Reluctant political candidate and ‘accidental unionist’ Kelly ‘Hooch’ Hunt on his passion for community
Known for stepping up when needed, Kelly ‘Hooch’ Hunt brings a fresh perspective to the political landscape. How he plans to leverage his networks for positive change in Braddon >>>
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“Accidental community advocate” Kelly ‘Hooch’ Hunt has been helping those who need it since he was in primary school at Forth.
A Labor candidate for Braddon, he stopped campaigning on the West Coast on Friday to help umpire an AFL game at Rosebery, while his campaign manager kept the score just because the team asked.
“Networks are very, very important,” Hooch said.
“If I’m lucky enough to become anything in a political sense my massively strong networks will be something that I can carry forward.”
A unionist, football player, rugby player, motorbike rider, rally car driver, surf club member, shooter, hunter and keen recreational fisher, Hooch has connections across the community.
He was born in Ulverstone and raised in Savage River before heading to the coast at Forth Primary and then Devonport High School.
“Savage River used to have a high school, it used to have a swimming pool and it had a post office, it had a bank” he said.
“We had a pretty cool park too.”
Heading to high school in the city of Devonport, he and a group of country kids were getting picked on because they were outsiders.
“We were picked on a little bit, so we stuck together. I think that’s where my need to stand up for people comes from.”
Hooch said he was an “accidental unionist” at the Wesleyvale Paper Mill, and he helped transition workers when the mill and the one at Burnie shut down.
“When those two mills shut down I was asked to run a union and government project that looked after the people that lost their jobs. That was a huge learning curve.”
Hooch’s mum Sally worked at the cannery, now Simplot, with federal member for Braddon Anne Urquhart and he was taught by the former member, Sid Sidebottom at Don College.
“He always said that I needed to be an adult and do something with my life,” Hooch said.
“He would say, you need to settle down or you won’t amount to much.
“So now I’m listening to his advice.”
Hooch said he was involved in both Mr Sidebottom’s and Ms Urquhart’s campaigns in the past, helping them door knock.
“Not because I wanted to be a politician, but because they asked. They’re just good community people.”
Hooch said when Labor asked him to put his hand up for this state election, he was like “a deer in headlights”.
“I’ve got politicians on a pedestal,” he said.
“The ones I know are very well read, they’re quite intelligent, they are good orators and very well structured in what they do in their work life.
“I just did not see that I was that person — but they have continually over the years thought that I am.”
Hooch is running on the Braddon ticket for Labor along with sitting members Anita Dow and Shane Broad.
Popular Central Coast Council Mayor Cheryl Fuller is also on the ticket along with councillor Amanda Diprose, retail sales assistant Tara Woodhouse and electrical business owner Adrian Luke.
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Originally published as Reluctant political candidate and ‘accidental unionist’ Kelly ‘Hooch’ Hunt on his passion for community
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