Terry Barnes

Background

About Terry Barnes

I compile and write the Spectator Australia's Morning Double Shot weekday email newsletter. Sign up at I also write regularly for the UK Spectator: My day job is primarily as a policy consultant, especially on health and social policy. I also talk and write on political and policy matters, especially on Sky News and on radio 2GB, 4BC, 2CC and their networks, and published in newspapers in Australia and overseas, including The Australian Financial Review, the Herald-Sun, The Australian and lately for the Daily Mail in the UK. Have also been interviewed on the BBC and NZ radio. More recently, I've drawn on my time in politics, government and media to advise and assist clients on crisis management and political and media engagement, which I really enjoy doing. Formerly, I was a senior adviser to two Howard government health ministers, Michael Wooldridge and Tony Abbott; an interim Chief of Staff to Victorian Community Services and Housing ministers; a senior executive officer in the Australian Public Service; and also worked as a senior adviser in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet. For several years I was a part-time fellow with UK policy think tank, the Institute of Economic Affairs. I've had the unusual experience of having different bits of my own my work quoted approvingly in the same parliamentary debate by the then Government and Opposition. While busy, I'm always open to more client work if I can add value.