Defeated Liberal candidate for Mayo Georgina Downer speaks about her political future

Defeated Mayo Liberal candidate Georgina Downer is pondering her political future — and questioning whether attacks on her supposed sense of entitlement were sharpened by her gender.

Georgina Downer has no regrets despite twice failing to recapture her father’s old seat of Mayo for the Liberals. Picture; Dean Martin

STEEPED in family political history, Georgina Downer would prefer to be known as a married mother of two, verging on 40, rather than the defeated spear carrier for the Downer dynasty.

Speaking in the aftermath of her second defeat in Mayo within a year by Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie, Ms Downer questions whether attacks on her supposed family privilege and sense of entitlement were sharpened because of her gender.

Georgina Downer handing out how to vote cards at the Bridgewater Primary School on election day. Picture: Kelly Barnes/AAP Image

She expresses pride at her heritage, including father Alexander, who held Mayo from 1984-2008 and was Australia’s longest-serving foreign minister. But Ms Downer, 39, stresses she is also proud to be the daughter of her mother, Nicky, and is making Mayo her long-term home.

“Ultimately, I’d like people to take me as someone, you know, I’m almost 40, married mother of two and I’ve been in the workforce for almost 20 years.

“I mean, being defined as your father’s daughter the whole time is quite demeaning. I’m Georgina Downer, not someone’s daughter. I’m very happily Dad’s daughter but I’m very happily Mum’s daughter.

“And I just wondered too, is there an issue because I’m the daughter? Like, if I was the son would it be different?

“I found there is quite a lot of, you know: ‘Little princess’. I mean, come on.”

Having lost a preselection bid for the blue-ribbon Melbourne seat of Goldstein ahead of the 2016 election (at which Liberal Jamie Briggs lost to Ms Sharkie in Mayo), Ms Downer faced accusations of being a blow-in when she became the Liberal candidate for last July’s Mayo by-election.

Georgina Downer with her father, Alexander Downer, after the Mayo by-election last year. Picture: Kelly Barnes/AAP

She concedes her return to the area, in which she grew up, ahead of the by-election was somewhat rushed.

“I did move back at the beginning of last year. No doubt, that fed that narrative. But this sort of accusation that I was somehow entitled to the seat was, in the end, pretty offensive. I worked every single day to earn the trust of the people of Mayo in a democratic process where I was either going to be elected or not and that was the choice of the people.

“All I would say is: ‘I’m entitled to a fair go like anyone is’. My father was elected through a democracy … as were my grandfather and my great-grandfather.

“We don’t have any birthright or privilege of birth in Australia and we shouldn’t — absolutely not.”

In the by-election, Ms Downer argued Labor was authorising attack websites yet got the lowest primary vote since World War II, so the tactic was aimed at re-electing Ms Sharkie.

Ms Downer was defeated 57.5 per cent to 42.5 per cent on the two-party preferred vote. Thus far, the count for Saturday’s election has Ms Sharkie at 55 per cent to Ms Downer’s 45 per cent. Ms Downer has won almost 38 per cent of the primary vote, compared to Ms Sharkie’s 35 per cent, but the latter wins on Labor and Green preferences. Having lost twice in what was once a Liberal stronghold, Ms Downer’s political future is uncertain, even if she wants to continue.

Speaking to The Advertiser the day after the election, Alexander Downer praised his daughter’s hard work and declared she had “a great future”.

But what is next for Georgina Downer? “I don’t know. I have lived and breathed the Mayo campaign for a year. My family have been incredibly understanding, particularly my husband, who has never, ever, once said, you know: ‘This is kind of tough’. He’s just stood by me and supported me.”

Husband Will Heath is partner at multinational law firm King & Wood Mallesons, alternating between Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney offices.

Asked if this was a long-term arrangement, she said: “We just renewed the lease on a house (in Mayo) and this is where we want to stay.

“But I don’t know (about a political future). I’ve got to chat to my husband, see how my kids are going and think about the future — but probably take some time just to catch up on my Game of Thrones.

Georgina Downer and Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie wait their turn to speak at the Goolwa Centenary Hall before the election. Picture: Tricia Watkinson.

“I’m now four episodes in to season eight and I’ve been trying to avoid all articles and spoilers. I’m going to read some books and I really want to get on the honour board at my gym with my deadlifting.”

Sipping coffee at an Unley cafe ahead of lunch with friends nearby, Ms Downer is asked why she appears so relaxed. “I’m usually pretty relaxed … I mean, I’m disappointed, of course, but overwhelmingly I am incredibly excited that the Morrison Government was re-elected,” she says.

“You don’t run for the Liberal Party if you don’t believe in the party’s re-election. You do that for your community, your state and your country.

“You do it for a particular political party, in my case the Liberal Party, because you truly believe that your community and country’s best interest would be best served by that political party.

“ … In the end, it’s not about me as an individual. It’s about the country and South Australia and Mayo. We’ll be very well served by Scott Morrison as the Prime Minister.”