and the concept of MaaS may differ between different demographic groups. To test whether MaaS can function as a disincentive for private car ownership and use in Reykjavík, an online survey was distributed to car owners in the city. Respondents volunteered and were asked to respond to two sets of inquiries relating to perceived influences on car ownership and use, and sentiments on shared mobility and MaaS, respectively. The responses were inferentially analyzed. The results showed that in Reykjavík’s current state (i.e. public transport infrastructure and built environment), MaaS would struggle to disincentivize car ownership and be adopted city-wide. However, the younger generations are the most promising first adopters of the service. The results suggest that the city should focus on increasing urban densification and enhancing public transport. Furthermore, the results suggest that as these factors are enacted, the disincentivizing function of MaaS may become more effective. In line with this, further research should be focused on how to facilitate first adopters in their use of MaaS.

Submitted by Natalia Langenegger (natalia.langenegger@gmail.com) on 2014-05-22T11:46:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_-_Natalia_Langenegger_rev_pós_banca_v2.pdf: 1337918 bytes, checksum: 32b0a24319c0ca0ca08f8767e357e22c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br) on 2014-05-22T11:51:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_-_Natalia_Langenegger_rev_pós_banca_v2.pdf: 1337918 bytes, checksum: 32b0a24319c0ca0ca08f8767e357e22c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-22T12:11:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_-_Natalia_Langenegger_rev_pós_banca_v2.pdf: 1337918 bytes, checksum: 32b0a24319c0ca0ca08f8767e357e22c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-28 / The subject of this project is the granting of standing for individuals to file collective actions. More specifically, this research aims to discuss the arguments presented against this standing by jurists and parliamentarians amid the debates on the drafting of a Code of Collective Actions for Brazil, which resulted in the filed Bill of the New Law of Civil Action (Bill nº 5.139/09). Furthermore, this study conducts a review of the institutional environment within which collective actions are currently processed and then reflects on the possibility of offering institutional incentives capable of stimulating individuals to promote collective actions, should they be granted such legitimacy. The study assumes that the augmentation of the list of entities which are granted standing to file collective actions can contribute to increasing (or an increase in) access and democratization of justice, but considers that the mere inclusion of individuals amongst the subjects who are granted such standing would not be sufficient for this standing to be exercised. It is believed that it would be necessary for procedural legislation to provide specific institutional incentives in order for individuals to assume authorship of collective actions involving all modes of collective interests. Thus, the research adopts an institutional perspective which considers procedural law capable of influencing the parties’ behavior during the process by establishing rules of conduct and changing the costs and benefits related to the participation in judicial proceedings. The study concluded that the arguments presented against the granting of standing for individuals to file collective actions are based on reasons that can be circumvented by modifying certain procedural rules and by a more active posture of judges in conducting such lawsuits. It also identified the fact that the institutional environment within which collective actions in Brazil are currently processed does not provide incentives for members or groups of the civil society to promote these actions, making it necessary for the procedural legislation to provide additional institutional incentives. / O objeto deste trabalho consiste na atribuição de legitimidade ativa de pessoas físicas em ações coletivas. Mais especificamente, a pesquisa procura problematizar os argumentos contrários a essa legitimação apresentados por juristas e parlamentares em meio aos debates sobre a elaboração de um Código de Processos Coletivos para o Brasil, que resultou no arquivado Projeto de Lei de Nova Lei de Ação Civil Pública (PL nº 5.139/09). Além disso, o estudo realiza uma avaliação sobre o ambiente institucional dentro do qual atualmente são processadas ações coletivas e também reflete sobre a possibilidade de serem oferecidos incentivos institucionais capazes de estimular pessoas físicas a promover demandas coletivas, caso lhes fosse atribuída legitimidade para tanto. O estudo parte do pressuposto de que a ampliação do rol de legitimados ativos para a proposição de ações coletivas seria capaz de colaborar para a ampliação do acesso e democratização da justiça, mas que a simples inclusão de pessoas físicas entre os legitimados ativos não seria suficiente para que esta legitimidade fosse exercida. Acredita-se que seria necessário à legislação processual oferecer incentivos institucionais específicos para que pessoas físicas assumam a autoria de ações coletivas envolvendo todas as modalidades de interesses transindividuais. Assim, a pesquisa adota uma perspectiva institucional segundo a qual a legislação processual é capaz de influenciar o comportamento das partes no processo mediante o estabelecimento de regras de conduta e pela alteração dos custos e benefícios relacionados à participação em processo judicial. O trabalho concluiu que os argumentos apresentados contra a concessão de legitimidade ativa em ações coletivas para pessoas físicas são fundados em justificativas que podem ser contornados pela modificação de determinadas regras processuais e por uma postura mais ativa dos magistrados na condução de tais demandas. Além disso, identificou que o ambiente institucional dentro do qual são atualmente processadas as ações coletivas não fornece estímulos para que membros ou agrupamentos da sociedade civil promovam ações coletivas, sendo necessário que a legislação processual ofereça incentivos institucionais adicionais.

The objectives of the study were to demonstrate that South Africa's decisions to develop and destroy its nuclear weapon capability were influenced by reactions to domestic security and other issues unrelated to security. South Africa obtained a nuclear weapon capacity because of an incremental approach to the nuclear weapon decision. The threat perceptions in the mind of the decision maker were also dominant factors, especially when the final decision for a nuclear deterrent was taken. The decision to destroy the nuclear weapon capacity was not primarily influenced by the growing non-proliferation norm, but by the changing security environment regionally as well as globally and possibly a realisation that a nuclear weapon capability was a significant security and financial liability for South Africa in the end. / Political Science / M.A. (International Politics)

The objectives of the study were to demonstrate that South Africa's decisions to develop and destroy its nuclear weapon capability were influenced by reactions to domestic security and other issues unrelated to security. South Africa obtained a nuclear weapon capacity because of an incremental approach to the nuclear weapon decision. The threat perceptions in the mind of the decision maker were also dominant factors, especially when the final decision for a nuclear deterrent was taken. The decision to destroy the nuclear weapon capacity was not primarily influenced by the growing non-proliferation norm, but by the changing security environment regionally as well as globally and possibly a realisation that a nuclear weapon capability was a significant security and financial liability for South Africa in the end. / Political Science / M.A. (International Politics)