Dr Barry Jones is one of Australia's most respected politicians and public intellectuals. He is a former teacher, lawyer, politician, writer and broadcaster who first came to prominence in Australia and internationally in the 1960s as a Quiz Champion where he first endeared himself to the Australian community by often taking issue with the compere about certain expected answers, most famously in response to a question about "the first British Governor-General of India," where he pointed out that Warren Hastings was only technically Governor of Bengal.

Barry went on to become a pioneer of talk-back radio, and to spend nearly 20 years in Parliament as a Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly 1972-77, the Federal Member of the House of Representatives 1977-98 and Minister for Science 1983-90.

In 1993 Barry was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO); after 1992, National President of the ALP for eight years, a position which he has reclaimed as of January 2005. 

He was Australia's representative to UNESCO in Paris 1991-95 and is a Fellow of the four Australian Academies (including Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Melbourne). In 1998 he was Deputy Chair of the Constitutional Convention on the Republic and the Victorian Schools Innovation Commission, also serving on six medical research boards, and of course the Commission for the Future.

He is also a champion of the Arts, with appointments that have included: Director of the Victorian State Opera; Chair of the Australian Film and Television School and member of the Australian Film Development Corporation; and a well-known author of a number of important books and treatises, including his influential Sleepers Wake!

All this is what Barry Jones does. However, the World Harmony Run Torch-Bearer Award is presented to Barry for what he is. To the people of Australia, Barry represents something more than his impressive list of credentials and credits. Barry also represents aspiration; he exemplifies diligence, enthusiasm, and vision – all spiritual qualities; he has never rested on his laurels, but continues to inspire with his contribution to public debate, and his ability to bring together people from all aspects of society for thoughtful discourse and exchange.

Barry commands the affection and respect of people from all levels of society and politics as well as across generations through this large and inclusive heart-power. The vision of the World Harmony Run – a world of harmony, inner and outer peace, calls for us to have leaders in the community such as Barry Jones, who are multi-dimensional, who have both the intellectual power across many fields, as well as heart-power to point humanity in the right direction.