This event offers pointed and deeper analysis distinct from the media spin that typically follows budget night. Each speaker brings a different perspective, shedding light on all the nooks and crannies of a budget that will be aimed at scoring votes in the upcoming election. Each will speak for 10 minutes after which the floor will be opened for a Q&A. It is a members only event. Friends are encouraged to take up membership so they too can attend this event.

About our Speakers

Amy Auster is Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Financial Studies and a member of the faculty at Monash Business School in Melbourne. Amy has previously worked as an international economist, strategist and senior executive for ANZ Banking Group in Melbourne as well as for Chase Securities, Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan investment banks in New York. Her research interests include Asia’s economic ascendency; banking and financial markets; investment management and pension finance. She has worked extensively in China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. 

Amy is a member of the Monash Business School Faculty Executive, the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees Policy & Governance Committee, the Sydney for RMB Committee, the Australia China Business Council, the APEC Finance and Economic Working Group and the Australian American Leadership Dialogue. She holds an honours degree in arts from Northwestern University in Chicago, a Master's Degree in Economics and Finance from Columbia University in New York and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Peter Martin is The Age's economics editor. A former Commonwealth Treasury official, Peter has reported economics for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and then for Fairfax Media since 1985. 

In 1996 he was Journalist in Residence at the Melbourne University Economics Department.

Alan Oster is Group Chief Economist of the National Australia Bank. Alan joined the Bank in 1992 from the Federal Treasury where he worked for 15 years - his special field being economic forecasting and monetary policy. He graduated (with first class honours) in economics from Newcastle University. He also holds a Masters degree in economics from the Australian National University. Immediately before joining the Bank, Alan was the Senior Adviser in Treasury responsible for economic forecasting and modelling. In 1987 he was seconded for nearly four years as Counsellor-Economic and Financial with Australia’s delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris. As Group Chief Economist, Alan is responsible for NAB’s global economic and financial forecasts. He is also a highly respected and much quoted commentator on Australian and global economic trends and policy issues.