Mike Woolston

Michael is an economist at Frontier Economics with particular expertise in microeconomic and regulatory reform. He specialises in the water and wastewater sector. Michael has led a number of major policy studies in areas including water entitlements and markets, water pricing, institutional and regulatory arrangements in the sector, and resource management issues.

He has advised key Australian Government bodies including the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), State and Local Governments, regulators, water businesses and representative bodies such as the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), and financial institutions.

Prior to joining Frontier Economics, Michael was Assistant Director of Utility Regulation and Projects and Senior Economist of the Water Reform Unit in the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance. Michael’s early career was with the Industry Commission (now the Producitivity Commision) where he undertook industry and policy analysis on a broad range of industries and issues.

Economic regulation

Michael has extensive experience in assisting senior management to develop strategic positions on regulatory and related issues and in developing and refining economic regulatory frameworks.

Examples include:

• Developing regulatory strategies and drafting regulatory submissions and supporting technical documents for water businesses including Melbourne Water, Taswater, South East Water, Sydney Desalination Plant, Hunter Water and Seqwater.
• A report for the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) to explain in "plain English" the concepts of economic efficiency and how they apply to the water sector.
• Advice in relation to the Queensland Competition Authority's review of its approach to climate change related expenditure.

Institutional and policy frameworks

Michael also has extensive experience in advising on developing and implementing competitive, regulatory and governance and pricing reforms in the Australian water sector. Examples include:

• Undertaking reviews for Infrastructure Australia and Infrastructure NSW on measures to enhance economic regulation of the water sector.
• A milestone report on economic and regulatory barriers to cost-effective water recycling.
• A report for the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) on the experience of water sector reforms in a number of jurisdictions, including Ireland, Great Britain, Australia and certain parts of New Zealand.
• Advising the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on potential policy options for support schemes for vulnerable customers/customers in hardship and the ongoing funding of such schemes.

Water resource management and trading

Michael has advised over many years on the evaluation and design of water market frameworks, analysing market architecture, trading rules, transparency, governance, and institutional structures to support efficient and equitable trading across regions.

The scope of this advice has included:

• Frontier Economics’ engagement for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to provide an expert report to support its inquiry into 'Water Markets in the Murray-Darling Basin'.
• Assisting the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and States with water market analysis and policy evaluation — including water entitlement valuations, IVT arrangements and the Goulburn-Murray trade rule.

We work as one team across the world

In Asia-Pacific, we do this from offices in Australia and Singapore. We work as a single team with expertise and people brought together as required by the problem we are solving for our clients.  Reach out to any of our economists and consultants to find out how we can help you.