Australian Gold Conference Founder & CEO Kerry Stevenson earlier this week spoke with Proactive Investors about the structural forces she believes are driving renewed interest in gold and precious metals, as well as the growing importance of financial literacy in an evolving macroeconomic environment.
Stevenson, who has run the Australian Gold Conference for 15 years and recently expanded with Gold Coast Gold, said her focus on gold emerged from a broader interest in monetary history and government debt dynamics. She told Proactive that gold remains central to the global financial system, even if it receives limited mainstream attention.
Challenging conventional market commentary, Stevenson argued that investors often misinterpret movements in bullion. “It is not the price of gold that goes up. It’s the value of your currency being devalued,” she said, framing gold as a monetary benchmark rather than a speculative asset.
Interview highlights
- Kerry Stevenson’s lifelong exposure to gold shaped her career focus
- Founder & CEO of the Australian Gold Conference (15 years running)
- Gold Coast Gold now in its second year
- Believes gold is misunderstood as “rising” — instead currency is being devalued
- Points to US debt exceeding $39 trillion as a structural concern
- Argues central bank gold buying signals long-term monetary shifts
- Suggests a potential bull run in gold, silver and platinum
- Emphasises financial literacy and critical thinking
- Advocates understanding monetary history and questioning mainstream narratives
- Focuses conferences on education around currency flows and monetary systems
The down low on the gold price upside
Proactive Investors: Welcome back to Proactive Investors. I’m Jonathan Jackson and today I’m joined by Kerry Stevenson. Kerry, it’s good to have you in this capacity.
Kerry Stevenson: Thanks, Jonathan. Nice to see you.
Proactive Investors: You are founder & CEO of the Australian Gold Conference and Gold Coast Gold. Before we get to those, can you tell us about your background and how you came to presenting and running events?
Kerry Stevenson: I love what I do. I was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and travelled extensively growing up. My mother understood gold and bought bullion and krugerrands. Later in life, as a single mother returning from England and unable to get a job, I was encouraged to start a mining conference. I immersed myself in mining and eventually focused specifically on gold. To me, gold made the world go round. I became fascinated by monetary history, including the Federal Reserve, Bretton Woods and the suspension of the gold standard in 1971. We’ve now run the Australian Gold Conference for 15 years and Gold Coast Gold is in its second year.
Proactive Investors: You also run Making Money Matter. What is the purpose behind that?
Kerry Stevenson: It’s about financial education. Schools don’t teach enough practical financial literacy. I interview people to help others understand money, currency flows and what’s happening globally. People should question the narrative and think critically.
Proactive Investors: Has the purpose of your first gold conference changed over time?
Kerry Stevenson: It has grown. Initially, people said no one was interested in gold. I believed that with increasing government debt and currency printing, gold would become more relevant. Today, we focus more on education around monetary history, currency flows and precious metals, not just mining presentations.
Proactive Investors: Gold has risen significantly. Why now?
Kerry Stevenson: I challenge that framing. “It is not the price of gold that goes up. It’s the value of your currency being devalued.” Governments continue to expand debt. Central banks are buying gold. We may be at the start of a broader precious metals bull run.
Proactive Investors: How important is education in this environment?
Kerry Stevenson: Critical. We’ve lost the art of critical thinking and debate. People must understand history, monetary systems and fiscal realities to protect their future.
Proactive Investors: Where are we heading?
Kerry Stevenson: US debt is over $39 trillion. The interest burden is significant. “The math doesn’t math.” At some point, structural pressures will emerge. People need to educate themselves and think critically.
Proactive Investors: Kerry, thanks for your time.
Kerry Stevenson: Thank you, Jonathan.