Corporate Planning & Business Strategy Focused on supporting the realisation of value, our business, financial, and economic modelling team provide insightful and evidence-based analysis and strategy for your newly established or evolving organisation, business, or service. From the evaluation of investment options as part of asset acquisition/ due diligence programs to pricing, revenue and funding strategies our knowledgeable and practical team can assist with the following services: Asset Management Planning Benchmarking & Comparative Assessment Business & Asset Valuation Capital Planning & Prioritisation Community, Consumer, Customer & Corporate Sentiment Corporate & Operational Planning Corporate Structure & Strategy Advice Corporate Transactions & Restructures Demand Assessments Due Diligence Financial Sustainability Reviews & Planning Governance & Implementation Planning Infrastructure & Population Planning Lobbying & Advocacy Marketing & Branding Strategy Pricing & Revenue Strategies Property Divestment/Acquisition Management Regulatory & Legislative Reviews Socio-Demographic & Population Projections For further information, contact one of our specialists below. Alain Pillay alain.pillay@aecgroupltd.com Shoalhaven City Council Long Term Financial Plan Client: Shoalhaven City Council State: NSW AEC was engaged by Shoalhaven City Council to prepare the Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) for... Ballarat Airport Options Analysis Client: City of Ballarat State: VIC The proposed extension of the main runway at Ballarat Airport, coupled with the development of... Corporate Strategy AEC’s Corporate Strategy is built upon confidential and nimble negotiation and planning. The vast majority of our work is commercial in... Pacific Reef Fisheries Expansion EIA Client: MBD Industries AEC developed an economic impact assessment of the expansion of Pacific Reef Fisheries. Input-Output modelling... Recent Projects

Contact AEC Brisbane Level 5, 131 Leichhardt Street Spring Hill QLD 4000 Australia ​ Townsville 233 Flinders Street East Townsville QLD 4810 Australia ​ Sydney Level 14, 25 Bli gh Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia ​ Bangkok 158 Soi Sukhumvit 54 Prakhanong, Bangkok Thailand 10260 ​ Shanghai 1609, 1st Building, Kangjian Shangwu Square 1228 Zhennan Road, Putuo, Shanghai China 200333 ​ ​ ​ 1300 799 343 ​ reception@aecgroupltd.com

Corporate & Social Responsibility ​ AEC has taken an active stance on Corporate & Social Responsibility since company inception - positively contributing to local communities and the outcomes of our key stakeholders since 1999. Within the AEC team, one of our core beliefs and passions is to make a difference for current and future communities, particularly at a local level. In 2012, the AEC Board took this commitment one step further by officially endorsing the AEC Corporate & Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy. CSR Policy Objectives: Our CSR Policy is designed to assist and guide sustainable business development to the benefit of all stakeholders. This policy recognises that AEC operations, activities and responses form part of a larger system, where company actions and values have the ability to influence the broader business environment and society as a whole. Download AEC’s full CSR policy statement here . Privacy Policy ​ AEC recognises the importance of your privacy and understands your concerns about the security of your personal information. We are strongly committed to protecting your privacy and the personal information that you may provide to AEC. This privacy policy describes how we collect, use, disclose and safeguard your privacy. The Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) came into force on 12 March 2014 replacing the National Privacy Principles (NPPs) and Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) that previously applied to private sector organisations. For information on the APP, go the Australian Government Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-news ). AEC also abides by the principles of the Australia Market and Social Research Society’s Code of Professional Behaviour (http://www.amsrs.com.au/professional-standards/amsrs-code-of-professional-behaviour ). Why does AEC collect your personal information? We only collect personal information that is necessary for us to perform our functions. AEC’s market and social research division gather and present the opinions of the public directly to the government, commercial and not-for-profit organisations committed to making decisions about goods, services or social policies that concern the Australian people. The information collected is presented in aggregate and does not reveal the identity of any individual person. How does AEC collect and hold your personal information? We generally collect your information whilst undertaking research which may be conducted via telephone, face-to-face, online, discussion forum and/or one-on-one interviews. Occasionally, our clients provide us with a list of their customers so we can contact them and invite them to participate in the research. AEC interviewers will always identify themselves to you or in the case of face-to-face interviews, will have a photo ID which will identify them as part of the AEC team. At the onset of the interview, AEC will disclose the purpose of the study, the type of information we will collect and how the information will be used. At all times, participation in market research is voluntary. What personal information does AEC collect and hold? The kinds of personal information we collect and hold will depend upon the services requested by our clients. Generally, information regarding behaviour, needs, attitudes, opinions and motivations as well as sensitive information such as political views, religion and health information may be collected. When providing personal information you have the option of remaining anonymous or using a pseudonym to be identified by. However, in certain circumstances, such as where we receive your contact details from a third party or where the research data itself may potentially allow for identification, this may well not be practicable. What are the purposes for which AEC uses, handles and discloses your personal information? We respect your privacy. Any personal information which we collect about you will be used and disclosed by us so that we can provide you with the services that you have requested, or otherwise to enable us to carry out our functions as professional consultants. We will not use or disclose your personally identifiable information for the purpose of advertising, promotions or direct marketing activities. If you declined to participate in our research, we may use your personal information to re-contact you for a research purpose if we have valid reasons to believe a genuine research concern warrants such re-contact. If you have participated in our research, will only re-contact you if you were informed of this or we have valid reasons to believe a genuine research concern warrants such re-contact. Who will AEC disclose your personal information to? AEC will not disclose any personally identifiable research information we collect from you unless we have your express prior consent and will only report the information you provide in an aggregate form that will not personally identify you. We will not disclose any personal information or personally identifiable research information to a third party for a purpose other than conducting our research unless we have your express prior consent or are required to do so by an Australian law or a court/tribunal order. Openness In most cases, you can gain access to the personal information that we hold about you. We will handle requests for access to your personal information in accordance with the APPs. We will deal with all requests for access to personal information as quickly as possible. Requests for a large amount of information, or information which is not currently in use, may require further time before a response can be given. A fee may be charged to cover the cost of retrieval. However, this fee will not be excessive and will only apply to the facilitation of your request if applicable. If at any time you believe that personal information we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, then you may request amendment of it and we will either amend the information or make a record of your comment, as we think appropriate. We encourage all requests for access to your personal information to be directed to the Privacy Officer by email aec@aecgroupltd.com or by writing to the address below. Questions and Complaints If you would like more information about the way we manage personal information which we hold about you, or are concerned that we may have failed to keep one of our commitments to you in handling your personal information in accordance with the APP, please contact us by email, fax or mail at the following addresses: email: aec@aecgroupltd.com postal: Privacy Officer, PO Box 5804MC, Townsville QLD 4810 facsimile: +61 (0)7 4771 5550 AEC Website We also collect some information from you when you use our website www.aecgroupltd.com . Your use of the facilities and services available through our website will determine the amount and type of information which we collect about you. Some of this information will not be personal information because it will not reveal your identity. The only personal information we collect when you use our website is what you tell us about yourself, for example, by completing an online form when you accept an invitation to attend a seminar or conference, receive a newsletter or information you provide to us when you send us an email. Retention and Destruction of Personal Information AEC will destroy or de-identify your personal information as soon as practicable once it is longer needed for the purpose for our research purposes. However, we may in certain circumstances be required by law to retain your personal information after our research has been completed. In this case, your personal information will continue to be protected in accordance with this Policy. If we destroy personal information we will do so by taking reasonable steps and using up-to-date techniques and processes. Security of Information AEC will take reasonable steps to protect your personally identifiable information as you transmit your information from your computer to our website and to protect such information from loss, misuse, and unauthorised access, use, modification, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, you should keep in mind that the transmission of information over the internet is not completely secure or error-free. In particular, e-mail sent to or from this website may not be secure, and you should, therefore, take special care in deciding what information you send to us via e-mail. Miscellaneous In this Policy "personal information" has the same meaning as under the Privacy Act 1988. This policy is effective from 12 March 2014. From time to time it may be necessary for us to review and revise our privacy policy. We reserve the right to change our privacy policy at any time. We may notify you about changes to this privacy policy by posting an updated version on our website www.aecgroupltd.com .

Visual Communications Our team are visual creative storytellers, bringing to life products, services and new brands that align with commercial business objectives. Over our history, we have developed a wealth of experience in a range of specialist disciplines, as a result, we are positioned well to deliver truly integrated marketing, engagement and communication campaigns that are engaging and retain influence. What we do: Brand Strategy - Position your brand in the market at the right time Branding & identity design Consumer insight Brand Identity - Bringing your brand to life ​ Brand visualisation Graphic design Tone of voice Brand guidelines Brand collateral Packaging design & d evelopment Marketing Strategy - Defining a clear way of how you are going to engage with your target market Customer journey Content strategy Content creation and distribution Marketing collateral Integrated campaigns Web & Digital - Create an effortless and fun customer experience Website design & development App design & development Digital strategy Digital campaigns Digital video, television, film and animation Social media design and management eCommerce design & development ​ Conceptual, Commercial & Industrial Design - Visualise your project Conceptual visualisations Illustration 3D For further information, contact one of our specialists below. Lyndon Berresford lyndon.berresford@aecgroupltd.com

Disciplines We focus on and embrace a collaborative and constant earning cycle across all our disciplines, with our teams working with you to optimise outcomes. ​ > Economics > Finance > Market Research > Visual Communications Economics Learn More

Reports & Publications AEC makes available for download a selection of recent publications, for documents prior to this please email archive@aecgroupltd.com ​ 2021 2020/21 Water and Wastewater Residential Charge Benchmarking (QLD) 2020/21 Waste Management Residential Charge Benchmarking (QLD) 2020/21 Waste Disposal Fee Benchmarking (QLD) ​ 2020 2019/20 Waste Management Residential Charge Benchmarking (QLD) 2019/20 Waste Disposal Fee Benchmarking (QLD) 2019/20 Water and Wastewater Residential Price Benchmarking (QLD) ​ 2019 2018/19 Waste Disposal Fee Benchmarking (QLD) 2018/19 Waste Management Residential Charge Benchmarking (QLD) 2018/19 Water and Wastewater Residential Price Benchmarking (QLD) KPMG/AEC Review of State Government Grants to Councils (QLD) ​ 2018 2017/18 Waste Disposal Fee Benchmarking (QLD) 2017/18 Waste Management Residential Charge Benchmarking (QLD) 2017/18 Water and Wastewater Residential Price Benchmarking (QLD) LGFP (QLD) Conference 2018 – Cost Recovery Pricing Tips for Councils ​ 2017 2016/17 Waste Disposal Fee Benchmarking (QLD) 2016/17 Waste Management Residential Charge Benchmarking (QLD) 2016/17 Water and Wastewater Residential Price Benchmarking (QLD) ​ 2016 2015/16 Waste Disposal Fee Benchmarking (QLD) 2015/16 Waste Management Residential Charge Benchmarking (QLD) 2015/16 Water and Wastewater Residential Price Benchmarking (QLD) 2015 MIW 30 year strategy 2014/15 Waste Disposal Fee Benchmarking (QLD) 2014/15 Water and Wastewater Residential Price Benchmarking (QLD) 2014/15 Waste Management Residential Charge Benchmarking (QLD) 2014 LGFP (QLD) Conference 2014 - Top 10 Tips for Local Government Finance Professionals 2013/14 Waste Disposal Fee Benchmarking (QLD) 2013/14 Water and Wastewater Residential Price Benchmarking (QLD) 2013/14 Waste Management Residential Charge Benchmarking (QLD) 2013 Economic Impact Assessment of the Cruise Shipping Industry in Australia 2012-13 - Executive Summary Factors Influencing Local Government Financial Sustainability in Queensland - A Council Segment Approach (Report Overview) Factors Influencing Local Government Financial Sustainability in Queensland - A Council Segment Approach 2012-13 Waste Management Residential Price Benchmarking 2012-13 Waste Disposal Fee Benchmarking The Carbon Tax and Australia's Accommodation Industry

Market Research Understanding the existing and future socio-economic and demographic conditions is a fundamental aspect of proactive strategic planning and development. We deliver beyond just numerical outcomes but focus on providing sentiment outcomes and insight for our clients regarding their strategic development plans. We offer the full suite of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, inclusive of telephone and online interviewing, personal intercept interviewing, focus group and in-depth qualitative discussions. Importantly, we are one of the few companies that has our own CATI systems and field survey teams so that we can control project quality. Conducting the research and delivering results is just the beginning. Beyond just the charts and graphs, we identify drivers and influencing trends, provide insight and contextualised answers to strategic questions leveraging the latest in technology and visualisation. Embedding the insights through thoughtful frameworks, concept designs and presentation workshops is equally important in our client engagement. Corporate & Government Sentiment Through understanding opportunities and identifying issues within the commercial realities where social and cultural brands exist, we can help create positive relationships with the people who drive your reputation in the market. By combining an evidenced-based and exploratory approach to inform decision making, we can deliver a holistic 360-degree insight. ​ Our range of integrated solutions includes: Undertaking policy evaluation and development Defining Consumer and Business Sentiment Understanding employee and staff satisfaction and sentiment Assessment of Corporate reputation and imagery Compliance and regulation of Government initiatives. ​ Community Impact & Confidence We tell the stories of communities to help influence local and state government plans. Through the exploration of satisfaction, importance and behaviour drivers, we can develop effective engagement strategies which increase community and key stakeholder advocacy. By utilising advanced research techniques and ensuring comprehensive community consultation, more effective policies and programs can be developed which respond to the community’s needs. ​ Our expertise includes: Investigating community perceptions, wants, needs and aspirations Defining scenarios for behaviour change Exploring opportunities for community engagement Designing stakeholder engagement frameworks Exploring the socio-economic impact of specific events or services Community services benchmarking Understanding community socio-demographics ​ ​ Consumer & Customer Experience Depending on our client’s challenges and objectives, we aim to create partnerships to help achieve success. Across different projects, a range of tools is utilised to measure: Consumer/customer attitude and experience Market segmentation based on attitude, usage or life stage Product and service experience and advocacy Lifecycle modelling Channel and distribution strategy Social trend identification Brand positioning and strategy. For further information, contact one of our specialists below. Priya Narsey priya.narsey@aecgroupltd.com Department of Education QLD Client: Department of Education Queensland State: QLD AEC has just been awarded the contract to undertake the Integrated... Health and Wellbeing QLD Client: Health and Wellbeing Queensland State: QLD Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) is working to increase the accessibility,... Stadiums QLD Client: Stadiums Queensland State: QLD Since 2020, AEC has been partnering with Stadiums Queensland (SQ) to conduct an economic... Burdekin Grain Storage Business Case Client: P. Scuderi & Company Pty Ltd State: QLD AEC were engaged to develop a business case to expand the Burdekins existing grain... Recent Projects

Agriculture AEC is passionate about the agricultural sector because we understand its economic contribution and we see a bright future for its industries, supply chains and the positive impact they have on regional communities. Many of our consulting team are from regional Australia with personal and professional backgrounds in the agricultural sector. For many communities, agriculture is the dominant industry, in terms of economic activity, employment and regional exports. We understand many regions’ fortunes rise and fall on the success of their dominant agricultural industry. We also understand the interlinkages between the agricultural sector in the regions and city-based food and fibre (value adding) manufacturing industries. At AEC, we leverage our experience in production, processing, agricultural supply chains and industry associations to provide tailored advice that meets any client’s needs. The services we offer: Business & Asset Valuation Business Case Writing Corporate & Operational Planning Corporate Structure & Strategy Advice Corporate Transactions & Restructures Demand Assessments Due Diligence Economic & Industry Development Strategy Economic Impact Assessment Financial Feasibility Assessment Lobbying & Advocacy Market Analysis & Outlook Reporting Market Entry Strategies Program Review & Evaluation Employment & Skills Strategy Social Impact Assessment For further information, contact one of our specialists below. Jonathan Pavetto jonathan.pavetto@aecgroupltd.com ​ Alain Pillay alain.pillay@aecgroupltd.com ​ Glen Innes Equine and Livestock Business Case Client: Glen Innes Severn Council State: NSW AEC and StruXi were engaged to develop a business case for submission to the NSW... Gunnedah Saleyards Business Case Client: Gunnedah Shire Council State: NSW AEC developed a business case to provide support for the renewal of the existing Gunnedah... Burdekin Grain Storage Business Case Client: P. Scuderi & Company Pty Ltd State: QLD AEC were engaged to develop a business case to expand the Burdekins existing grain... Rookwood Weir Landholder Support and Grant Program Client: Rockhampton Regional Council State: QLD AEC were engaged by Advance Rockhampton through a Sunwater grant to develop a suite of... Recent Projects

Economics Economic advisory has never been more important in our modern-day society, it shapes and drives decisions in our everyday life. Our approach is to provide you with commercial outcome driven advice that helps uncover valuable insights for future investment opportunities. What we do: Economic Impact Modelling Demonstrate the size of the economic impact or contribution of your sector or project to the regional economy including jobs, wages, taxes paid and GRP through Input-Output or Computable General Equilibrium modelling. Cost-Benefit Analysis Determine the relative trade-off between costs and benefits of a policy change or project against a baseline of what would happen without the project, including consideration of environmental social, financial, community and economic impacts. Socio-Demographic Projections Understand how your local areas social make up is anticipated to change into the future to inform infrastructure planning. Economic Projections Uncover at a detailed industry level the forward growth expectations and associated supply chain requirements for your project. Econometric Projections Inform sectoral and population growth expectations, grounded in and bounded by historical trends and leading forward indicators. Supply Chain Analysis Recognise the structure of your local sector to sector transactions and identify any areas or opportunities for import replacement and efficiency. Labour & Skills Analysis Analyse the current position, future needs and associated gaps in your region to take advantage of changing economic environments. Opportunity Analysis Understand the current and potential future development opportunities in your local area. For further information, contact one of our specialists below. Kieron Lacey kieron.lacey@aecgroupltd.com ​ Ashley Page ashley.page@aecgroupltd.com ​ Gunnedah Saleyards Business Case Client: Gunnedah Shire Council State: NSW AEC developed a business case to provide support for the renewal of the existing Gunnedah... Burdekin Grain Storage Business Case Client: P. Scuderi & Company Pty Ltd State: QLD AEC were engaged to develop a business case to expand the Burdekins existing grain... Economic Impact Assessment of MELT Open Access Festival Client: Brisbane Powerhouse State: QLD To build on the existing brand presence and attendance at the MELT: Festival of Queer Arts and... Ku-ring-gai Retail and Commercial Centres Strategy Client: Ku-ring-gai Council State: NSW AEC Group was commissioned by Ku-ring-gai Council (Council) to carry out a Retail and Commercial... Recent Projects

Sectors ​AEC is outcome-driven and dedicated to the delivery of practical outcomes. We use our core technical disciplines across a broad range of sectors to ensure our clients receive the best evidence-based technical and strategic insight and advice in: > Agriculture > Local Government > Property > Resources, Energy & Infrastructure > Tourism > Social & Community Services Agriculture Learn More

RDA Central and Western Queensland Strategic Regional Plan Activate Cloncurry Strategy 2023-2028 North Harbour Marina Economic Assessment North QLD Water Infrastructure Authority, Hells Gates Dam Supply Chain Analysis WA Cruise Tourism Strategy Esk Jockey Club Expansion Economic Analysis Water for Economic Development Hidden Valley Mine Closure EIA AMC Marine Lift Business Case Edward RC Financial Sustainability Review Department of Education QLD Health and Wellbeing QLD Stadiums QLD Edward RC Financial Sustainability Strategies Glen Innes Equine and Livestock Business Case Gunnedah Saleyards Business Case Burdekin Grain Storage Business Case Rookwood Weir Landholder Support and Grant Program Economic Impact Assessment of MELT Open Access Festival Shoalhaven City Council Long Term Financial Plan Growing Queensland's Regional Cities as Economic Hubs Tuesday 28 June saw the first release of the ABS 2021 Census North-West and South-Growth Centres Land Valuation Project Expression of Interest and Options Analysis Campaign

Strategic Finance Our Strategic Finance team provides a uniquely holistic approach to delivering insight through a comprehensive suite of business planning advisory research and modelling expertise and resources. Our mission as your trusted advisor is to support you to make informed decisions regarding the long-term strategy and financial sustainability of your organisation and your operational assets. What we do: Financial Sustainability Long term financial planning is a crucial component to provide the strategic direction and policy platform on which to guide your investment decisions and resource allocations. ​ Revenue & Cost Management Strategies The efficient and effective management of resource allocation is essential to ensure a financially sustainable outcome. The pressure to maintain or grow services at an appropriate level and to identify resources to meet other corporate objectives increases year on year. ​ Asset Management Planning The integration of long-term financial plans with asset management plans is the key area of focus for improvement to enhance capital and operational efficiency. Full integration of long-term financial planning places councils in the best position to allocate resources effectively and to provide a demonstrable platform to secure grant and borrowing needs. ​ Service & Business Reviews Continual improvement in community-facing as well as internal service delivery is an integral part of ensuring that service levels are appropriate and service and business operations are running as efficiently as possible. We are able to work with you in undertaking service assessment and options analysis as well as developing and providing financial and pricing models that support business decision making. ​ Pricing & Costing Models One of our key strengths is our ability to develop financial assessment modelling tools for the specific requirements of different industry sectors. We have developed a range of inhouse proprietary models to support local and state government and enterprise financial sustainability. For further information, contact one of our specialists below. Gavin O'Donovan gavin.odonovan@aecgroupltd.com Graham Jarvis graham.jarvis@aecgroupltd.com Edward RC Financial Sustainability Review Client: Edward River Council State: NSW The objective of the Financial Sustainability Review was to facilitate sustainable... Gunnedah Saleyards Business Case Client: Gunnedah Shire Council State: NSW AEC developed a business case to provide support for the renewal of the existing Gunnedah... Burdekin Grain Storage Business Case Client: P. Scuderi & Company Pty Ltd State: QLD AEC were engaged to develop a business case to expand the Burdekins existing grain... Fraser Coast Marine Experience Centre Feasibility Study Client: AECOM State: QLD Working with AECOM, this project involved the development of a feasibility study for a world class marine... Recent Projects