Barry Barnes has been honoured for his outstanding contribution to Australian basketball over 40 years as a player, coach and mentor, in being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list on 14 June. 
The OAM is awarded to Australian citizens for their achievements and contributions to society.

Barnes, the current manager of Australian Institute of Sport Residential Athlete Welfare, was honoured to receive the OAM, which acknowledges his significant contribution to Australian basketball.

‘It’s a great honour to receive this OAM award and it’s very humbling to be recognised in this way as part of my basketball journey,’ Barnes said.

‘I have enjoyed my involvement in Australian basketball and making a contribution to the development of the sport, particularly at the junior level.’

It is a fitting tribute to Barry, who has had a long and distinguished involvement in Australian basketball for more than four decades.

Barry has represented Australia as a player and coach in more than 300 international games. He was head coach of the Australian men’s basketball team from 1993 to 2000 for 172 games, and assistant coach from 1985 to 1993 for a further 172 games.

He attended four Olympic Games with the Australian men’s basketball team — two as assistant coach (1988–92) and two as head coach (1996–2000).
He also coached in the National Basketball League for more than 12 years.

Barry became the first coach to be inducted into the NBL Hall of Fame in 1998. He was then named in the ACT Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and Basketball Australia Hall of Fame in 2007.

He currently volunteers as manager of the ACT under-12 boys basketball program, coaching and inspiring the next generation of emerging talented players.

In other key roles, he is a current member of ACT Basketball’s junior development committee and a representative on the working party for the Pacific School Games.