Graeme Wells has had an academic career as an economist spanning nearly fifty years in various universities in Australia and overseas. He is presently an independent economist and a Senior Adjunct researcher at UTAS. John Lawrence is an accountant and economist by training, currently a public policy analyst and blogger at www.tasfintalk.blogspot.com.
They wrote recently in the Tasmanian Times:
Mr Hanson’s recent contribution to the economic case for the proposed AFL stadium has received extensive coverage in The Mercury. It has been described as uncovering a gold mine for Tasmania. He claims to identify deficiencies in the expert analysis provided to the government.
Unfortunately, his creative adjustments to the government business case, which included a benefit cost analysis (BCA), are misleading and based on a misunderstanding of BCAs. This article is intended to correct the record.