Strategy & Economics

GHD’s Strategy & Economics practice is a national advisory business that spans the transport, water and social infrastructure sectors.

Our objective is to help our clients improve utilisation, efficiency and effectiveness of services and infrastructure.

Our services include:

  • Assessing the economic robustness and feasibility of infrastructure projects through project profiling, economic appraisal and deliverability assessment (risk, governance and timing)
  • Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) - economic analysis
  • Strategic Merit Tests (SMT)
  • Benefits Realisation Analysis
  • Investment Logic Mapping (ILM)
  • Economic impact analysis, including employment and related impacts
  • Wider Economic Benefit (WEB) analysis
  • Multi Criteria Analysis, including non-financial/intangible benefits extending beyond project life
  • Demand forecasting, elasticity analysis, demographics, trade and market analysis
  • Cost analysis and pricing models for state authorities, regulators, service providers and users, international aid agencies and institutional investors
  • Financial analysis and modelling
  • Funding options advice, submission preparation and assessment
  • Strategic planning, including options strategy analysis and value chain assessments
  • Strategic transport planning
  • Regulatory economics, governance and interface management advice
  • Corporate governance and compliance
  • Corporatisation and privatisation advice
  • Organisational development and business improvement
  • Operations modelling, efficiency performance measurement and productivity analysis at the national, industry and individual enterprise

For further information, contact:

Steve Kanowski
T: +61 7 3316 3151
E: Steve Kanowski

Economic analysis for Port of Melbourne Deepening Channel Project

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As part  of the 2004 – 2007 Enivornmental Effects Statement (EES) and supplementing the EES Victorian Government process, GHD Meyrick provided an economic assessment of the direct benefits and costs of the Channel Deepening Project including future developments in ship profiles and numbers using a long-term planning horizon.  The benefit-cost analysis resulted in a positive project outcome for the economy.

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International and Domestic Shipping and Ports Study

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To assist the Australian Maritime Group (AMG) to fulfil its role of providing high level strategic advice to the Standing Committee on Transport (SCOT), Australian Transport Council (ATC) and other government agencies, GHD provided consultancy services to undertake an international and domestic shipping and ports study.

The sources of information for the study analyses included:

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Investigation into Supply Side Freight Demand for Pilbara WA

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In 2008, we were engaged to undertake an investigation into Supply Side Freight Demand for the Pilbara region in Western Australia for the State Department for Planning and Infrastructure. The investigation sought to determine the volume of iron ore and other mining outputs which were moved by road by the growing number of junior miners in the region. It also sought to gain a better understanding of the consequential growth in industrial and community inputs and services that may not have been anticipated by studies completed over the last few years. The investigation addressed these gaps by:

Describing and quantifying the likely future freight flows (as tonnes and freight trips) that will support the transportation of industrial inputs and consumables required by exporters and urban and mine-based communities, and developing a simple model for predicting the three-way relationship that could be expected to occur between major industry output volumes, industrial and community input volumes and population and workforce numbers.

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NSW Grain Freight network review

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The purpose of this review was to examine the grain freight supply chains and identify the most sustainable long term solution for moving grain efficiently from farmer to domestic customer or port for export.

The team undertook a quantitative and qualitative analysis which included: an examination of factors likely to impact on the future supply and demand for NSW grains; an assessment of the implications of changes in grain industry structure and the lessons from deregulation in other jurisdictions; a Benefit Cost Analysis and sensitivity testing of three options for the future of the branch line network; an analysis of the policy and regulatory context; and analysing input from Task Force  meetings, consultations and submissions.   The team also widely consulted stakeholders through a Call for Submissions to the review and a series of meetings held with grain producers and local government representatives in the three main grain growing regions of NSW. 

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Review of Australian Shipping Policy

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In 2008 we engaged in a Consultancy Arrangement on an Economic Appraisal of Australia’s Shipping Future with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (the Department) requested for an independent economic appraisal of options available for Australian Government policy and regulatory policy settings for the Australian shipping industry. We assisted The Department in achieving a better transport system.

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Sino Iron Ore Project

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The Sino Iron Project is Australia's first major magnetite project and the second largest project currently under construction in the Pilbara.

Due to its remote location 1200 kilometres north of Perth in Western Australia, the client CITIC Pacific Mining Management Pty Ltd required the development of dedicated infrastructure to support the USD3.5billion greenfields sino iron project.

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Transport Energy Model for Victoria – Department of Infrastructure

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In 2008, GHD Meyrick developed a transport energy model for the Victorian Department of Infrastructure.  The model was designed to assess transport-related energy consumption under multiple scenarios.  It allows users to test their own new scenarios and incorporates implications of trends in transport activity, technology, costs and demographics.  The tool is used to provide detailed estimates of energy usage to 2020 and broad estimates to 2050.

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Twice the Task

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The National Transport Commission engaged our services and SKM, in association with the Transport Systems Centre of the University of South Australia, to research what Australia should do to best cope with the forecast increases in land transport of freight.  

This major study included:

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UN WFP Logistics Support

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The Logistics Support Unit (LSU) of the World Food Programme (WFP) was in the transition entity bridging the period between closure of the WFP Shipping Service (WFPSS) and the WFP’s ultimate exit from the provision of support for logistics and shipping in the tsunami and earthquake affected regions of Aceh and Nias. We were Invited to bid to review a case for ongoing funding from World Bank managed Multi-Donor Fund for WFP logistics support unit in Aceh-Nias, Indonesia, including assessment of infrastructure constraints and developed future shipping options, World Bank 2006–07.

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Int'l Development Assistance
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Marine
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Roads & Highways
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Road Systems
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Transportation
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Steve Kanowski

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Steve is GHD’s global business leader for Transport Strategy & Economics. Steve is an economist with over 25 years’ experience in the transport, infrastructure and resources sectors (including 22 years in consulting based in Australia, the UK and Ireland). He has undertaken projects for major transport and infrastructure operators (public and private), transport authorities, development agencies, regulatory bodies and aid agencies such as the World Bank and AusAid as well as numerous private financial institutions. 

Steve’s international experience includes projects in Australia, Ireland, Malaysia, Laos, Viet Nam, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Argentina, Portugal, Thailand, UK, Saudi Arabia and Angola.  He has particular skills in consulting in the areas of market analysis and research, demand modelling and forecasting, economic and financial evaluation, feasibility studies, pricing and cost modelling, operations review, efficiency reviews, demand management, strategic planning, Public Private Partnerships, privatisation, transaction support / ‘due diligence’ and performance benchmarking.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Business (Economics), University of Southern Queensland, a Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Economics, University of New England and Postgraduate Diploma in Management, University of Southern Queensland. He is a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport and a Professional Member, Economics Society of Australia.

Position: Business Leader Strategy & Economics
Tel: +61 7 3316 3151

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Karrin Peacock

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Karrin manages the Strategy & Economics team nationally and is an experienced management consultant and project manager with functional experience in management advisory, organisational development, business improvement and process redesign. She has extensive experience in strategy and policy development, qualitative analysis, transition and implementation planning, and stakeholder engagement.

Karrin has worked extensively in the road, rail and freight transport and infrastructure sectors in Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. She has recently advised the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport on heavy vehicle regulatory arrangements in the UAE. She has worked with the New South Wales Roads & Traffic Authority (RTA) and Austroads to explore a range of heavy vehicle road pricing options and developed a strategic implementation plan. 

Related work has also been undertaken for the recently established Australian office of the Heavy Vehicle Regulator in terms of Service Level Agreements between the new authority and Australian state governments. She has also been involved in a major reform of QR National’s regional freight business and has worked with former Federal Department of Transport & Regional Services to conduct a review of urban freight congestion management approaches in Australia and overseas.

Karrin holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Masters of Business Administration.

Position: Business Group Manager - Strategy & Economics
Tel: +61 2 9239 7253

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Phil Potterton

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Phil is a public policy economist with 30 years of experience in the government sector. As the former Head of the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics in Australia, Phil directed projects in infrastructure appraisal, demand trends, pricing and regulation. He has a background in cost-benefit analysis and policy as well as program evaluation. As Service Line Leader for Transport Strategy and Economics, Phil is involved in a diverse set of projects, primarily in the transport and environmental sectors.

Position: Service Line Leader - Transport Strategy & Economics
Tel: +61 2 6113 3354

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