Ross Gittins

Ross Gittins AM (born 1948, Newcastle, Australia) is an Australian political and economic journalist and author, known for "his ability to make dry, hard-to-understand economics and economic policy relevant".

Ross Roderick Gittins was born 13 February 1948 in Newcastle, New South Wales where his family were living at New Lambton. His parents, Salvation Army officers moved to Sydney and Ross started schooling at Fort Street High School. The family then moved to Bathurst before moving back to New Lambton and Ross completed his secondary schooling at Newcastle Boys High School (1962 – 64).

Ross then matriculated to the University of Newcastle where he studied in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce being graduated in 1970 as a Bachelor of Commerce. He had studied part-time for 2 years whilst working with a Newcastle chartered accountant before gaining a Commonwealth Scholarship which enabled him to finish his studies on a full-time basis.

Upon completion of his degree, he moved to Sydney where he worked for a large firm of chartered accountants.

Gittins regularly writes for Fairfax publications The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, commentating on underlying economic issues and political economic policies. In 1993 he won the Citibank Pan Asia award for excellence in finance journalism.

Gittins was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2003 for service to economic journalism in Australia and made a Member of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2008 for service to journalism as a commentator on economic theory, policy and behavioural economics, and to the accountancy profession.

He celebrated his 30th year as the Herald's economics editor in 2008, having assumed the position during the Fraser government in 1978.

In 2011, Gittins was awarded a Doctor of Letters from Macquarie University.

Gittins is an associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.

Ross Gittins lectures year 11 and 12 high school students around Australia to in order to share his knowledge and understanding of the Australian economy. He has made a trip to Normanhurst Boys High School 18 May 2014 where he lectured the students on the 2014 Budget.