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BETTER DECISION MAKING

Turning challenges into opportunities through evidence-based solutions

We work with the public sector to bring focus and help solve problems, ensuring decision makers can concentrate on providing what’s best for their communities. Simply put, we see every challenge as an opportunity, and we thrive on the tough stuff.

WHAT WE DO

We are trusted advisors who take the approach that nothing is impossible. Our focus is, and has always been, on improving places for people by helping public sector organisations make well-informed investment decisions. Whether it's infrastructure, strategy or support, it’s about creating a better world by improving the places we live, work and play.

We have a great team and offer a continuum of services – from early evidence gathering and direction setting right through to the development of business cases and the delivery of key strategic documents. All stages in the continuum are about adding more depth and clarity to an investment proposal or strategic objective.

Rationale’s ability to distil complex issues down to easy digestible and understandable packages is a real strength. They lead stakeholders, politicians and end users through the business model processes with confidence, cementing their position as leaders in their field (Ross Ashby, Project Manager, Thames-Coromandel District Council)

EXPERTS OUR PEOPLE

Our people are our biggest asset and the foundation of our success. Rationale has a highly skilled team with a wide range of experience and expertise. We are the sum of our parts and consistently look to attract the best people in New Zealand to ensure we can offer our clients a service that is second to none.

OUR PEOPLE
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OUR PROJECTS

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NZ DRIVER LICENSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME

CLIENT: New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
DATE: 2022 - 2024
STATUS: DLIP has set a new standard for cross-agency collaboration and helped thousands of people to get their licence

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CONSISTENT CONDITION DATA COLLECTION

CLIENT: Te Ringa Maimoa
DATE: 2021 - 2023
STATUS: Waka Kotahi has approved 100% funding of the $18.5 million needed for national delivery.

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TE MANAWATAKI O TE PAPA

CLIENT: Tauranga City Council
DATE: 2021-2023
STATUS: Investment of $306.3 million was approved by Tauranga City Council in June 2023.

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SUPPORT THROUGH THREE WATERS UNCERTAINTY

CLIENT: Multiple Councils
STATUS: Ongoing

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MACKENZIE DISTRICT PLAN REVIEW

CLIENT: Mackenzie District Council
DATE: 2022 - Ongoing
STATUS: Stages one and two complete, stage three and four underway

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VINCENT SPATIAL PLAN

CLIENT: Central Otago District Council 
DATE: 2021 - 2022 
STATUS: Directly informing a Council-led plan change for the area 

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WEST COAST COMBINED TRANSPORT PLANNING

CLIENTS: Westland District Council, Grey District Council, Buller District Council
DATE: 2020-2021
STATUS: Directly contributed to increased transport funding for the West Coast

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MACKENZIE SPATIAL PLANS

CLIENT: Mackenzie District Council
DATE: 2020-2021
STATUS: Directly informing a review of the Mackenzie District Plan

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THREE WATERS REFORM PLANNING BUSINESS CASE

CLIENT: Dunedin City Council
DATE: 2020 - 2021
STATUS: Business Case currently being implemented

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QUEENSTOWN TOWN CENTRE MASTERPLAN

CLIENT: Queenstown Lakes District Council
DATE: 2017 - 2018
STATUS: Directly used to help unlock around $300 million of Central Government investment

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KOPU MARINE PRECINCT BUSINESS CASE

CLIENT: Thames Coromandel District Council
DATE: 2018-2019
STATUS: Facilitated $8.2 million in Central Government funding

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CORPORATE SERVICES FEASIBILITY STUDY

CLIENT: Social Wellbeing Agency
DATE: 2021
STATUS: Provided justification to invest in future state

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OUR PROJECTS

OUR COMPANY WHAT DRIVES US

Established in 1999 by Edward Guy, Rationale has offices in Wellington, Arrowtown and Dunedin. While we continue in the infrastructure space, the work Rationale does is constantly evolving and almost always involves solving tricky problems. We are an independent advisory company that helps public sector and business leaders make well-informed infrastructure and investment decisions.

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JOIN OUR TEAM CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The work we do is always changing, innovating and challenging. We have a strong team with an unrivalled culture, both inside and outside of the office. If you’re the kind of person who loves solving wicked problems and enjoys getting stuck into the tough stuff, both professionally and personally, then we’d love to hear from you.

JOIN OUR TEAM

NEWS WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO

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Local Water Done Well - Where to Next?

27/03/2024 | Jimmy

Government has been signalling its intention to reform the 3 Waters sector through 'Local Water Done Well'. The latest updates from the Minister provide the most detail we have seen thus far on the Government’s intended direction.

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Cross Agency collaboration to improve access to driver licences

13/03/2024 | Jimmy

A driver licence is more than just a permit to drive a vehicle. It allows access to a range of social and economic benefits. Those lacking a licence may find it harder to find a job, access education and training, and participate in other aspects of society

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Meet Laura Harding

11/03/2024 | Jimmy

We are thrilled to welcome Laura as Senior Manager in Wellington. Laura joined us in January 2024, and brings a wealth of public and private sector expertise, making her a valuable addition to the Rationale whanau.

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500 trees!

07/03/2024 | Jimmy

That’s how many trees have been funded in native restoration projects across Queenstown and Wellington over the last eight months, through our partnership with CarbonInvoice

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Introducing Chris French

04/03/2024 | Jimmy

Chris French is somewhat of a legend in the public sector consulting industry, so we were delighted to bring him into the Rationale whanau in January this year.

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Happy Holidays!

20/12/2023 | Jimmy

It’s been another big year, with some significant milestones for us as a business and for members of the Rationale whanau.

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Bridging the gap

22/11/2023 | Jimmy

Through our work with both local and central government organisations, we are increasingly seeing significant gaps between the two sectors, with impacts being felt across the country.

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Wellington Corporate Challenge

17/11/2023 |

Rationale’s youth division (Lucy, Connor and Daniel) put in the mahi and had a great time out pounding the pavements at the Wellington Corporate Challenge.

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Supporting Councils through three waters uncertainty

27/10/2023 | Jimmy

Our team are working with several local authorities to address significant uncertainty across the three waters sector.

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Partnering for Sustainability

01/08/2023 | Jimmy

Rationale has recently partnered with a platform called CarbonInvoice to analyse our yearly accounts and understand what our carbon footprint is. 

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Local government’s role in wellbeing

01/02/2023 | Jimmy

Of the three local government reforms currently underway, the Review into the Future for Local Government is less advanced, however front of mind for many within the sector.

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Merry Christmas

16/12/2022 | Jimmy

Much like our clients, we’ve had a massive year at Rationale!

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Meet Daniel Pienaar

28/10/2022 | Jimmy

Joining the Rationale team in September, Daniel Pienaar has made the move from South Africa and is now based out of our Wellington office.

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Three Waters National Transition Unit

27/07/2022 | Jimmy

Rationale are delighted to have been selected to assist the DIA through the Three Waters National Transitioning Unit and Local Transitioning Teams.

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Replanting Arrowtown’s Backcountry

08/07/2022 | Jimmy

The Rationale team spends a lot of time in the hills behind Arrowtown, so it made perfect sense to support the Arrowtown Choppers' ambitious goal of planting 18,000 native trees over the next three years.

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Growing our Wellington Presence

01/06/2022 | Jimmy

We have long had a presence in the capital, based out of our central Wellington offices on Woodward Street. Recently, we have taken a more focussed approach.

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Rationale and Te Kākano take on the Wetlands

22/04/2022 | Helen

Rationale gets their hands dirty – a day in the Wetlands to restore native habitat with Te Kākano.

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Christmas in Fiordland

07/01/2022 | Helen

The team were 100% ready for the 2021 Christmas Outing and a mission into the depths of Fiordlands for three days in the majestic Doubtful Sounds.

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What we do

18/11/2021 | Jimmy

‘So what do you do at work?’ It’s a question we often get asked, and it can be quite challenging to answer in a couple of sentences.

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Mackenzie Spatial Plans

01/09/2021 | Henry

The Mackenzie Spatial Plans were created to understand how this growth and development can be sustainably managed, charting a path that sets the direction for the next 30 years and beyond.

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Earnslaw Burn Classic 2021

17/05/2021 | Jimmy

The team at Rationale have never been shy of a mission or two, and with the wait for the ski season starting to drag on, we decided it was time to lace up the trail shoes and head off for a run into the hills.

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Emily takes out the top spot at IPWEA

07/12/2020 | Henry

At this year’s IPWEA conference Rationale Infrastructure Advisor and key team member, Emily Gualter, was awarded the best under 35 presenter for her speech on the Art of Decision Making.

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Shovel Ready Funding for Kōpū

19/08/2020 | Henry

Thames Coromandel District Council is set to benefit from significant government shovel ready investment, with the announcement that the Kōpū Marine and Business Precinct is to receive $8.2 million in funding.

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Clyde community wins big through the Tourism Infrastructure Fund

16/01/2020 | Henry

The Clyde community has had a big win through the Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF), with the announcement in December of $365,000 in TIF funding.

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2019 in review - life outside of the office

18/12/2019 | Jimmy

There’s no getting around the fact that the work we do is often tricky. 2019 has been another big year for the team at Rationale.

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Cromwell ‘Eye to the Future' Masterplan Progressing Well

27/09/2019 | Henry

Work on the Cromwell ‘Eye to the Future’ Masterplan has entered an important phase, with the community being asked to provide feedback on the potential future options for their town and surrounding areas.

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Infrastructure and the Living Standards Framework

06/06/2019 | Henry

Infrastructure is critical to ensuring our living conditions continue to improve and are a key factor in understanding the wellbeing of our communities.

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The importance of good engagement

10/05/2019 | Henry

Contrary to popular belief – PR and the media aren’t at war with one another.

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Bikes, Skis and Tools - Andy and Tim Take on Mount Aspiring

29/04/2019 | Henry

Mt Aspiring is a proper mountaineer’s mountain. From any angle it is steep, pointy and prominent. It is also reasonably remote.

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Making the case for infrastructure investment - Kōpū Marine Precinct

14/03/2019 | Henry

Rationale is currently working alongside Thames-Coromandel District Council, assisting in the development a detailed business case for the Kōpū Marine Precinct.

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Waitaki Water Supply Pipeline

15/10/2018 | Henry

Last month Rationale’s David Somerville and Edward Guy were delighted to be invited to attend the opening of the brand new $6.7 million, 34km Oamaru to Hampden Water Supply Pipeline.

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Peak to Peak Race

13/08/2018 | Henry

Saturday 11 August saw the Rationale Team in the 25th running of the annual Peak to Peak multisport race in Queenstown.

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Boosting our Communications Capability – Jimmy Sygrove Joins Rationale

01/08/2018 | Henry

Rationale recently welcomed Infrastructure Advisor Jimmy Sygrove to the team, a communications specialist with over a decade’s experience in the private and public sectors.

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Queenstown Town Centre Masterplan recognised by the IPWEA

20/07/2018 | Henry

Rationale and client Queenstown Lakes District Council have received an industry award for excellence from IPWEA New Zealand.

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Rationale’s Interdependence Day

09/07/2018 | Henry

While our American friends might celebrate the 4th of July as Independence Day, for Rationale it marked the first time night skiing was held up Coronet Peak for the 2018 winter.

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A Move to a Social Market Approach

25/06/2018 | Henry

We have a situation where house prices are so high the idea of home ownership is simply out of reach to a considerable number of people.

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WHO WE WORK WITH

Waka Kotahi RGB
buller district council
central otago district council
dunedin city council
whangarei district counil
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Waitaki District Council
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clutha district council
MACKENZIE disctict council
queenstown lakes district council
grey district council
social wellbing society
thames coromandel district council v2
timaru district council
Wellington Water
westland district council
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