CBA Forum 2025
CBA is a key tool for supporting evidence-based decision making and ensuring public accountability.
The 2025 CBA Forum, on Tuesday 23 September 2025, is a unique opportunity to meet, re-engage with and learn from CBA colleagues, peers and industry experts across a wide range of disciplines and organisations. This year’s program includes sessions on: updates from NSW Treasury and the Australian Center for Evaluation, CBA & AI, Health, Transport, Resilience, Water, Heritage, First Nations and Distribution.
The programme will be of interest to:
- experienced practitioners;
- those new to developing CBAs; and
- people who rely on CBAs to support decisions.
ESANSW is fortunate to again have the use of our venue partner Deloitte’s spectacular Quay-side facilities, for both the Forum and the post-event networking function. On-line attendance may be available for those unable to attend in-person or if in-person capacity is reached.
Robert Smith, East Economics
CBA Forum Chair
Robert Smith is an independent economist at East Economics and a long-term council member of the ESA NSW branch.
Peter Bowers, Australian Centre for Evaluation
The Australian Centre for Evaluation - reflections on the first 2 years
Peter Bowers (M Finance, B Economics (Hons)) is an Assistant Director in the Australian Centre for Evaluation
Alex Petrillo, NSW Treasury
New developments in NSW Treasury guidelines
Alex Petrillo is the Acting Director at NSW Treasury, with a decade of experience as an economist and advisor across government and consulting. Specialising in evidence-based analysis, Alex provides strategic advice on complex infrastructure projects, public policy, and investment frameworks.
Steven Legg, Centre for Economic Evidence, NSW Treasury
The First Nations Investment Framework
Steven Legg is an Associate Director in NSW Treasury's First Nations Economic Wellbeing Branch, within the Centre for Economic Evidence.
Laura Faulkner, Centre for Economic Evidence, NSW Treasury
The First Nations Investment Framework
Laura Faulkner is a Senior Analyst in NSW Treasury’s First Nations Economic Wellbeing Branch. Laura has over ten years of experience in economics and public policy, with prior roles at Deloitte Access Economics and the (former) NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.
Lee Mead, NineSquared
A CBA framework for Water Quality
Lee Mead is an economist and Manager at NineSquared with extensive experience advising both public and private clients across transport, infrastructure, health, and water.
Mike Pottenger, Deloitte
CBA, AI & Consulting
Dr Mike Pottenger is a Director in Deloitte Access Economics’ impact analysis practice, where he applies economic frameworks to evaluate the costs, benefits, and impacts of government policies and investment decisions.
Paris Hekimian, Deloitte
CBA, AI & Consulting
Paris Hekimian is an Economist at Deloitte Access Economics in Sydney, working on Gadigal and Wangal land. She uses economic analysis to tackle complex issues and support more inclusive outcomes.
Aaron Kosovich, Reschematic
A new CBA AI tool
Aaron Kosovich is the founder of Reschematic, an online platform pioneering the use of artificial intelligence in cost-benefit analysis. His work places him at the forefront of understanding the practical realities of implementing AI as a complement and extension to traditional economic evaluation.
Simon Fifer, CaPPRe
Valuing Cultural Heritage
Dr Simon Fifer is Director of Research and Innovation at CaPPRe, specializing in human decision-making, non-market valuation, and willingness-to-pay studies across areas like environment, infrastructure, culture, and public health. He holds a PhD in Choice Modelling from the University of Sydney.
Cindy Smith, Deloitte
Sustainable Outcomes Measure and Values
Cindy Smith is an Economist and Director in Deloitte’s Infrastructure & Industrials team with over a decade of experience in infrastructure strategy, business case development, and economic assessments.
Alex Humphrey Cifuentes, Frontier Economics
CBA & Resilience
Alexandra Humphrey Cifuentes is an economist at Frontier Economics, specialising in regulatory and policy advice for both public and private sectors.
Prof Neil Perry, Centre for Western Sydney
Tackling inactivity – a distribution view
Neil is an Associate Professor in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability. He specialises in progressive economics approaches to environmental economics and policy and in ecological economics, an interdisciplinary field emphasising the interdependence of economic, social and ecological values.
Dr Liming Zhu, DATA61, CSIRO
AI & CBA at CSIRO
Dr Liming Zhu is a Research Director at CSIRO’s Data61, the AI/digital arm of Australia’s national science agency, and a conjoint professor at UNSW. He contributes to the OECD.AI’s AI Risks and Accountability, the Responsible AI at Scale think tank at Australia’s National AI Centre, ISO AI standards committees, and Australia’s AI safety standard.
Dr Eamon McGinn, Rennie Advisory
Bad faith MCA, a guide
Kusha Baharlou, Centre for Economic Evidence, NSW Treasury
Valuing Life, Health and Injury
Kusha Baharlou is an experienced policy and regulatory leader with a background spanning NSW Treasury, the UK Financial Conduct Authority, and the NSW Cabinet Office. He has led reforms to investment frameworks, consumer protections, and cross-government regulatory policy while managing multidisciplinary teams and engaging stakeholders across government, industry, and the community.
Adrian Kemp, Houston Kemp
CBA and AI in action - demonstrations and explorations
Adrian’s expertise derives from his depth of understanding and experience in the energy, water and transport industries, exceptional analytical skills, and his enthusiasm for developing innovative and practicable solutions to complex problems.
Sarah Close, E3
PANEL: CBA and AI – opportunities, possibilities, realities and risks
Sarah is an infrastructure economics and public policy expert with more than 20 years’ experience. She advises government and the private sector on major infrastructure policy and investment decisions.
