POLICY ADVOCACY AND STRATEGY | Key Staff
Castalia helps clients understand and influence the policy and market environment in which they operate.Alex Sundakov—Alex is a public policy expert and advises companies and industry groups on effective policy proposals and strategies. Alex has been actively involved in policy instruments designed to respond to Kyoto Protocol obligations, including the debate on the design of the Emissions Trading Schemes in Australia and New Zealand and implementing transactions to trade carbon credits. Alex is closely involved in pharmaceuticals policy, through the review of the National Medicines Strategy in New Zealand and through submissions to the Health Standing Committee inquiry into the Common Drug Review in Canada.
Stephen Gale—Stephen has 20 years experience in public policy analysis in a wide range of areas. He has helped airlines negotiate with New Zealand airports over landing fees and has advised the Air Traffic Control Authority over pricing policy. He has advised the New Zealand government over the Telecommunications Service Obligation of the incumbent provider, the policy for phone number portability between networks and the government approach to spectrum licence renewals. He has advised protagonists in debates over environmental policy in areas like marine farming and urban retail development. He has assisted transport authorities in identifying the appropriate discount rate for public sector roading projects and in designing approaches to shared funding between local and central government for public transport. He has reviewed Government policy on electricity security of supply for the New Zealand regulator has advised the gas regulator on mechanisms for balancing pressures in open access pipelines.