Dr Lindy Edwards is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Humanities & Social Sciences at UNSW Canberra, University of New South Wales. She earned her PhD from the Australian National University. Her research specializations include political economy, the role of ideas and ideology in politics, the impact of economic ideas and neoliberalism on political decision-making and democratic practice, the history of ideology in Australian politics, future directions in ideological debate, ideological realignments in major parties, political donations, lobbying, and corporate power in political decision-making. She has conceptualized the 'Medici Cycle' to describe how large companies shape government regulation to their advantage.

Dr Edwards' career encompasses roles as an economic adviser in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, press gallery journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, and head of policy to Natasha Stott Despoja, leader of the Australian Democrats. She is a Fellow of the Australian Prime Ministers Centre and the Centre for Policy Development, a board member of the think-tank Catalyst, and a member of the Economic Advisory Board of the Australian Conservation Foundation. Her key publications feature the books Corporate Power in Australia: Do the 1% Rule? (2020), The Passion of Politics: The Role of Ideology and Political Theory in Australia (2012), Neoliberalism: Beyond the Free Market (2012, co-edited), and How to Argue with an Economist: Reopening Political Debate in Australia (2007, second edition). Prominent journal articles include 'Can Ecological Modernisation Contain Climate Change? An Eco-Socialist Perspective' (2023), 'The Core of Corporate Power in Australia' (2022), 'Corporate Power in Australian Policy Making: The Case of Unfair Contract Laws' (2018), and 'Political Donations in Australia: What the Australian Electoral Commission Disclosures Reveal and What They Don’t' (2017), all published in leading journals such as the Journal of Australian Political Economy and Australian Journal of Public Administration. Dr Edwards engages publicly through fortnightly columns in The Age, ABC radio segments, media appearances on The Drum, The Project, ABC News24, and Sky News, and her work featured in the documentary 'Make it a Big Deal: Is Our Democracy for Sale?'.

Professional Email: L.Edwards@adfa.edu.au