Peter Baines OAM is one of Australia's foremost leadership experts, having road-tested leadership the hard way. Over 22 years with the NSW Police, Peter led teams in response to acts of terrorism and natural disasters on a scale not previously seen.
He was part of the leadership team that responded to Bali following the bombings in 2002, and in 2005 was called upon to lead international teams in response to the Boxing Day Tsunami of December 26, 2004, across South East Asia. Peter headed multiple rotations into Thailand, leading international teams in the identification of those who perished, all while his leadership theories were tested in that profoundly challenging environment.
Witnessing the devastating effects of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami ignited in Peter a deep passion for sustainable leadership. Moved by the sheer number of children left without parents by the disaster, he was inspired to establish an organisation capable of making a lasting difference in their lives. In late 2005, Hands Across the Water was formed to raise funds for and awareness of the children of Thailand left alone by the tragedy.
Today, Hands has raised over 40 million Australian dollars and operates across several locations throughout Thailand, providing a home to several hundred children every night. The charity has always taken a distinctive approach, focusing on creating meaningful shared experiences for its supporters. A cornerstone of this work is the long-distance bike rides that Peter leads throughout the year in Thailand.
Peter's final years with the NSW Police were spent on secondment to the National Institute of Forensic Science, where he worked on national and international capacity-building projects in counter-terrorism and leadership. He advised Interpol in France and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime across South East Asia. He was also engaged by the Government of Saudi Arabia, following the deadly floods in Jeddah, to review their disaster response and provide advice on crisis mitigation and leadership. In 2011, he deployed to Japan in response to the tsunami that claimed thousands of lives.
Peter has received numerous prestigious awards in recognition of his service and humanitarian contributions. In 2014, he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his international humanitarian work, and in 2016, he received the Fifth Class of the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn, awarded by the King of Thailand.
In 2010, he was a NSW finalist for the Australian of the Year awards, and in 2008, he became the first Australian to receive the international honour of a Rotary Professional Excellence Award. He holds the NSW Police Service Medal and the Australian Federal Police Operations Medal for his work in Asia, and was the first NSW Police Officer to receive both the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal and the Australian National Medal.
Peter has also completed university studies in Law and Forensic Science, along with postgraduate studies in Management.
Peter is the author of four books. His most recent, Together We Can, was published by Major Street in 2025. This follows Leadership Matters, published by Wiley in 2023, Doing Good by Doing Good, published by Wiley in 2014, and Hands Across the Water, his debut, published by Pan Macmillan in 2011.
When not travelling for work, Peter can be found with his wife Claire on their rural property, tending to the Hereford cattle they breed. His other passions include flying helicopters and running ultra marathons. In 2024, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Boxing Day Tsunami, Peter ran 1,400 kilometres across Thailand in just 26 days, averaging 60 kilometres per day in the heat and humidity — the equivalent of completing 33 marathons in under a month. In 2025, he was recognised as one of the five most influential Australians working in Thailand.
Talking Points
Leadership without Authority
Peter is a masterful storyteller that brings together his experiences working in crisis and disaster situations across the globe with meaningful and relevant lessons to his audiences who are looking for inspiration, clear and defined learnings and a dose of perspective to the challenges we face in business and life. The origins of his story commence with the Bali bombings, and the Boxing Day tsunami but they are the launching pad and his story and messages continue to evolve with the work he current does as an Internationally recognised humanitarian and philanthropist. Leadership without Authority
Audiences:
Peter has this unique ability to move his audiences through a range of emotions during his keynote presentations. They will laugh, they will cry and importantly they will remember. Whilst many of his stories come from the field of crisis and disaster, they are anything but sad. His story is an uplifting one that will have the audience asking themselves, what more can they be doing? The inspiration comes partly from his relatability as a simple policeman who continued to say yes, leading to the building of the largest Australian charity contribution to Thailand, saving and improving the lives of thousands of children.
Key Outcomes:
- Improved confidence in decision-making by understanding that making the wrong decision is better than making no decision.
- Increased awareness of value of presence in leaders. Leaders don't have to have the answers or bring about change they do need to be present.
- Confidence in finding their own limitations; we often allow others to impose their limitations on us.
- An acceptance that true leadership is less about position and title, but actions and reactions
- A belief that our biggest wins are often achieved when we are on edge of our perceived limitations
Challenge of our Time
In the new keynote the Challenge of our Time, Peter reflects on the value of finding a journey that is worthy of our heart and soul. He considers what are the six growth areas before our leaders of today and our emerging leaders of tomorrow, and he provides a way to meet those opportunities.Challenge of our Time
Peter draws on lived life experiences of leading international teams through crisis and disaster as well as twenty years as an internationally recognised humanitarian. He continues to deliver his stories in a uniquely captivating way.
Below are the six contextual areas he focuses on with the new keynote, along with the learning outcomes for the audience:
SCALE THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM: Not let perfect be the evil of good, the importance of starting and hopes are greater than our fears.
TRUST TRUMPS COMPETENCE: Recognise that building trust will outweigh competence, consistency and culture will trump competency, our struggles shape our purpose.
COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP: Doing the right thing, not necessarily what’s popular, growth is found on the edge of our limitations, and courageous leaders build their own redundancy.
AUTHENTIC OPTIMISM: Dangers of cruel optimism, accepting we can’t overcome what we don’t face and giving information you get understanding
PERILS OF RISK AVOIDANCE: Recognising the value of accepting risk, risk of reaching for rules, considering long-term implications of short-term risk avoidance
CREATING RESILIENT LEADERS: The benefit of believing, not letting the struggles of yesterday define tomorrow, and growth are found on the edge of our limitations.
Together We Can
During the keynote, Peter will explore the profound story of Hands Across the Water over the past 20 years, growing from a genuine vision into the largest contributing Australasian charity to Thailand. The charity’s work has deeply impacted thousands, enriching lives and fostering lasting change in the communities it serves.Together We Can
It will highlight the milestones and lives changed along the way, emphasising that these achievements were never the work of one individual. Much like the recent Run To Remember, which may appear as a personal triumph, the reality is that such accomplishments are only possible through the collective efforts of a dedicated community. This message underpins the power of collaboration and shared purpose. Whether it's running to raise awareness or building an organisation that transforms lives, we move forward together.
Through this lens, Peter's story becomes a testament to what’s possible when people unite for a mutual endeavour. What emerged from the tragedy of the Boxing Day Tsunami is a legacy of hope, all because one person dreamed, believed, took action, and understood the need for others.
Key Learnings from this new keynote include:
• Action will always beat intention
• Some things we do are meant to be hard - you can have comfort or growth, choose.
• What we are willing to do is more important than what we are believe we are capable of.
• Whilst our “why” is so important in the most difficult of times we need to focus on the “how”.
• Winning from a spectacular fail
Video
Peter Baines | Show Reel | Saxton Speakers
This showreel unpacks the essence of authentic leadership, emphasising that true leaders are defined not by titles, but by their presence, responses to adversity, and their unwavering commitment to action. Peter reminds us that while we can’t change the past, our energy is best spent shaping what comes next. His approach centres on showing up, even when the path isn’t clear—simply asking, “How can I help?” can be transformative. Through compelling storytelling, he reflects on personal growth, resilient decision‑making, and building strength through hardship. He challenges us to step forward, even without all the answers, because “doing hard things is good for you.” He urges us to nurture our passion—something that feeds the soul, be it trekking through Nepal or rediscovering joy in the small things.Peter Baines | Leading Disaster Management Specialist | Saxton Speakers
Peter Baines OAM, developed his unique leadership style by leading international identification teams into Indonesia and Thailand following acts of terrorism and the 2004 South East Asian Tsunami. He would go on to work in the counter terrorism area of Interpol, spent time with the United Nations Office of Drug and Crime and also worked in Saudi Arabia and Japan after natural disasters hit those countries. But it was his work in Thailand that brought the biggest change. After meeting the children left orphaned by the Tsunami, Peter felt compelled to act and founded an Australian charity called Hands Across the Water which has gone on to create opportunities for hundreds of children across Thailand.Leadership Mattters | Peter Baines
Peter Baines OAM, developed his unique leadership style by leading international identification teams into Indonesia and Thailand following acts of terrorism and the 2004 South East Asian Tsunami. He would go on to work in the counter terrorism area of Interpol, spent time with the United Nations Office of Drug and Crime and also worked in Saudi Arabia and Japan after natural disasters hit those countries. But it was his work in Thailand that brought the biggest change. After meeting the children left orphaned by the Tsunami, Peter felt compelled to act and founded an Australian charity called Hands Across the Water which has gone on to create opportunities for hundreds of children across Thailand.Peter Baines | Together We Can
Peter is an absolute professional - from the moment he is booked, to the moment he exists stage, he delivers. His keynote had our audience enthralled - you could hear a pin drop for the enti ... keep reading Registered Clubs Association of NSW
A powerful reminder of how determination and purpose can turn personal struggle into meaningful impact. A breath-taking story from a truly extraordinary human being.
This is a story of endurance, courage and perseverance that ends in a story of inspiration.
An incredible story of resilience, determination and making an impact. It’s a great reminder that alone we can go far but together we can go further!
Peter was fantastic, delivering a touching keynote address that kept the audience engaged. Structuring it around the key leadership skills required meant delegates received immediate value and had tips to go back and test in their own workplaces.
A memorable day where the important became real and where an ordinary man became extraordinary. Your presentation was without a doubt the most brilliant I have ever had the privilege to experience.
Peter Baines is an inspiration to us all. The experience, skills and knowledge that he has gained from managing high pressure situations in disaster zones allows us to put our own stressful lives in perspective. We can all benefit from his simple yet engaging message, and we can be inspired by his stories of human courage and bravery!
And so much of what you had to say has lessons that can be used in the leadership work I do with our senior executives here at the CBA. I would have liked to say something to you at the end of the session but couldn't really trust myself to speak.
I recently attended the breakfast at the Hyatt in Adelaide. Peter spoke on the work that he has done in the disaster area that was Thailand after the Boxing Day Tsunami. Never in my life have I been so intrigued, so interested so absolutely blown away. But most importantly he spoke of his actions as part of a team and really outlined the importance of team work and leadership, not just in bad times, but in everyday life. Peter is an incredible speaker and has his audiences full attention the whole time he is speaking. I laughed and I cried during Peter's presentation and by the end I was totally overwhelmed.
