Melissa Thek is an experienced regulatory advisor, governance specialist and program leader with more than 20 years of experience supporting utilities, government agencies and regulated businesses to navigate complex regulatory, strategic and investment challenges.
Melissa specialises in economic regulation, regulatory strategy, price submissions, governance frameworks, prudency and efficiency assessments, regulatory assurance and organisational readiness. She has extensive experience helping organisations develop robust, evidence-based submissions and investment proposals that clearly demonstrate prudency, efficiency, deliverability and customer value.
Melissa combines deep experience in governance, regulatory compliance and business transformation with strong program leadership skills. She has successfully led complex regulatory initiatives across Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales, supporting utilities to strengthen regulatory capability, improve governance maturity and establish practical frameworks that enable successful regulatory outcomes.
Her experience spans the full regulatory lifecycle, including strategic planning, regulatory governance, investment justification, business case development, evidence development, stakeholder engagement, submission management, regulatory assurance and implementation planning.
Melissa is particularly recognised for her ability to bridge the gap between regulatory requirements and operational delivery, translating complex regulatory expectations into practical business processes, governance structures and evidence frameworks that are readily understood by executives, Boards and regulators.
Prior to joining Utilities Regulation Advisory, Melissa held senior leadership roles within government and regulatory agencies where she led nationally significant reform programs, technology-enabled regulatory initiatives and large-scale organisational transformation programs.
During her career, Melissa has:
- led development, review and assurance of regulatory pricing submissions across multiple jurisdictions;
- advised utilities on regulatory strategy, governance arrangements and submission delivery models;
- managed strategic regulatory programs and governance frameworks for government and water utilities;
- undertaken prudency and efficiency reviews of major capital, technology and operational investment programs;
- developed regulatory business cases, investment justifications, program synopsis frameworks and evidence registers;
- designed governance, assurance and delivery frameworks to support successful regulatory outcomes;
- established evidence management, audit readiness and regulatory assurance processes;
- developed review event and cost recovery frameworks aligned to regulatory requirements;
- improved organisational capability, planning and submission readiness across regulated businesses;
- supported executive teams and Boards on regulatory decision-making, investment prioritisation and risk management; and
- led large-scale transformation and technology programs within government and regulatory environments.
Regulatory Strategy and Price Submissions
Melissa has extensive experience supporting utilities in the planning, governance and delivery of regulatory submissions across Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.
Her work has included:
- Regulatory strategy development
- Submission planning and governance
- Regulatory readiness reviews
- Executive and Board engagement
- Regulatory assurance
- Evidence development and validation
- Expenditure proposal development
- Submission governance and delivery
Highlighted Experience
Melissa has extensive experience reviewing proposed expenditure programs to assess prudency, efficiency, governance maturity, strategic alignment and delivery readiness.
Her reviews focus on ensuring investment proposals demonstrate clear evidence of need, efficient expenditure and alignment with customer and regulatory outcomes.
Representative Experience
Seqwater – Operational Technology Program Review
Led prudency and efficiency review of Seqwater’s Operational Technology Program against Queensland Competition Authority expectations.
Seqwater – Digital Technology and Information Program Review
Reviewed governance arrangements, business cases, delivery models and benefits realisation frameworks supporting a major digital transformation program.
North East Water – Digital Investment Review
Led review of North East Water’s Digital and IT investment portfolio, including assessment of governance, strategic alignment, cyber security risk and customer outcomes.
North East Water – Audit Remediation Capability Review
Reviewed organisational capability and governance maturity supporting remediation of technology-related audit findings.
Melissa has extensive experience supporting utilities in the planning, governance and delivery of regulatory submissions across Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.
Her work has included:
- Regulatory strategy development
- Submission planning and governance
- Regulatory readiness reviews
- Executive and Board engagement
- Regulatory assurance
- Evidence development and validation
- Expenditure proposal development
- Submission governance and delivery
Seqwater – 2026 Bulk Water Pricing Proposal
Project Manager responsible for coordinating URA’s strategic and technical advice supporting Seqwater’s submission to the Queensland Competition Authority.
Lower Murray Water – 2028 Price Submission Governance and Planning
Leading development of governance frameworks, capability plans and delivery models supporting development of Lower Murray Water’s 2028 Price Submission.
South East Water – 2028 Price Submission Governance and Regulatory Strategy
Supported development of governance frameworks, regulatory planning arrangements and delivery structures designed to improve submission readiness and organisational alignment.
Gippsland Water – 2023 Price Submission
Led development of Gippsland Water’s pricing submission to the Essential Services Commission, coordinating financial, customer, operational and regulatory inputs.
Melissa has extensive experience establishing governance frameworks and assurance processes that improve accountability, transparency and regulatory readiness.
She works with utilities to strengthen governance maturity, improve evidence quality and establish repeatable processes that support successful regulatory outcomes.
Representative Experience
Lower Murray Water – Governance and Capability Uplift
Leading governance, planning and capability uplift initiatives supporting delivery of PS28.
Lower Murray Water – Evidence Register Review
Assessing evidence quality, completeness and traceability against regulatory requirements and developing targeted improvement recommendations.
Central Highlands Water – Readiness Assessment
Leading review of evidence quality, governance arrangements and organisational readiness supporting future regulatory submissions.
WaterNSW – Submission Governance and RFI Framework
Designed governance processes, regulator response frameworks and evidence management tools to improve regulatory assurance and accountability.
Melissa has supported development of business cases, funding applications and investment proposals across the water sector.
Her work focuses on ensuring investments are supported by clear evidence of need, customer outcomes, affordability considerations and long-term value.
Representative Experience
Coliban Water – Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program
Supported development of a major business case seeking government funding to improve rural network performance, resilience and customer outcomes.
North East Water – Program Synopsis Framework
Developed regulator-ready Program Synopsis templates aligned to ESC and Victorian Government expectations.
Seqwater – Review Event Framework
Developed frameworks supporting future review event and cost recovery submissions.
WaterNSW – Prudency and Efficiency Frameworks
Developed investment justification templates and assessment tools supporting improved expenditure governance and regulatory assurance.
Melissa has extensive experience designing and facilitating engagement processes supporting investment planning, regulatory submissions and organisational transformation.
Her work focuses on ensuring regulatory proposals are informed by customer preferences, stakeholder expectations and strategic priorities.
Representative Experience
Gippsland Water – Price Submission Development
Facilitated engagement across executives, customers, operational teams and regulatory stakeholders supporting development of expenditure proposals.
Seqwater – Bulk Water Pricing Proposal
Coordinates engagement across executives, program sponsors, technical specialists and governance committees supporting submission development.
ASIC – National Reform Programs
Led engagement across government agencies, regulators, industry participants and customers supporting implementation of nationally significant reform initiatives.
Melissa is an active contributor to industry discussions on regulatory maturity, governance, capital planning, organisational capability and transformation within the water sector.
Her thought leadership has been recognised by the Australian Water Association and widely shared across the industry.
Featured Publications
Navigating Capital Investments and Embracing Transformation for Victoria’s Water Sector
Featured by the Australian Water Association after receiving more than 35,000 views and 2,400 downloads. The article was subsequently promoted nationally by AWA and led to a feature interview discussing the future of investment planning and regulatory transformation within the water sector.
Joining Forces: Why Collaboration is Key to Transition Within the Water Sector
Featured by the Australian Water Association, highlighting the role of collaboration, capability sharing and sector-wide learning in navigating regulatory and organisational change.
The Secret Life of Your Water Bill: What You’re Really Paying For
Explored transparency, customer understanding and accountability in water pricing, supporting improved customer engagement and awareness of how water services are funded.
From Sprint to Endurance: Why Change Management is Central to Regulatory Maturity
A thought leadership series examining the relationship between organisational capability, governance, leadership and regulatory maturity, and the importance of embedding sustainable regulatory practices rather than relying on cyclical submission-focused effort.
Why Leadership, Not Management, Matters
Explored the role of leadership style in shaping organisational culture, wellbeing, engagement and performance.
Melissa has received three Australia Day Public Service Awards recognising her contribution to nationally significant regulatory, technology and transformation programs.
The awards recognised excellence in:
- National regulatory reform
- Complex program delivery
- Digital transformation
- Customer service improvement
- Government technology implementation
These achievements demonstrate Melissa’s ability to successfully lead complex initiatives involving significant regulatory, organisational and stakeholder challenges while delivering measurable outcomes.