Barry Ackerman

Barry Ackerman (born 1934) is a British-Australian former politician, serving as mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo twice.

Early life and career Ackerman was born in Whetstone, London in 1934. He attended Finchley County Grammar School before attending the National College of Rubber Technology for four years. After graduating, he began working for Empire Rubber. In 1976, as a member of the Board of Directors, Ackerman was asked to help finalise the factory of the Australian subsidiary in Melbourne in its move to Bendigo, where he stayed for six weeks. After returning to the United Kingdom, Ackerman was then offered a job as the Managing Director of Empire Rubber in Bendigo. Although initially planning to move back to the United Kingdom after eighteen months, Ackerman and his family stayed in Bendigo permanently.

Ackerman served as a member of the Bendigo TAFE board for ten years, as President of the Bendigo branch of the Chamber of Manufactures (now the Australian Industry Group), and as a board member, and subsequently treasurer, of the Bendigo Art Gallery.

Political career Ackerman retired in 1995. During his time as mayor, Ackerman was involved in various community projects and commemorations. In 1997, he officiated the opening of the Bendigo and District Ostomy Association's new facilities, while in 1998, he officiated the memorial plaque for the Ravenswood Estate Soldier Settlement, which recognised the area's post-war development efforts and its role in supporting rural communities. In 1998, there was a call from businesses to scrap parking meters in Bendigo's Central Business District, a proposal that Ackerman strongly criticised.

In 2002, Ackerman retired as a councillor to spend more time with his grandchildren in Melbourne. They had two sons and three grandchildren.