Steven Pringle

Steven Bruce Scott Pringle is a naval officer in the Royal Australian Naval Reserves. He was the member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from March 2003 to March 2007, representing the Electorate of Hawkesbury.

He is a past mayor of Hornsby Shire Council, having served four terms (emeritus mayor) and was the director of community engagement at Macquarie University. He has been awarded the Defence Force Service Medal, Centenary Medal and was a Justice of the Peace.

Pringle was elected at the New South Wales State Election of 2003 with 64% of the 2pp vote, having defeated in a single ballot veteran sitting MP Kevin Rozzoli, Boyd Falconer, Bart Bassett and Kevin Connolly in a Liberal Party preselection contest. He represented the party until October 2006, when he resigned to sit as an independent, after losing Liberal preselection in controversial circumstances as below. He was defeated (46.4% 2pp)in a closely fought contest at the 2007 State election by Liberal candidate Ray Williams (Australian politician).

Pringle grew up at Chatswood NSW and studied at Macquarie University, attaining a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in economics and history, a Diploma of Education and a Master of Arts, majoring in politics. It was at university where he first became involved in politics, joining the university Liberal Party of Australia Club and serving in positions on the University Council, Union Board and Student Council,simultaneously, the first person to do so. After graduating from university, Pringle joined the Bank of NSW and then the Royal Australian Navy, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander. He served in a variety of postings, including HMA Ships Creswell, Kuttabul, Platypus, Penguin, Naval Support Command, Nirimba and Watson. He was a visiting military fellow at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

Pringle had a strong interest in local issues, and in 1987 he was elected to Hornsby Shire Council in northern Sydney, as an independent, a position he held until retiring in 2003. With strong community support, he topped the poll in each of the elections subsequent to 1987. Pringle was elected president of Hornsby Shire Council in 1992, becoming its youngest president thus far at the age of 34. He went on to serve as mayor in 1996, 1999 and 2002. Pringle was a community activist supported by a range of local groups, including the Epping and Pennant Hills Civic Trusts. At Hornsby Shire Council he established and led the successful Bushland Management, Heritage, Drainage and Agenda 21 Committees. He also led the development of the Hornsby Shire Housing Strategy and chaired both the National Parks and Wildlife Service Northern Sydney Advisory Committee and Lane Cove State Recreation Area Trust. His interests were also in establishing consistent policies and procedures, sustainability,rates value for money and supporting local community organisations such as Rotary, the Rural Fire Service, SES, Schools, Sports Associations, Scouts and Guides and Community Centres. Pringle was the patron of many groups. He successfully advocated for the establishment of the Epping Creative Centre, where a room is named in his honour.

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