Ben Hart is a communications leader who helps Australia's most trusted organisations and their leaders build public confidence in an age of complexity and misinformation.

As an award-winning journalist, political strategist, and sought-after media commentator, Ben has spent 25 years at the intersection of policy, politics and public narrative. He has shaped communications strategy at the highest levels of government and civil society, including as Senior Media Advisor to the Victorian Health Minister, Chief of Staff to the Victorian Environment and Climate Change Minister, and in communications leadership roles at headspace and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.

Ben understands the particular challenges facing public sector leaders who must balance complex operational demands with the need to build and maintain community trust. His work often focuses on helping organisations and individual leaders develop authentic narratives that connect with diverse stakeholders while navigating multi-faceted reform environments.

A regular commentator on ABC News Breakfast and ABC Melbourne Radio, Ben's analysis also appears in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and Guardian Australia.

As Founder and Managing Director of Fireside, Ben leads a team partnering with not-for-profits, purpose-driven organisations, progressive government initiatives, and their leaders to craft communications strategies and leadership narratives that support meaningful change. His recent work includes supporting Victoria’s Drug Checking program, the Medically Supervised Injecting Room and first-ever standalone youth mental health service PYMHWS.

Through Fireside, Ben also publishes The Story, a magazine exploring how storytelling shapes public discourse and drives social change, which launches this month.