Greg Mackie
Gregory Alan "Greg" Mackie (OAM) is a South Australian cultural advocate, entrepreneur and leader who has worked to promote the arts and culture in his state. Serving for a decade with the Adelaide Writers' Week literary festival Advisory Committee, including 4 years as its chair (1994–98), in 1999 he founded the Adelaide Festival of Ideas". In 2002 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his "service to the community through the promotion of the arts, particularly the Adelaide Festival of Ideas".
From 1984-2003 Greg was a Director and co-proprietor of Adelaide's leading independent literary book retailer, Imprints Booksellers. During those years he also undertook many community roles in the arts . His numerous board and other appointments have included as President of the Adelaide West End Association, the FEAST Adelaide Lesbian and Gay Cultural Festival, as a Trustee of the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust, and membership of the Libraries Board of South Australia. He has also served on the Council of the University of South Australia, and as an inaugural member of the Dame Roma Mitchell Trust Fund for Children and Young People. Working with the Premier of SA and the Minister for Disability, Greg established The Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust Fund, and served on the Board of Management of the Don Dunstan Foundation".,[1] and later as one of their Patrons.
In May 2000 he was elected to the Adelaide City Council and served in that capacity until May 2003. During that period Greg developed an Arts and living Culture Strategy for the capital city, and played a leading role to improve relations with the Aboriginal community. He developed a City Flags Policy that ensured the permanent flying of the Aboriginal Flag alongside the National Flag in the heart of the city.
Greg commenced service as Executive Director of Arts SA in January 2004. As the state's top arts bureaucrat, he worked to enhance the sustainability of the arts and cultural heritage and to grow the state's festivals culture. In September 2008 he became Deputy Chief Executive in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Between that time and December 2011 the Premier appointed him Acting Chief Executive for two extended periods. In January 2009, Greg chaired State Emergency Management Committee, to co-ordinate the state's response to a major heatwave emergency. As DCE, his responsibilities included Arts SA, SafeWork SA, Aboriginal Affairs, capital city-state relations, Adelaide Thinkers in Residence Program and State Records. During this period Greg established for the Premier of SA the Australian Centre for Social Innovation and the Integrated Design Commission SA.
A graduate of Flinders University of South Australia, in 2006 Greg was recognised as one of the inaugural Flinders University Distinguished Alumni. In 2007, Commonwealth Minister for the Arts, Hon Peter Garrett presented Greg with the Australian Business Arts Foundation's annual Dame Elizabeth Murdoch Cultural Leadership Award. In 2008, Greg was appointed by Her Excellency, The Governor-General of Australia as a member of the Council of the Order of Australia, a role in which he served until 2013. Between 2008-13 Greg served as Chairman of the SA Premier's Communications Advisory Group.
In January 2012, at the invitation of Minister for the Arts, Health and Ageing, Hon John Hill MP, Greg took on the role of Executive Director, Office for the Ageing. In February 2013 he left the SA Public Sector and in September 2013 commenced as CEO with not-for-profit network, Place Leaders Asia-Pacific Ltd. He also consults as a place-shaping advisor and a provider of professional services. Greg has served as a member of the board of Volunteering SA&NT, and also on the board of Soundstream New Music Collective. and, since November 2013 as Chairman of the board of Festival Fleurieu - a biennial arts festival in the district of Yankalilla.