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Michael Brissenden is an author and a journalist. He has written both non-fiction and fiction.
He has published four crime thrillers – The List in 2017, Dead Letters in 2021, Smoke in 2024.
His most recent novel Dust published in 2025, is a dark, gripping thriller that explores the complexities of identity, a search for truth, and the unyielding forces of corruption in a world where lives are lived on the fringe and nothing is as it seems.
He began his career covering Federal politics and has been a correspondent in Moscow, Brussels and Washington.
Saskia Beudel is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. She is the author of the novel Borrowed Eyes and nonfiction works A Country in Mind: Memoir with Landscape and (with Jill Bennett) Curating Sydney.
Her books have been shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, a Dobbie Award and the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature.
Saskia’s essays have appeared in the Virginia Quarterly Review, Best Australian Essays, The Saturday Paper, The Sydney Review of Books, Kill Your Darlings, HEAT and The Iowa Review.
She has been awarded several national and international fellowships, including the Copyright Agency Fellowship for Non-fiction Writing.
Thom Woodroofe is a Senior International Fellow with the Smart Energy Council.
He played a key role in securing the Paris Agreement on climate change in 2015, including helping establish the High Ambition Coalition of progressive nations.
He has since worked as chief of staff to former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, for the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade in Washington DC, and forged a backchannel for US–China climate talks during his time at the Asia Society in New York.
Thom studied diplomacy as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and thanks to solar power, grew up off-the-grid in regional Victoria.
Thom’s latest book is Power, Prosperity and Planet.
Siobhan O'Brien is an author and a former journalist.She has written both non-fiction and fiction.
She has published five books – including the bestselling biography A Life By Design: The Art and Lives of Florence Broadhurst and The Jeanne Little Story. Her most recent novel All the Golden Light published in 2024, is a moving, suspenseful story set on the south coast of New South Wales in the final months of the Great War. The book was hailed 'as good as historical fiction gets' by the critics.
She began her career covering travel and design for the Sydney Morning Herald, Vogue, and Indesign. When she is not writing she is touring the country with her rhythm n' blues band Minnie and The Moonrakers.
Dr. Peter Coleman is an Australian author whose titles include Sins of The Filthy Rich: Tales a of Wicked Wealth, Australia’s Most Bizarre Crimes, Dark Arts and Crafts and Weekends with Matt.
Peter has a Ph.D. in cultural studies from Monash University. His primary reason for getting a Ph.D. was to call himself “Dr” on flights and get upgraded to Business class.To date, no upgrade has been forthcoming.
He works as a consultant in the not-for profit sector, but can’t be bothered explaining what that involves.
His interests include the French philosopher Simone Weil and Below Deck: Down Under.
Peter has been married to his husband Mike for over 20 years. Their marriage is yet to lead to the downfall of society, but he still holds out hope.
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