Grant Andrews
Senior Economist
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Qualifications
Contact details
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Key specialist areas
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Economics of labour markets, education and training
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Enterprise and regional development analysis and strategies
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Economic and tourism impact assessment
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Economics of infrastructure (especially land transport) and local government
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General public policy analysis and advice
Grant joined NZIER in January 2005. He has over 25 years experience as a consultant economist, a senior analyst in government departments (industry and regional development, labour markets, and as a Ministerial adviser), and a researcher and negotiator in the national office of a major trade union. He is also a qualified accountant.
Key projects Grant has worked on include—
- Leading a major evaluation of the Biz programme (a Government programme for assisting small businesses), including undertaking an analysis of programme reporting, management and implementation.
- Analysis and projections of economic and employment trends in a number of areas (Auckland City and Region, Gisborne, Wairarapa, Wellington City and Region, Nelson, Dunedin).
- Analysis and projections of future occupational trends in New Zealand, with a particular emphasis on prospects for Māori.
- Assessment of the economic impact of several proposed developments, in particular of:
- casino developments: with presentation of results as an expert witness to Casino Control Authority hearings (both in support and in opposition to proposed developments).
- the Wellington Regional Stadium: the resulting analysis also provided a basis for regional rates funding.
- Review of critical economic issues and policy implications relating to provision of infrastructure (especially land transport) in Auckland and Wellington urban areas.
- Critique of proposed policy reforms in land transport for a major sector organization.
- Part of the team which undertook a major study of the New Zealand Innovation Environment in 1995.
Grant's key focus and objective as an economist is undertaking analysis which is relevant to decision-making - i.e. to apply the tools of the discipline to solve real-world problems - and as such he emphasizes building a substantial understanding of client needs in designing, undertaking and communicating research projects.
