Kate never planned to go into politics, but knows someone has to stand up for our community and have the courage not to shy away from the tough topics.
Kate’s a team player, a doer, a professional working mum of four and small farmer. She helped set up a locally-owned renewable energy co-operative, has championed community-led planning for the future, and consulted in community-led regional economic development. She first ran in 2022 because she was asked to step up, and was overwhelmed by the community support – coming second against the National party incumbent.
Kate’s running again with the backing of her community, determined and excited to get it done. Kate has spent the last two years helping communities across NSW advocate for their needs with renewable energy projects, ensuring communities get a seat at the table and a large slice of the benefits. Not one to do things by halves, she has resigned from her job in order to commit herself full-time to this community campaign.
Kate believes that humans need to be connected with each other.
Health is improved and we gain purpose and meaning in our lives through connecting with others. Connected communities are thriving communities. Throughout the campaign and if elected, Kate will advocate for policies that promote cohesion and connection in our communities rather than division and disharmony. Kate knows that we will never succeed in solving local problems unless we work together. We don't always have to agree with each other but we can always find the common ground and move forward positively to ensure our people and communities thrive.
It’s not good enough for politicians to stand up in parliament and “demand” that the government fix a problem, we need to enable local communities to build their capacity to get things done, supporting them with the necessary funding and expertise to do it well.
Kate believes in the urgency to transition away from fossil fuel energy sources and to switch to cheap, abundant, reliable renewable energy.
The clean energy transition is a once in a generation opportunity to create thriving regional economies. A timely transition to renewable energy will drive down the cost of living through cheaper electricity for our homes, businesses, manufacturing costs and electric transport. The price of propping up an outdated and failing fossil fuel industry is costing us all. Cheap and abundant electricity will provide opportunities for new industries and manufacturing in our region and will keep Australia's exports competitive in the global market, which is demanding goods made with clean energy.
Kate believes that people who work in caring roles and other essential services, are under-resourced and underpaid.
Across Calare there are amazing public and social services doing incredible work to support our health, education, safety and basic living standards. We need to prioritise funding these essential services at all levels of government to ensure everyone, and especially our most vulnerable people in Calare, are cared for.
The pandemic and the droughts, floods and fires we’ve experienced revealed very clearly who the essential workers are and yet we still fail to support and pay them adequately. If elected, Kate would support initiatives that see funds flow to the organisations and employment sectors doing the most good at the front line of caring for people of all ages, building our resilience and setting our young people up for success.
Being of service to others is a value that’s core to Kate's being and shared by our volunteers. Together, we will set an example of caring for people and place through acts of service in our communities and will encourage others to join us
Kate believes we need truth in political advertising and honesty in politics in general.
Kate would like to see an end to the bad behaviour in parliament, especially during question time. In a world that is becoming increasingly divided, the Australian public needs to see an example set by our leaders of how to hold respectful, civil discourse and debate without shouting, heckling and name calling.
Without trust in the integrity of our politicians, public faith in democracy gets eroded. Regarding political donations, Kate opposes hidden donations- especially from social harm sectors like the gambling, tobacco and fossil fuel industries. This is why donations to her campaign are all listed on her website, unlike party candidates.
Kate would like to see enhanced protections for whistleblowers and journalists to ensure they can shine light on corrupt and illegal behaviour without fear of reprisal.
Unbelievably, it’s currently legal to lie in political advertising! Just as laws preventing lying in product advertising are there to protect consumers, we need the same to protect voters from being deliberately misled with dishonest political advertising.
Kate will always be straight with the people of Calare, both during the campaign and once elected to represent you in Canberra. She vows to call out misinformation and disinformation, which has no place in politics.
Kate’s a community champion who believes in doing things with the community, not to them.
She’s ready to build the future we actually want: with better services, real infrastructure, smarter trade deals and quality education for all our kids with new opportunities for our young people, and skilling and support to help our coal communities evolve and thrive.