This report for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage examines the state of media plurality in New Zealand. Sapere examined how competition and market trends have affected the media, and whether public policy interventions may be necessary to address specific issues or market barriers. ...

Sapere was asked by Meridian Energy to review the discussion paper ‘Inefficient Price Discrimination in the wholesale electricity market – issues and options’, issued by the Electricity Authority (Authority) as part of its Wholesale Market Review. The Authority claims that the price discrimination implicit in the ‘Tiwai contracts’ between Meridian Energy, Contact Energy and New ...

International studies show that the fibre network has a lower carbon footprint than other broadband options, primarily due to energy savings. This paper provides a first assessment of the emissions footprint of the current New Zealand fibre network, with a focus on internet provision to households and small to medium-sized businesses. Fibre (GPON and XGS-PON) ...

A report for the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission /Te Waihanga – Final Report The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga engaged Sapere to undertake a study on the pricing of stormwater services. The study includes:• advice on best-practice pricing for stormwater services, leveraging insights from around the world• an assessment of how current approaches in ...

Leading tax consultancy OliverShaw commissioned Sapere to prepare a report on the effective rates of tax imposed on the incomes of New Zealand residents. We use statistical data to identify groups of taxpayers and welfare beneficiaries with levels and types of wealth and economic income that are reasonably “illustrative” of the general population of taxpayers ...

This report considers the potential impact on competition of alternative options for handling sea freight currently shipped via the Ports of Auckland Ltd. Please also refer to: Analysis of the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy Working Group Options for moving freight from the Ports of Auckland ...

Kieran Murray and Gary Blick of Sapere were asked by the New Zealand Carbon Farming Group to review the estimates of fiscal impact relied upon by Ministers when deciding forests registered in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) before 2019 would not be permitted to use ‘averaging accounting’. They conclude that the accounting treatment underlying the ...

Sapere was engaged by Chorus to estimate in monetary values the benefits to consumers from Ultra Fast Broadband (UFB). The intent is to establish a baseline and stimulate further interest in an area that is under-researched. It is a contribution to the discussion and debate, rather than the final word. This report complements earlier work ...

Sapere Research Group experts Kieran Murray and Toby Stevenson look at the High Standard of Trading Conduct rule, which was introduced by the Electricity Authority in 2014. In this report, they explore the implications for the design and application of a HSOTC rule, and propose a clearer rule.  An addendum to this report was published in ...

Gary Blick, Preston Davies, Kieran Murray and Michael Ryan were commissioned to analyse the potential economic benefits of ultra-fast broadband to New Zealand. Our report utilised firm-level data from official surveys to assess the potential gains in labour productivity as a result of the faster speeds associated with a fibre connection. We then translated those ...

In this report prepared for the Iwi Advisors Group in December 2014, we examine the direct and indirect benefits involved in furnishing to iwi a share of the allocable quantum of fresh water, and in doing so, shifting the allocation system from the current resource consent regime to a rights-based regime. ...

Vhari McWha and Kieran Murray were commissioned by the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner (EGCC) to advise on possible strategic responses to increased bundling of electricity and gas with other services, and changes in consumer expectations about Consumer Dispute Resolution (CDR) services. In order to effectively influence the policy debate, we developed some measures of ...

Sapere Principals Vhari McWha and Joanna Smith, and Managing Director Kieran Murray, were commissioned by the New Zealand Treasury to provide an independent evaluation of the quality of Regulatory Impact Statements (RISs) and the accompanying Independent Quality Assurance statements for a sample of 50 RISs selected by Treasury. The purpose of this evaluation was to ...

Kieran Murray and Sally Wyatt from Sapere Research Group, with Robin Oliver from OliverShaw, were asked to evaluate donor-funded tax reform projects conducted in the Pacific between 2002 and 2012. Sapere studied tax reforms in sixteen Pacific Island countries, with detailed case studies of reforms in Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga. The evaluation provides ...

Toby Stevenson, Kieran Murray and Joanna Smith return to a framework for evaluating significant policy changes in the electricity industry originally published in 2009. It asks whether the outcomes expected from the reforms since that report are being achieved. In addition to assessing outcomes under the current arrangements, the same evaluation method is used to ...

This report estimates the net financial benefits contestable consumers in Singapore should expect as a result of the commencement of trading in Singapore Electricity Futures in April 2015. We estimate the difference retail prices would have otherwise been if the futures contract had not been introduced. Account is taken of the cost of incentives for ...

Kieran Murray, Nives Matosin and Eli Hefter of Sapere were asked by the Australian Energy Market Commission to conduct a series of interviews as part of a review of competition in the retail electricity and gas markets. Those interviewed included the NSW electricity and gas retailers, the Energy Retailers Association of Australia and the Energy ...

In February 2018, we prepared a report entitled A clearer high standard of trading conduct rule. Since our report was finalised, additional information has become available which is relevant to the analysis of trading conduct on the wholesale electricity spot market. Our refined position and proposal is published in this addendum. ...

The Ministry for the Environment commissioned Sapere to analyse the current information provision in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme. The report offers recommendations on what, how and when information needs to be provided to the market to improve its efficiency. ...

In this report, prepared for the BusinessNZ Energy Council, we consider whether the electricity sector is meeting five enduring public policy objectives that seem enduring for policymakers across countries and time. We consider whether the objective is being achieved today and whether it is likely to be achieved given emerging influences. The five policy objectives ...