In 2017, Martin received publicity for his supervision of a PhD that argued bee stings were more dangerous than terrorist bombers, on the grounds that "more people die in car accidents, from domestic murders and bee stings in Australia than terrorist attacks". A contributor to Sydney's "Daily Telegraph" newspaper wrote that the "360-page essay also takes aim at the ABC, News Corp Australia and the St James Ethics Centre for backing torture. And it claims the federal government has a "pro-torture ideology"."