An award-winning book – it’s all relative
Thousands
of comedians have dined out on mother-in-law jokes and if the current
comedy series, The Worst Week of My Life, airing on ABC TV, is anything
to go by there is some mileage in son-in-law humour as well. So it is
all the more interesting that UniSA’s Professor of Banking and Finance
Mervyn Lewis (pictured left) has forged an award-winning partnership
with his son-in-law – Darrin Grimsey (pictured right).
Together they have written Public Private Partnerships – the worldwide revolution in infrastructure provision and project finance, which may be a feat in itself, but their collaboration has gone on to win them one of the most prestigious prizes in the field.
The book was named winner of the $30,000 Blake Dawson Waldron Prize for Business Literature 2005 at a presentation dinner in Sydney last month. The presentation was attended by some of Australia’s top business people, including guest speaker Geoff Dixon, Qantas Chief Executive Officer, and the Honourable Robert J Hawke, who has close connections to the University of South Australia through the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library, the Hawke Centre and the Hawke Research Institute for Sustainable Societies.
Administered by the State Library of NSW, the BDW Prize was established to encourage the highest standards of literary commentary on Australian business and financial affairs. Four books were short-listed by the judging panel. Announcing the winner, the judges said they were particularly impressed with the thoroughness and readability of the winning title and the way it examined PPP developments in Australia. Belinda Hutchinson, Library Council of NSW president said the book was a worthy winner.
"Public Private Partnerships is a fascinating read covering significant, topical issues. It also involved unique Australian research," she said.
Public Private Partnerships – the worldwide revolution in infrastructure provision and project finance examines the increasing trend for governments to fund public infrastructure facilities through private sector finance in partnership with government bodies. The book combines an academic assessment of the phenomenon with practitioner-based experience in a number of countries.
Professor Lewis is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia. He has published 18 other books and more than 120 journal articles and chapters of books. His co-author and son-in-law is Darrin Grimsey, a partner at Ernst & Young, Melbourne.
Public Private Partnerships – the worldwide revolution in infrastructure provision and project finance is published by Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, UK 2004 and can be purchased online at www.e-elgar.co.uk/Bookentry_Main.lasso?id=2438