Barry Pullen

Barry Thomas Pullen (born 1 November 1939) is a former Australian politician. He was a Minister in the Cain and Kirner Labor Victorian State Governments, and held the Legislative Council seat of Melbourne in the Victorian Parliament from 1982–1999. Barry Pullen has been a member of the Australian Labor Party since 1968, and a member of the Socialist Left faction.

Barry Pullen was born in 1939 in Melbourne, Victoria to parents Thomas Pullen, a fibrous plasterer, and Ellen Roderick. He is married to Margaret Ackerly with three daughters. Barry Pullen attended Moreland State School, Moreland Central School, Coburg High School. He studied at University of Melbourne and RMIT to become a civil engineer.

Barry Pullen is a founding member of the Fitzroy Residents Association and Fitzroy city councillor 1972–1976. He was very active in campaigning against the high rise Housing Commission of Victoria Flats built in the 1950s and 1960s. He was employed as survey assistant, draftsman, technical officer, civil engineer and then Victorian director Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development, before being elected to the Victorian Parliament in 1982.

He was appointed as Minister for Housing and Construction 1988–90. Additionally, he was appointed as Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Minister for the Arts in 1989. In 1990 he became Minister for Education, then Minister for Education and Training in 1991, as well as Minister for Conservation and Environment in 1992.

After the loss by Labor at the state election of 1992 Barry Pullen became Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Shadow Minister for Conservation and Environment. Later he served as Shadow Minister for Conservation and Resource Management 1993–1994 and Shadow Minister for Environment 1994–96. He retired from Parliament in 1999.^[1] Barry Pullen remains active in the local community and the Australian Labour Party.

References