Michael Brissenden worked as a political journalist and foreign correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) from the 1980s. In 2009, he was appointed current affairs correspondent based in Washington, United States of America, and later joined the ABC's Four Corners as a reporter. He has twice been the recipient of a Walkley Award.
Brissenden also wrote for Matilda.com, the Bulletin, was food and wine critic for the Canberra Times newspaper and contributed to published collections of essays. his first novel, thriller The List, was released in 2017. He had previously published a collection of autobiographical travel stories.
Brissenden is the son of R. F. Brissenden.