Don Watson

Don Watson BA, Ph.D has won the Age Book of the Year (twice) the ABIA Book of the Year (twice), the NSW Premiers Book of the Year, the Alfred Deakin Prize, a Walkley, and many other awards. His best-selling books include Recollections of a Bleeding Heart: Paul Keating PM; Death Sentence:The Decay of Public Language, Watson’s Dictionary of Weasel Words; American Journeys and The Bush. He was Paul Keating’s speechwriter and adviser, and speechwriter for the Victorian Premier, John Cain. He has written films, political satire for television and the stage, countless articles for newspapers and periodicals here and abroad, and many speeches for Australian business leaders. Four of his books concern writing and language and the corrosive effects of ‘management speak’ and political spin, and he gives regular talks, workshops and master classes on these subjects to public and private sector organizations (Westpac, Ernst and Young, the Victorian Auditor General, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library, the Fred Hollows Foundation, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Murray Darling Commission, among many others.)