Conrad Liveris
Independent economist, expert witness, adviser, chair and director.
I help courts, counsel, boards, executives, and governments make decisions that need to stand up to scrutiny.
I am an independent economist based in Perth, working nationally. My work spans expert evidence, economic advisory, economic development and governance. I specialise in labour markets, earnings, employability, economic loss, business cases, workforce issues and strategic decision-making.
I prepare expert reports for litigation, advise leaders on complex economic and organisational questions, support governments on economic development and investment priorities, and serve as a chair and director.
I am known for rigorous analysis, clear writing and practical judgment. I work directly with clients, set out assumptions clearly, and focus on outputs that are useful in court, in council processes, in boardrooms and in public decision-making.
Expert witness
Independent economic evidence in matters involving economic loss, quantum, employability, earning capacity, workforce participation and related labour market questions.
Economic advisory
Economic analysis for boards, executives, governments and non-profits on workforce strategy, compensation, market questions, public policy, business cases and major strategic decisions.
Economic development
Practical economic support for councils and place-based decision-makers on economic development strategies, action programs, business cases, investment enablement, monitoring frameworks and council-ready outputs.
Why clients engage me
I combine economics, labour market expertise, executive and governance experience, and practical communication. That means I can move from analysis to judgment, and from technical work to usable advice.
My work is built on transparent assumptions, plain English and outputs that can withstand scrutiny. Whether the audience is a court, a board, a council or an executive team, the aim is the same. Clarify the issue, test the evidence, explain the trade-offs, and support a decision that can be defended.
I am also a chair and director with more than a decade of governance experience across health, justice, education and community services. I have led significant organisational transformation, including restructurings, mergers, acquisitions and CEO transitions. I currently serve as Chair of WAAC, Chair of Sussex Street Community Law Service, a board member of Carine Senior High School and Rainbow Futures WA, and an advisory board member of Future Forward Australia.
From 2019 to 2025, I was Executive Officer of The Piddington Society. During that time, I led its growth from a volunteer-led network into a nationally recognised legal education and access to justice institution with a year-round program of training and professional development, including bespoke programs now used across Australia. By the time I concluded, Piddington was working closely with courts across Western Australia, as well as Chief Justices and Attorneys General across Australia, and had the largest digital presence of any legal organisation in Western Australia and the second largest nationally.
My analysis and commentary on economics, workplaces, public policy and reform have appeared across Australian and international media. I have written for The Australian, Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald and The West Australian, and my work has been featured by the ABC, BuzzFeed, The Hill (US) and The Straits Times (Singapore), and I appear regularly on radio and television.
My background includes degrees from the University of Notre Dame Australia and Curtin University, together with further education through the Governance Institute of Australia, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, University of California, Los Angeles and University of Oxford.
I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Australian Institute of Management, an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society, a Professional Member of the Economic Society of Australia, and a member of the Industrial Relations Society of Western Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
As an Australia Day Ambassador for 10 years, I delivered Australia Day addresses in Albany, Broome, Derby, Esperance, Geraldton, Katanning, Mullewa and York. In Broome in 2020, I delivered the Address in English, Noongar and Yawuru.
I am an avid runner and formerly undertook triathlons. I prefer to read non-fiction, but my book club encourages me to read more widely. I enjoy getting out of the city as often as possible into regional areas. I am a proud public school kid.