David Brooks (born 1953) was born in Canberra, Australia. He graduated from the Australian National University in 1974. Brooks then studied abroad in America and received an M.A. degree from the University of Toronto. Continuing his education, he also completed his Ph.D from the University of Toronto after returning back to Australia in 1981 while teaching at the Royal Military College, Duntroon located in Canberra. In 1982 he began teaching at the University of Western Australia in Perth where he met his partner, the poet Nicolette Stasko. Brooks currently is an associate professor of Australian Literature at the University of Sydney..