Staff spotlight – Sue Friend

A woman with a backpack poses on a rocky terrain. She wears sunglasses and a sunhat, smiling at the camera. A nearby photo frame says, "Meet Sue Friend." The landscape in the background is arid and scrubby.

This month we spotlight Sue Friend, a Managing Director in our Forensics team. Sue shares her love of the outdoors and hiking and finds this brings balance to her work at Sapere.

Thinking about utility customer engagement

Customer survey to monitor engagement

In this article Dr Richard Tooth examines developments in how regulated utilities engage with their customers, the problem of uninformed respondent bias and other issues.

Staff spotlight – Dr Jamie O’Hare

A man with short hair and a mustache is sitting on a couch, holding a baby and reading a book titled "My First Engine." The baby is nestled against the man, looking at the book. Both appear to be engaged in the story.

This month, we spotlight Dr Jamie O’Hare, Managing Economist and proud new dad to baby Stirling, as he shares his professional insights and personal joys.

Distilling success for Victorian spirit exports

A brown liquor being poured from a bottle into a small clear glass, with another filled glass and an empty larger glass nearby, all placed on a tabletop. The background is softly lit, providing a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The Australian craft distillery sector has grown significantly, with Victoria now having 188 distilleries. Sapere, commissioned by Agriculture Victoria, identified priority markets and developed market entry strategies for Victorian spirit exporters.

Unveiling the intrinsic value of nature

Close-up of a pine tree branch with needles and an immature pine cone. The young pine cone is slightly pinkish and textured. The background is blurred, with shades of green, creating a bokeh effect.

Explore the value of nature beyond its aesthetic appeal. Environmental valuation frameworks and techniques allow us to understand the economic value of nature and make informed decisions in environmental policy and management.

What if every public sector officer could master financial management?

Financial management

The Financial Management Act 2006 forms the backbone of financial management for the WA Government, yet many public sector officers lacked familiarity with its provisions. In response, the WA Treasury asked Sapere to develop a comprehensive training program to improve practice and behaviour.

Utility pricing – to block or not to block

A person washing fresh green leafy vegetables under a running faucet in a modern kitchen. The water is splashing onto the stainless steel sink, and sunlight is streaming through a window in the background.

Rather than provide a volume discount, some utilities charge a higher rate for greater use. This approach, known as an inclining or rising block tariff, is often advocated as being a fair way to encourage conservation.
But is this really the case? This article investigates.

How low-density housing is making us poorer

The impact of low-density housing: An empty cafe with rows of round, black tables with brown wicker chairs featuring a black and white checkered pattern on their seats and backs.

Enabling a higher density of businesses and houses can bring many benefits to cities. It makes us as individuals, and as a society, richer – and not only in monetary terms. More choices of where to live, and less land per home, means lower house prices.