Ben Mcnair Email & Phone Number

Canberra

I enjoy using economic analysis to help clients solve problems. Recent examples include:Choice modelling (conjoint analysis) surveys:environmental improvements from e-waste recycling for Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Waterhousing for Infrastructure Victoriacarbon abatement and co-benefits for Water Services Association of Australiaelectric vehicles for Australian Automobile Associationappliances and fuel choice for Jemena Gas Networkspublic facilities for NSW Department of Planning and Environmentlitter and illegal dumping for NSW EPA, Sustainability Victoria and Qld Department of Environment and Science water and wastewater services for Sydney Water, Hunter Water and Icon Waterlitter for Victorian DELWPboating infrastructure for Transport for NSWhousing for Australian Building Codes BoardCost-benefit analysis:framework for evaluating green gas projects for Jemena Gas Networksleading economic analysis for the 2021 Greater Sydney Water StrategyCBAs of electricity and water infrastructure relocations for ACT GovernmentWater and energy investment and price regulation:estimation of long-run marginal cost of water and wastewater for Hunter Waterforecasting electricity demand for Evoenergyleading the 2018 customer engagement program for Sydney Waterforecasting gas demand for Evoenergywriting regulatory submissions for Icon Water

Publishing research into choice modelling and estimation of household willingness to pay for water supply security and energy supply reliability.

Using choice modelling to estimate household willingness to pay for water, electricity and gas service attributes.

Managed regulatory reviews of prices for water and sewerage services in the ACT on behalf of Icon Water:• Advocacy and liaison as the primary point of contact for the economic regulator• Managing input to and writing regulatory submissions• Conducting modelling and analysis for prices, revenue and demand forecasts• Leading discussions with and briefing senior executives and project steering committees• Providing written and verbal briefings to the Board of Directors• Answering questions at public hearings• Engaging consultants for expert advice• Supervising and providing direction to junior officers• Undertaking risk assessments Stream leader for regulatory work programs across electricity networks, gas networks and other water and sewerage regulatory price reviews, including demand forecasting, form of control, electricity distribution reliability frameworks, and customer willingness to pay (including the value of electricity supply reliability). Conducted in-house studies, including economic cost-benefit analysis of preventative sewer maintenance, estimation of the value of lost load to electricity consumers in the ACT, and estimation of price elasticity for water. Managed external studies, including cost-benefit analysis of overhead to underground conversion of electricity wires, and dynamically efficient water pricing.

Provided expert advice to Insync Surveys on a choice experiment survey of urban water customers. Constructed experimental design and estimated models of customers' willingness to pay to avoid water restrictions.

(Research Assistant) Collected data on wages and earnings from various Australian Bureau of Statistics sources. Estimated regressions on data for a 2003 paper, "Investing in a legal education: The private rate of return to a law degree" by A; Provided editing assistance for an undergraduate text, "Issues, Indicators and Ideas: a Guide to the Australian Economy" by Phil Lewis, A. Garnett, K. Hawtrey, M. Treadgold.(Tutor) Taught several tutorial classes each week in Economics 1A and Macroeconomics 1. Marked essays and final examinations.

Ph.D, Non-Market Valuation

Thesis: Estimating the household benefits of undergrounding electricity distribution networks. Awards: Best first-time presenter, 54th.

B.Ec. (Honours First Class), Applied Economics

Thesis: Welfare effects of urban water supply shortages. Awards: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Prize.