Peter Hendy is one of Australia’s leading economic commentators.
Born in Brisbane and educated at the University Of Queensland, he graduated top of his year with a Bachelor of Economics (First Class Honors). He was awarded Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Government) in Government, Trade Policy and Economic Policy from the University of Canberra in 2012. Peter is a commissioner of the Commonwealth Grants Commission. From 2017 to 2020 he was the Co-Chairman of the advisory board of The Cornerstone Group and on the board of the Council for Australian-Arab Relations. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Infants Home: Child and Family Services.
The former Federal Member for Eden Monaro (2013-2016), Peter held Government positions including Assistant Minister for Finance, Assistant Cabinet Secretary, and Assistant Minister for Productivity while in office. He was also a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics and the Joint Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Audit.
A widely-regarded media commentator, he has had articles published in the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, the Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail, the Herald Sun, the Adelaide Advertiser, The Bulletin, Business Review Weekly, the West Australian, and has appeared on hundreds of television and radio interviews. He has also published articles in the Economic Society of Australia’s Economic Papers; Taxation in Australia, the journal of the Tax Institute of Australia; the Centre for Independent Studies’ journal Policy; and the Australian Institute of Public Adminstration’s Australian Journal of Public Administration. In 2006 he was commissioned by the Australian Treasurer to co-author with Richard Warburton a report titled International Comparison of Australia’s Taxes.
Peter was chief executive officer of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) between 2002 and 2008. He was a ministerial office chief of staff in the defence; education, training and science; and employment, workplace relations and small business portfolios between 1998 and 2002, and previously worked as an economic consultant in the private sector in Brisbane and, for a number of years, a senior executive service officer in the NSW Cabinet Office in Sydney.
He began his career in the Australian Treasury as a cadet and his early career was spent as a senior economic adviser to a number of shadow treasurers between 1987 and 1993.
Over the years he has been on a large number of committees and working parties and has represented the Australian business community overseas.
He has represented ACCI at:
- the International Chamber of Commerce (which represents business interests into the United Nations system, and the World Trade Organisation);
- the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) of the OECD;
- the Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI); and
- the International Organisation of Employers (into the International Labour Organisation).
He was also:
- governor of the National Institute of Labour Studies; and
- Vice President (designate) of, and Chairman of the Joint Policy Committee of, the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
In addition he was a member of a number of Australian Government committees, including:
– the Welfare to Work Consultative Forum;
– the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Advisory Group;
– the Australian Education International Advisory Committee;
– the National Small Business Forum;
– the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) Consultative Committee;
– the Australia-Thailand Institute Executive Committee;
– the Free Trade Agreement Export Advisory Panel;
– the Business-Government Advisory Group on National Security;
– the APEC Business Consultative Group;
– the Training and Technical Education Advisory Committee (2005);
– the Information and Communication Technology Advisory Group (2006); and
– Chairman of the Executive Steering Committee of the Government-Business Roundtable on Climate Change.
In August 2002 he was a member of the government delegation to the Johannesburg UN World Summit on Sustainable Development and was a member of the government delegations to both the Cancun and Hong Kong World Trade Organisation ministerial meetings.
He has been a member of the board of directors of the following corporations:
- Standards Australia Limited (director 2003 to 2009)
- International Chamber of Commerce (Australia) (chairman 2007-2008, director 2005-2006, and 2007 to 2009)
- Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (director and CEO 2002-2008)
- Australian Made Campaign Limited (director 2002-2008, treasurer 2002-2004)
- National Business Action Fund (chairman 2007-2008, director 2002-2008)
- Australian Institute of International Affairs (director 2005-2008)
- Economic Society of Australia, NSW (2017-2018 and 2020-2021)
- Self-managed Independent Superannuation Funds Association of Australia (2017-2019)