Peter Martin AM

Peter Martin is one of Australia’s most engaging speakers about economics and the Australian economy.

A former Commonwealth Treasury official, Peter reported economics for the ABC’s AM and PM programs for two decades before moving to the Canberra Press Gallery where he served as economics editor of The Canberra Times, The Age and The Conversation.

His passion is explaining economic issues in simple terms that people can identify with. Audiences love it. He says almost everything is an economic issue.

Throughout the 1990s he indulged his passion for explaining economics at the human scale in Home Economics, a weekly segment with Geraldine Doogue on ABC Life Matters. He has made countless appearances on ABC Nightlife, The Drum and commercial and ABC local radio and covered more than 30 federal budgets.

Between 2018 to 2022 he presented The Economists with Gigi Foster on ABC Radio National. From 2025 he has presented a weekly business program entitled The Economy, Stupid.

In 2019 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his contribution to the public’s understanding of economics.

Peter can moderate and structure discussions, share insights and sculpt presentations that make “the dismal science” exciting and fun.

Sample speaking topics:

1. Australia’s housing crisis and what to do about it.
2. How to make super work for you and superannuation work for us.
3. Death duties, land tax and carbon tax: how to really fix our tax system.
4. Older, richer and wiser: why our aging future needn’t frighten us.
5. Endless growth: what economic growth is and how it can continue forever
6. How to create money out of thin air and when not to: how budgets work
7. What is money anyway? What cash was and what will replace it.
8. Lessons learned from 40 years of reporting economics.

To contact Peter Martin for radio, television, corporate or presentation engagements, contact Peter Wall at Wall Media www.wallmedia.com.au  or on 0408 489 057.

Peter has a wonderful gift of interpreting his complex subject in ways that are both informative and engaging.  

Angela Garvey – New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association

If you are looking for a skilled and congenial moderator, then I have no hesitation in strongly recommending Peter Martin.

Kevin J. Fox, Director, Centre for Applied Economic Research UNSW

Peter was able to speak about economics in terms that we all easily understood, he tailored it to our presentation and audience, and he was both engaging and erudite.

Kathy Kostyrko, Director, Hays Recruiting

It is always a pleasure to listen to someone who not only has a real passion for his subject but someone who is able to deliver such a subject in a way that everyone is able to comprehend

Roger Summerill, President, The Illawarra Connection

For mine one of the best economic journalists in the country.

Bernard Keane, Crikey

The best economics correspondent.

Ross Gittins – Sydney Morning Herald