Capability statement
Demonstration — contains sample data
ABN 53 613 360 348
admin@cobalt59.com.au
+61 408 028 269
Stakeholder Engagement and Co-Design
Collaborative design with technical experts, policy officers, regional staff and community stakeholders. This statement summarises 5 relevant projects, the practitioners involved, and the firm's published methodological work.
The firm at a glance
- Legal entity
- Cobalt59 Pty Ltd
- ABN
- 53 613 360 348
- Structure
- Proprietary limited company
- Established
- 2016
- Team size
- 6 practitioners
- Location
- Earlwood NSW
Relevant experience
Arts House - City of Melbourne
Strategy and business planning
Arts House runs multiple venues in the heritage listed building complexes of the North Melbourne Town Hall and Metropolitan Meat Markets. Arts House presents a curated program of contemporary art featuring performances, exhibitions, live art, installations,and cultural events. They program three 440-850 seat plus venues, provide office and rehearsal space for a wide variety of artists, and run a box office and various food venues. Arts House also commissions new works.
Arts & culture
Catchment‑to‑Tap Risk Assessment
Clarence Valley Coffs Harbour Water Grid
The Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour Regional Water Supply Scheme is a major shared water infrastructure system linking the Nymboida River, Shannon Creek Dam and the bulk supply networks serving both council areas. As a long-life regional asset designed to secure water supply for a growing population, it required a structured risk assessment to identify operational, governance and system risks and support better joint decision-making across the scheme.
Water
Green Living Centre
Strategy & business development: green innovation
The Green Living Centre was established in 2002 as ‘The Watershed’ and funded through the NSW Government’s Stormwater Trust Program. Its initial focus was on stormwater and local business environmental issues. Over the years this focus broadened to becoming a sustainability 'hub'.
Waste & circular economy · Public programs
NSW Water for the Environment Program Evaluation
Systems evaluation environmental water management
The NSW Water for the Environment (WftE) Program manages environmental water across multiple river, wetland and floodplain systems to improve ecological condition, support regional livelihoods and uphold cultural values. After a decade of significant reform and two prior evaluations, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water needed an independent evaluation of the 2019–2024 period that could credibly assess efficiency, equity and outcomes in a complex social–ecological system, and provide clear recommendations for the next phase.
Water · Environment
WaterNSW
Audits of Sydney Water Catchment
The independent catchment audit report is direct to the responsible minister. It is designed to protect the health of the Sydney catchment to ensure reliable, quality drinking water for five million people of Sydney and the Illawarrra, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Goulburn and Shoalhaven regions. The audit seeks to understand land use, businesses, industries, community groups, and public authorities within the catchment – all of whose actions can affect water quality.
Water
Services applied
- Strategic Planning and Cost-Benefit Analysis
- Stakeholder Engagement and Co-Design
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER)
- Program and Policy Evaluation
Practitioners
- Brian Keogh — Director | Evaluation & Strategy · MEval, BSc; 20+ years evaluation practice
- Dr Kara Scally-Irvine — Evaluation Specialist | Systems & Impact · PhD; 20+ years research, monitoring and evaluation
- Rod McInnes — Senior Economist · MEc; 25+ years water and resource economics
- Sue Donnelly — Senior Consultant | Arts Leadership, Governance & Social Policy · BSW; 30+ years arts leadership and social policy
- Beth Medway — Principal Consultant | Environment · MEnvPlan; 25+ years environmental assessment and planning
- Julieanne Campbell — Director | Strategy, Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement · MBA; 25+ years not-for-profit leadership
Insurances
| Cover | Insurer | Limit | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional indemnity | Sample Insurance Australia | $10,000,000 any one claim | 30 June 2027 |
| Public and products liability | Sample Insurance Australia | $20,000,000 any one occurrence | 30 June 2027 |
| Workers compensation | icare NSW | As per NSW statutory requirement | 30 June 2027 |
Certificates of currency available on request.
Memberships and panels
- Australian Evaluation Society — organisational member
- Australian Water Association — corporate member
- NSW Government Performance and Management Services Scheme (SCM0005) — panel supplier
Capacity
Able to mobilise a three-person evaluation team within four weeks, with surge capacity through established associate arrangements.
Referees
- Sample Referee One — Director, Evaluation, Sample Government Agency · Available on request
- Sample Referee Two — Manager, Water Planning, Sample Water Utility · Available on request
Selected publications
- Scally-Irvine, K., Elliott, J., Hawkins, A. and Keogh, B. (2025), AES Systems Special Interest Group, June 2025.
- Keogh, B. and Maloney, J. (2025), Australian Evaluation Society International Conference, Canberra, September 2025.
- Elliott, J., Hawkins, A., Keogh, B. and Scally-Irvine, K. (2024), AES Systems Special Interest Group, February 2024.
- Renger, R., Keogh, B. and Atkinson, L. (2024), online workshop, Australian Evaluation Society.