This is one of a number of Information and Research Services Products being developed to address various facets of the proposed Free Trade Agreement and which will be progressively released over coming weeks. David Richardson looks at how the agreement treats foreign investment.

In the 2003-4 budget, the government proposed changes to the excise (and customs duty) on some fuels. On 16 December 2003, the government announced changes to these proposals. In this research note Richard Webb sets out how the government now proposes to tax certain fuels.

In this research paper Richard Webb examines the rationale for Commonwealth government involvement in infrastructure provision, how it influences the provision of infrastructure, and trends in that influence. In particular, it seeks to delineate the role that the Commonwealth plays as distinct from that of state governments.

Taiwan's first referendum: democratic milestone or diplomatic millstone?

Updating an earlier research note, Marilyn Harrington briefly explains the system of Commonwealth funding for schools and describes some of the trends in Commonwealth funding for schools since 1996.