Matthew Lesh

Matthew Lesh is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs.

His research interests include the power of economic freedom, university intellectual freedom, entrepreneurship, and changing political values. Matthew is also the director of Generation Liberty, the IPA's youth outreach project.

Matthew's commentary has been published in The Australian, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Canberra Times, Brisbane Times, The Spectator Australia, The Huffington Post, ABC Opinion, Cirkey, The Punch, Online Opinion, Spiked, CapX, and BrexitCentral.

He has been quoted in newspapers and been a guest on radio programs across Australia, as well as appeared on ABC News 24, Channel 7’s Weekend Sunrise, Channel 9's TODAY Show, and Sky News’Agenda and Viewpoint. Matthew has appeared as a witness before the a Senate committee on higher education reform, and spoken on university campuses across Australia about free speech.

Matthew graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts (Degree with Honours), majoring in politics and international studies, and history. He subsequently completed a Masters in Public Policy and Administration at the London School of Economics. Matthew graduated from LSE with a Distinction and received the Peter Self Prize for Best Overall Result and the Joint Peter Self Prize for Best Dissertation.

Before joining the IPA, Matthew worked for state and federal parliamentarians, as well as in digital communications. He also founded a mobile application development start-up.

In his spare time, Matthew enjoys extended brunches, a cocktail or two, and trying to work it off by running in the morning.