Bulletin

Issue: January/February 2007

News

'Compelling' deal for economic researchers

Two researchers and ex-students at La Trobe University’s Economic Research Unit (ERU) have been given an opportunity to expand the business as a private enterprise.

From right, Mr Nichol, Mr Moore and Mr Ensor
on the Bendigo campus.

Matthew Nichol and Tony Moore will develop the Unit into a new business called Compelling Economics with the University as an equity holder.

The ERU, based at the Bendigo campus, has enjoyed significant success, buoyed by its development of REMPLAN - an innovative regional economic development software tool. REMPLAN has opened new opportunities for regional communities and organisations to more accurately measure and predict economic activity and impacts.

Director of Industry and Community Engagement, David Ensor, said the University had offered Compelling Economics an exclusive licence to REMPLAN trademarks, associated products developed by the ERU and current clients.

‘This represents an opportunity to further grow the business as a commercial operation with the University retaining an interest. The REMPLAN business has grown to the point where it is servicing local government and organisations across Australia and in New Zealand.’

Mr Ensor said REMPLAN had developed from the vision of now retired Bendigo Economics lecturer, Ian Pinge, while working on an innovative gambling study in the late 1990’s to assess the impact of local spending on poker machines.

‘Ian Pinge developed a comprehensive economic modelling profile of the Bendigo region and recognised its further application for other regional communities.’

Mr Ensor said REMPLAN was quickly embraced by local governments and businesses that, until then, had largely relied on expensive consultancies to obtain industrial data for analysis. The University provided the space and time for Ian Pinge, supported by Matthew Nichol, to develop this research.

Matthew Nichol and Tony Moore have grown REMPLAN as a business and assisted many projects over the past five years including the Calder Highway duplication, Bendigo Community Telco regional impact study, the Geelong G21 Regional Alliance, Gippsland regional development strategy and the impact of Bendigo Mining on the region.

Matthew Nichol and Tony Moore said the birth of Compelling Economics was an excellent opportunity to take the research to a new business level with University support.

‘Our aim is to grow the business to reach more regional and urban communities, expand the range of products and services and continue research and development as leaders in economic data solutions.’