THE LIGHTER NOTE-Expert abundance

IN an economic meltdown should we be reassured that so many economists are at the helm? The Note couldn’t help tracking down the credentials of new Premier Colin Barnett and an interesting theme emerged. Mr Barnett starting teaching economics in the 1970s at Curtin University’s predecessor the WA Institute of Technology, joining Lyndon Rowe (pictured) who now heads the state’s Economic Regulation Authority. Mr Rowe went to work for the Confederation of Industry later followed by Mr Barnett, who then joined the Chamber of Commerce before the two merged to become the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which Mr Rowe headed in the 1990s. Another economist on the scene over much of those three decades was Mike Nahan, now the Liberal member for Riverton.For good measure, slightly younger economist John Langoulant took over the CCIWA from Mr Rowe and is now advising the government on its operation and financial performance of the public sector.