Barry Steele - B Ward
Barry Steele: zoologist, computer scientist, company executive, committed conservationist.
Barry Steele's mates might be joking when they call him "Man of Steel. Defender of the Beach", but there's no doubting that he's serious about the preservation of Warringah's best assets.
"I've been passionate about the environment since I was a teenager", says Barry who holds dual qualifications as a zoologist and a computer scientist. His interest in all things marine and natural resource management also comes from time spent as a commercial fisherman on the Great Barrier Reef.
Committed to conservation - informed by science
A Queenslander by birth, (although Barry jokes that he doesn't own a single pair of white shoes) he was born in Gatton and attended Ma Ma Creek Primary School where he was one of only 35 pupils. He attended Harristown State High and gained his degrees at the University of Queensland.
In 1996 Barry won a CSIRO medal for research excellence as a pioneer in the technology of computer mapping - the science that is now industry standard for Google maps.
Barry spent a lot of time odd jobbing (his first paid job was chipping lettuce for 70 cents an hour) before he settled into the information technology industry specialising in spatial data. He has spent 28 years in the industry and is now the CEO of a local IT company.
"Putting something back"
Barry is married with two grown daughters and has been a long-time resident of Dee Why - where he loves to surf and fish from his kayak. When he's on land he likes to spend his spare time reading books on philosophy and science.
At the age of 53 Barry figures it's time to "put something back" and this has spurred him to run for a position on Warringah Council. His policy interests are in incentives for storm water management, clean water accounting, the careful monitoring of beach-side development and the reduction of the Council's environmental footprint.
He's also very keen to strengthen the role of community groups in the council area. "We need to give our community groups more ownership of Council decisions," says Barry.
His philosophy on life is simple - "Try to enjoy life without impinging on anyone's ability to do the same. And leave the world a better place than you found it.".