Tom Switzer

Tom Switzer (born 1971) is an Australian conservative columnist and foreign policy analyst. He was the editor of the online American Review, and a research associate at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney where he teaches American politics and history. He is also the host of Between the Lines and Sunday Extra on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National.

Switzer was raised in Sydney's Northern Beaches and attended St Aloysius' College, Milsons Point, where he was an Australian schools track and field champion in 1989, and was trained by Australian Olympic coach Jackie Byrnes. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History (First Class Honours) in 1994; and a Masters in International Relations in 1994; both from the University of Sydney.

He is a former editor of The Spectator Australia (2009-2014), opinion editor for The Australian (2001-2008), an editorial writer at the Australian Financial Review (1998-2001) and assistant editor at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC (1995-1998). In recent years, Switzer has also been a regular commentator for Sky News television, Fairfax Media and Quadrant magazine.

In 2008, he was senior adviser to former federal Liberal Party Leader Brendan Nelson until the leadership vote that saw Malcolm Turnbull take over in the top job.[4] During his time in the Opposition Leader's office, he provoked controversy for his role in toughening up Coalition opposition to then-prime minister Kevin Rudd’s emissions trading scheme.[4] In 2009, he was a candidate to replace Brendan Nelson in his northern Sydney electoral seat of Bradfield.

Switzer's analysis of Australian politics has been picked up by the international media, including The Wall Street Journal in opinion articles such as "Howard’s End", "Defenstration Down Under", and "The Triumph of Tony Abbott".

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