Dr Petter’s research focuses on representative democracy and responsiveness with a particular focus on Members of Parliament (MPs) in Westminster jurisdictions as well as Queensland state politics. He has published articles in international journals on the ways MPs and parties try to connect meaningfully with the public as well as on the policy and political implications of the Antipodean idea of the ‘fair go’ in topics like Prime Ministerial rhetoric and housing policy.

Currently he’s working on an ARC funded project on Federal politics looking at the drivers of government popularity and politicians’ responses to their waxing and waning political fortunes.

He has provided media commentary and expertise on Queensland focused federal, state and local government issues for television for the ABC and Channel Seven, radio interviews for ABC RN, ABC News and Triple-M in Queensland and in online and print news such as the Guardian Australia, Gold Coast Bulletin, Brisbane Times and ABC online.