Raised in Adelaide, Martin studied Economics at Flinders University, where he earned a BEc(Hons).
[2] In 2019 he was appointed a visiting fellow at the Australian National University's Crawford School of Public Policy.
From 1990 Martin was co-presenter of "Economics Report" with Phillip Lasker, Kristen Barry, Beverley O'Connor and Guy Houston.
[3] From 1993 to 2003 he contributed to the "Home Economics" segment of "Life Matters" program on Radio National with Geraldine Doogue and as co-presenter with Dr Gigi Foster for The Economists.
[7] Martin has four children and is married to Toni Hassan, a Walkley Award winning journalist, writer and emerging artist.