Economic Research in:

Primary Industries
Natural Resources
Regions

EconSearch Staff

Dr Julian Morison

Managing Director; Agricultural and Natural Resource Economist

BAgEc, MEc, MInfEng, PhD

Julian has over 25 years experience in applied economic analysis, particularly related to primary industries, natural resource issues and regional economic development. Julian has undertaken many projects investigating socio-economic, institutional, policy and business dimensions of natural resource management issues. He has also been involved in the development and application of market based instruments for natural resource management.

Julian has experience and expertise in the development of regional, state and national input-output models and computable general equilibrium (CGE) models and their application in the analysis of a variety of impact situations. He has experience in the analysis of regional development issues, particularly measuring the employment and value adding impacts of industry growth and decline. He has conducted numerous economic impact analysis consultancies for various firms and government organisations, several of which have involved workshops and seminars on input-output methods, cost benefit analysis and other analytical tools.

Matthew Ferris 

Senior Consultant; Agricultural and Natural Resource Economist

BAgEc (Hons)

Matthew is an Agricultural and Resource Economist at EconSearch and has been with the firm since 2000. Prior to joining the firm he gained considerable on-farm experience, particularly in beef breeding and viticulture enterprises and has also worked for both ABARE and the Productivity Commission.

Whilst working at EconSearch Matthew has specialised in the construction and application of input-output models and in communicating the results of economic impact analyses. He has also undertaken numerous cost benefit analyses for a wide range of clients in both the public and private sectors. Analyses have been undertaken for a diverse range of industries including agriculture, fisheries, forestry, water-related infrastructure, transport infrastructure, pests and weeds and research and development.

Lisa Rippin

Research Assistant; Resource Economist

BEc, BFin

Lisa is in the process of completing a graduate diploma in economics through the University of New England. Since joining EconSearch in 2007, Lisa has contributed to the preparation of economic indicators for all the commercial fisheries of South Australia (including face-to-face survey work), a report on the ecologically sustainable development for the net sector of the Marine Scalefish fishery, economic analyses of levies for the Northern and Yorke, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin and South East Natural Resource Management Boards and economic impact studies for the Ports Corporation of Queensland and Fremantle Ports.

Lisa recently completed a study that involved benchmarking production costs for growers in the South Australian chicken meat industry. This involved undertaking around 20 face-to-face interviews with growers, collating and analysing their cost data and preparing benchmarking data on a per farm, per shed and per square metre basis. Lisa also developed a user friendly benchmarking spreadsheet that growers can use to compare their own operations against industry benchmarks. Growers can now access this tool online. 

Jennifer Morison

Office Administrator

BA  

Jennifer is responsible for office management and administration. She prepares annual operating reports and documentation for the company, prepares cash-flow projections and oversees the company business loan accounts. She is responsible for preparation of invoices and payment of creditors, wages, superannuation and workcover, including monthly remittances of PAYG tax to the ATO, and maintains employee records re tax, superannuation, long service leave and sick leave.

Jennifer also maintains the EconSearch research library collection (both hard copy and electronic documents), as well as the project archives and records, which include client details, stored files, report titles and abstracts. She also oversees EconSearch's operating policies and procedures and maintains the company's various public liability, professional indemnity and general business insurance policies.

 

 

 

Latest News

Economic Impact of Aquaculture on the SA State and Regional Economies

28 July 2010: The Hon Michael O'Brien released a media statement today with the headline 'South Australia’s aquaculture industry experienced spectacular jobs growth of 14.1 per cent in 2008-09' (click here for media release). See the latest EconSearch report on the economic impact of aquaculture on the SA state and regional economies for more details.

Economic Analysis of Road Funding Options on Kangaroo Island

12 July 2010: The Kangaroo Island (KI) transport strategy identifies the need for transport investment to support future agricultural and tourism industry developments. Julian Morison presented the results of modelling the costs and benefits of transport infrastructure investment to a meeting in Kingscote of KI Council and community members.

Presentation to the Asian Studies Association of Australia

8 July 2010: "SA's Engagement with the Asia Pacific Region: Primary Industries" was the topic of Julian Morison's presentation to the Asian Studies Association of Australia 18th Biennial Conference held in Adelaide.

2020 Vision for the Australian Feedlot Industry

July 2010: A report prepared by EconSearch, Feedlot Services Australia and Warwick Yates & Associates on the economic impact of projected feedlot industry expansion was reported on in the July edition of ALFA Lotfeeding magazine. Contact Des Rinehart at MLA on (07) 3620 5236 or email him for further details.