Justin Smirk

Justin Smirk is a senior financial markets economist with almost 30 years of experience in economic analysis, financial markets and public policy. He joined Westpac’s Economics team in 1999 after beginning his career at the Reserve Bank of Australia. His areas of expertise include inflation and prices, wages, commodities, the Pacific region, and the evolving macroeconomic implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) developments.

Justin provides economic advice and market insights to traders, dealers, institutional and corporate clients, and small businesses. During his career at Westpac, he has worked in the bank’s London office and served on secondment as Chief Economist at St.George Bank. He has also been a member of the Advisory Board to the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics.

Justin’s career reflects a diverse professional background. He began as an apprentice electrician before moving into agricultural consulting, where he worked with farming enterprises across Western Australia’s wheatbelt. These experiences provide a practical foundation for his economic perspectives and shaped his understanding of the challenges faced by Australian farming communities during the difficult conditions of the late 1980s.