Greg Mackie

Gregory Alan Mackie is an Australian businessman, public sector leader and cultural entrepreneur.

Mackie began his working life in retail before co-founding Imprints Booksellers in Adelaide in 1984 and later studying at Flinders University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. He also co-established the Art Zone Gallery in 1986 and was involved with Adelaide Writers' Week, the Feast Festival and the development of Adelaide's West End. In 1999, he founded the Adelaide Festival of Ideas Association and became its chairman, and was appointed Arts Ambassador for South Australia. Mackie was elected to the Adelaide City Council in 2000, where he served until 2003 and was involved in the permanent flying of the Australian and Aboriginal flags in Victoria Square. He subsequently held senior roles in South Australia's arts and public administration, including executive director of Arts SA and Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet under Premier Mike Rann.

Mackie became chief executive of the History Trust of South Australia in 2016 after working in SA Health and as a consultant. During his tenure, he directed the 2019 Epic Flight Centenary project, which relocated a Vickers Vimy aircraft to Adelaide Airport. He returned to the Adelaide City Council in 2020 as a Central Ward councillor, advocating for cultural development, urban planning, greening and the Adelaide Park Lands. He resigned from the council in 2022, and retired as chief executive of the History Trust in 2025.

Early life and education Gregory Alan Mackie Mackie began his working life in 1979 as a buyer for Myer SA Stores, where he remained until 1982, before becoming manager of Semprini's newsagency in Unley for a year. He studied at Flinders University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1987. While at university, he worked weekends at Imprints Booksellers and joined the business as a partner six months later. In 1986, he co-established the Art Zone Gallery, serving as its coordinator until 2000. In 1999, Imprints moved to 107 Hindley Street, He was also appointed Arts Ambassador for South Australia that year.

Adelaide City Council and History Trust (2000–2019)

Mackie was elected to the Adelaide City Council for Central Ward on 16 May 2000 and served on the Libraries Board of South Australia in 2002 and 2003.

In January 2004, Mackie became executive director of Arts SA. In July 2005, he became a patron of the Don Dunstan Foundation, Later that year, he worked with Premier Mike Rann and Minister for Disability Jay Weatherill to establish the Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust Fund. and chaired the South Australian Premier's Communications Advisory Group from 2008 to 2013.

Return to Adelaide City Council (2020–2022) In May 2020, he returned to the Adelaide City Council after winning a Central Ward supplementary election following the resignation of Deputy Lord Mayor Houssam Abiad. Mackie received 28.2 per cent of first-preference votes, ahead of Wayne Chao on 20.2 per cent and Nathan Paine on 16.8 per cent, with voter turnout of approximately 19 per cent among 11,689 eligible ratepayers. His election was declared by the Electoral Commission of South Australia on 13 May and certified on 18 May. During the campaign, he supported a public art trust, reduced regulation for festivals and events, a 30-year landscape plan for the Adelaide Park Lands and changes to the city's precinct groups, while identifying the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as an immediate priority. During his second term on the council, Mackie said he had generally adopted a conservative approach to voting rather than introducing motions on issues including arts and culture, planning and the redevelopment of Adelaide's West End. As Central Ward councillor, he advocated for Adelaide's cultural economy, encompassing the arts, entertainment, hospitality, tourism, education, public collections, festivals, sport and major events. He also supported a new plan for the City of Adelaide, urban greening and parkland-based urban design, and the development of Adelaide as a centre for museums, libraries and other collections. Mackie also criticised the influence of the Team Adelaide voting group, which he said had contributed to divisions among elected members and limited debate, as well as changes to council meeting arrangements and the use of special meetings. Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor disputed his criticism of the meeting arrangements, arguing that additional committee meetings allowed councillors to discuss matters with the administration before council decisions were made. Mackie's resignation occurred several months before the 2022 elections and did not result in a supplementary election to fill the vacancy.

Retirement and beyond (2025–present) In August 2025, Mackie said that achieving Adelaide's target of 50,000 residents in the central business district and North Adelaide by 2036 would require significant high-rise development. Later that month, he announced his intention to step down as chief executive of the History Trust, and retired from the organisation in 2025. Following his retirement, he undertook mentoring and board work while continuing land restoration activities with his partner on the Fleurieu Peninsula. As of 2026, he serves on the board of the Art Museum of Kangaroo Island.

Honours and awards Mackie was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2002 for service to the community through the promotion of the arts, particularly the Adelaide Festival of Ideas. In 2006, he received the Flinders University Distinguished Alumni Award,

Personal life Mackie is partnered with Jonathan Lambert. In 2024, Mackie was diagnosed with melanoma, which was surgically removed with no indication that it had spread. Mackie and Lambert had also been undertaking reforestation on their bushland property near Cape Jervis for more than 30 years; they also maintained a home in Norwood.