MEMBER PROFILE

I am a Brisbane girl, born and bred and for a large portion of my life I have lived on Brisbane’s bayside in the seat of Bonner. I’ve been active in the community but never been involved in politics. After watching the rise of the independents in recent elections, all these amazing educated, successful women winning these unwinnable elections, I keep asking myself, why it can’t be me, why can’t I be the Federal member for Bonner. I don’t want to do it for the money, I don’t want get a cushy corporate role when I retire and I certainly don’t want to be Prime Minister. There are significant problems in Australia, in which the established parties either don’t want to or are incapable of fixing. The LNP, Labor and the Greens have had their time, I think it’s time for someone else to have a go. Alongside my loving husband, we are raising two beautiful children here in Wynnum. While I feel blessed, we are also encountering the same challenges that nearly every family is struggling with in Australia at the moment. Even with two well-paying jobs between my husband and I, its hard to pay bills and it was almost impossible to find somewhere to live when we moved back to Australia at the height of the pandemic. Some things will always be out of the control of any government, but there are changes that can be made immediately to help families like mine, and yours. Why aren’t GPs and Dental fully funded by Medicare? The federal government can find 50 billion dollars for nuclear submarines but I need to choose between paying an electricity bill on time and making sure my kid doesn’t have an infection. Why aren’t there enough places to live? Why are some people buying property to get rich while others have nowhere to sleep? Why are some yelling about a housing shortage and at the same time standing in the way of any new housing development. Yes, it a complex issue, but I think it’s time for some new ideas especially from someone who is not consumed with being re-elected but listening to the community. Also, why are we debating existence of man-made climate change. Why are we even considering nuclear power when its dangerous and doesn’t even make business sense. Renewables and accessibility to renewables are the way forward and sooner we do it, the cheaper it will be for our families. Supporting a bad policy just to climb the greasy pole of party politics has never appealed to me. I cringe anytime a politician criticizes a policy without providing an alternative. I have always believed that if you want change you need to get involved. There’s not point sniping from the sidelines, if you aren’t prepared to get your hands dirty and pitch in to help. The issues we are facing as families, as communities, as individuals aren’t going to be fixed overnight but what’s happening at the moment isn’t working and we need to try something new. We need people in Canberra who are actually going to represent us and not their own self-interest or toe the party line. We need change now before the problems become so big that we are scared into inactivity. We need change now so that we can fight another day. We need change now because what’s been happening in Canberra for the past 30 years hasn’t done us any good. We need sensible, tangible solutions to real problems. I want to help bring these solutions to my community in Bonner. I want to be a part of the change that helps families afford to take their child to the GP, put food on the table and make good environmental choices. Will you help me bring change to Bonner? Will you help me fight for your family in Canberra? Together we can make difference.