Regulation exists to meet key policy and social objectives, but in doing so imposes costs on the regulated and on taxpayers and the economy.
Modern regulation in many sectors aims to streamline regulatory processes, reduce compliance costs and observe risk management principles. We have extensive experience in the areas of policy development within government. This has been applied to the analysis of policy implications and review of policy initiatives.
Our experience includes:
Industry profile of the transport of dangerous goods in NSW, including perspectives on regulation
Leading a cost-benefit analysis of the impact of a possible change to current export permit arrangements which favour domestic processing capacity for hazardous waste destined for recovery
Assessing opportunities to harmonise environmental regulation and transport of dangerous goods regulation, as each relates to hazardous waste, identifying gaps and overlaps
Preparing a draft submission to the Productivity Commission review of the National Access Regime on the regime’s role in relation to key road freight routes
Peer review of an alcohol impairment project - Lowering Legal Adult Blood Alcohol Concentration
Analysis of the impacts of the Henry Tax Review
Analysis of road pricing options
Examination of major policy issues relating to the introduction of Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems to Australia
Harnessing emerging technologies to transport policy challenges.
Economic development
Infrastructure has an important role in unlocking economic opportunities in regional areas and in developing nations. With a high minimum economic scale threshold for modern infrastructure on the one hand and ‘thin’ markets on the other, funding efficient infrastructure in these settings often presents a special challenge.
It is important policy makers are provided with well-founded information on the broader ‘downstream’ benefits from building and maintaining adequate infrastructure.
Our experience includes:
Development of a strategic plan for the Airport Authority of the Cook Islands, a tourism-reliant nation, covering investment, revenue, cost and institutional issues, as part of an airport upgrade project, for the European Investment Bank
Feasibility study of options to rehabilitate and develop Munda airport in the Solomons Islands, assessing economic, tourism and air freight, for NZAID. The airport upgrade has since been constructed, funded by the New Zealand Government.
Transport and infrastructure strategy
Transport and infrastructure strategies are increasingly important in setting government policy directions and as a key early stage in the project identification and selection process.
Our experience includes:
Chairing the Commonwealth/State Working Group on developing the National Guidelines for Transport System Management in Australia. These were recognised by all governments as a “first” in the robust economic analysis of transport infrastructure projects. The guidelines, currently being revised, were subsequently adopted by Infrastructure Australia for assessing proposals for funding infrastructure development
Developing the Australian Logistics Council’s Toward an Efficient Freight Future
Review of Vicroads’ project assessment framework
Co-lead the development of Infrastructure Australia’s Northern Australia Audit: Infrastructure for a Developing North,assessing critical infrastructure gaps in the transport, energy, water and communications sectors
Developing a draft Australian Capital Territory freight strategy, addressing network, last mile access, data, regional linkage and other issues
Analysing Perth Airport capacity pressures and regional airport infrastructure and governance challenges for the Western Australian Government’s state aviation strategy.
Economic evaluation
Economic evaluation, including project appraisal, cost-benefit analysis, pricing analysis and economic impact studies, is critical to sound project selection and policy development.
Our experience includes:
Development of a ‘fit for purpose’ cost-benefit model for use in prioritising essential infrastructure investments in remote Indigenous communities, for Infrastructure Australia Scoping of a refresh of the National Guidelines for Transport System Management, for Austroads
Analysis of the economic cost of road trauma in Australia in 2015
Evaluation of a proposed upgrade of the Shelley-Walwa Road, Victoria
Options analysis for Cooperative ITS discussion paper
Options assessment to reduce urban congestion in Melbourne
Evaluation of a Bruce Highway (Sunshine Coast, Queensland) road upgrade project proposal
Evaluation of a regional NSW multi-level car park proposal
Peer review of an update business case for the Clifford Bay, New Zealand ferry terminal
Economic and financial assessment of the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor
Economic assessment of Tasmanian road safety projects
East-West Link needs assessment economic analysis, for the former Victorian Department of Infrastructure
Economic analysis of options for a Murray Basin transcontinental rail link
Economic assessment of options to improve the Hobart to Launceston road link.