About Barry Collier – the Author
Barry Collier, OAM, BComm, DipEd, DipLaw, GAICD
Barry Collier: A Brief Bio
Barry Collier is an Australian author and poet, a barrister, a former politician and a former senior NSW State high school teacher.
He has university qualifications in economics, law and education and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)..
In 2017, Barry was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his ‘service to the Parliament of New South Wales, to the law and to education’.
Barry is a member of Writing NSW and judges poetry competitions – most recently, The 2026 Sutherland Shire Literary Competition.
The 3 Phases of Barry's Journey
Life in Politics
Barry Collier was elected to the New South Wales Parliament for the first time in 1999 as the Labor MP for the seat of Miranda in southern Sydney.
He recorded his unvarnished account of his winning election campaign in his memoir Collier for Miranda: The 1999 Labor Campaign.
Having been re-elected as Miranda in 2003 and 2007, Barry retired from politics in 2011 — only to return to Parliament in 2013 with a record 27% by-election swing against the new Liberal Government. He retired a second time in 2015.
But politics tends to get into the blood. And in 2016, Barry was elected to Sutherland Shire Council. There he served as Councillor representing the residents of B-Ward until 2021 — an extended 5-year term because of the COVID pandemic.
Life in Education
During his 15-year career in education, from 1973 to 1988, Barry taught senior economics, commerce and geography classes at NSW State high schools.
Beyond the classroom, Barry served on the NSW Economics, Business and Legal Studies Syllabus Committees and held the leadership posts of State Economics Curriculum Consultant and Chair of the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) Economics Examination Committee.
Barry later wrote and published a best-selling series of economics textbooks and workbooks titled Introducing Economics Books 1, 2 and 3 (Jacarada-Wiley) for HSC candidates in years 11 and 12.
Life in Law
During his teaching career, Barry studied law at night and was later admitted as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of NSW.
He practised criminal law, firstly as a Solicitor with the Office of the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, and subsequently as a Legal Aid Duty Solicitor in the Local Courts.
As a Legal Aid Solicitor, Collier appeared in the 1993 ABC Television reality documentary So Help Me God.
Barry was later called to the Bar and appeared as a Barrister in the higher courts of law, before being elected to the NSW Parliament. He retains his membership of the NSW Bar Association today.
Barry's Poetry and Writing
Barry Collier has won poetry prizes and awards, including the National Henry Lawson Literary Society Competition and the C J Dennis Society Competition, and had his poetry short listed and published in Empathy, the 2018 Australian Catholic University Competition Anthology.
His poems have also been published in his local newspaper as well as in several journals, including those of The NSW Bar Association, the Economics and Business Educators NSW, the Shire Military History Club and the Sutherland Shire Environment Centre.
Barry has also publicly performed his poem, Let us also Remember, as part of local ANZAC Day Dawn Services and Remembrance Day Services in the Sutherland Shire, Sydney.
A lover of literature, Barry well understands the enjoyment and personal satisfaction that comes from writing one’s thoughts and feelings down, whether on paper or on a laptop.
After Parliament as an elected Councillor seeking to encourage men and women in his own community to write, Barry established the Sutherland Shire Literary Competition in 2017. He chaired the Judges’ Panel for the 2026 Competition. The competition, includes poetry and short stories.
Barry enjoys ...
Barry enjoys writing, fishing, bushwalking, reading, poetry and boxing-fitness. He takes an active interest in his community and is a Life Member of both the Grays Point Rural Fire Service and the Sutherland District Trade Union Club.
He lives in Sydney, Australia with wife Jeanette. They have two children and four grandchildren.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Barry Collier awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM)?
Barry Collier was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2017 in recognition of his service to the Parliament of New South Wales, the legal profession, and education. His career spans 16 years as a high school economics teacher and textbook author, a 10-year legal career as a criminal law solicitor and barrister, and over 13 years representing the electorate of Miranda in the NSW Legislative Assembly. Read more about his literary journey on our Buy Books page.
What is Barry Collier’s professional background before becoming a published poet?
Before publishing his poetry, Barry worked as a senior state high school head teacher, published best-selling economics textbooks, practiced as a barrister in criminal law, and served as an MP in the NSW Parliament.
How does Barry Collier support aspiring Australian writers?
Beyond his own writing, Barry established and chaired the Sutherland Shire Literary Competition in 2017 to encourage local storytellers. He regularly judges poetry competitions, leads creative writing talks for community groups, and is an active member of Writing NSW.