Chris Steel

Christopher James Steel (born 15 May 1986) is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly since 2016, representing the electorate of Murrumbidgee and currently serves as the ACT Treasurer and Cabinet Minister in the ACT Government. Before his election, Steel was an education advocate working in the early childhood sector.

Early and personal life

Steel was born in Newcastle, New South Wales before his family moved to Canberra in the 1980s. As a child he grew up on the Southside in Torrens attending the local public schools, Torrens Primary, Melrose High School and Narrabundah College. He completed his Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts at the Australian National University.

Steel currently lives in Kambah with his partner Kurt.

Early career Prior to his election into the ACT Legislative Assembly, Steel worked as the Policy and Research Manager at peak education advocacy group Early Childhood Australia. He has also worked as a policy adviser for both the Australian Government and Australian Capital Territory Government. Prior to being elected to office, Steel volunteered as a Director on the Board of YMCA Canberra.

Political career

On 16 October 2016, Steel was elected to the Ninth Assembly to represent the new electorate of Murrumbidgee receiving 9.1% of the vote. Steel was re-elected at the 2020 ACT Election with 13.8% of the vote. At the 2024 ACT Election, Steel was re-elected for the second time with 11.4% of the vote. On 1 July 2019 he took on responsibility for the Transport portfolio following Meegan Fitzharris' resignation from the Ministry.

Following the 2020 ACT Election Steel was subsequently re-appointed to the Third Barr Ministry as Minister for Transport and City Services, Minister for Skills, and as Special Minister of State.

Steel was appointed as the Minister for Planning in November 2023, following a mid-term reshuffle. As Minister, Steel has proposed planning changes to permit townhouses, terraces and low-rise apartments to be built in Canberra’s suburbs which had previously been prohibited under the ‘Garden City Variation’ to the Territory Plan in 2003.

Following the 2024 ACT Election, Steel was appointed Treasurer of the Australian Capital Territory in the Fourth Barr Ministry. In his first Territory Budget, he announced a controversial health levy to fund the growing cost of ACT hospitals with a $1.2 billion increase in health expenditure.