Peter Hand

Peter Hand (born 1957) is an outspoken Australian radio personality and journalist known for campaigning for reform in Australian radio, particularly commercial talk stations.

Early life

Hand began working at Channel Seven as a trainee at age seventeen. Schooled in Sydney, he furthered his education at Macquarie University and the University of Wollongong. Hand worked at 2GB for 15 years in the roles of presenter, producer, and reporter including election nights, Royal visits, disasters and celebrations.

Move to Illawarra

Hand's satirical approach to the talk radio genre made him a top-rating cult figure at Sydney's 2GB though the 1980s and 90s until he appeared to 'drop out' of the limelight to join 97.3 ABC Illawarra on the New South Wales south coast. His unconventional style was no less controversial there and brought a new high in audience numbers.

Often compared in style to American author Kurt Vonnegut, Hand often confounds critics and station managements yet his forthright larrikin persona builds seemingly unshakable audience loyalty.

Hand is known for his courage in tough examination of issues and merciless pursuit of answers in meticulously researched interviews that win him enmity from both sides of politics. His willingness to criticise the media industry and especially radio has made him a broadcaster people rarely agree on.

Politics

Probably Australia's only rabid liberal talkback host, Hand is known for his extravagant lifestyle and constant advice to listeners to "start your own business and work for yourself so no other bastard is your boss". He is steadfast in his insistence on social justice but also a constant advocate of market economics.

Hand also exposed Alan Jones nearly ten years before Chris Masters' "" resulting in an unsuccessful campaign by Jones to remove him from 2GB. Hand survived despite devoting large slabs of his programs to critiquing what he calls the "talkback maniacs" like Stan Zemanek, Alan Jones, John Laws and even people on his own station such as "dangerous" Brian Wilshire and famous Aspergers sufferer Clive Robertson. With a barrister's understanding of defamation laws, Hand has never hesitated to name names as part of his journalism.

External links

* [http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/presenters/PETERHAND.htm?illawarra Bio at ABC Illawarra]