Federal election 2019: Gilmore, meet your local candidates

The candidates for Gilmore have been announced ahead of the May 18 federal election, and they have taken time out of their busy campaign schedules to tell a little more about themselves.

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The candidates for Gilmore have been announced ahead of the May 18 federal election, and they have taken time out of their busy campaign schedules to tell a little more about themselves.

Current Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis will not be contesting the upcoming election, after representing the seat since 2013.

Ms Sudmalis blamed her decision to retire on bullying and undermining within the Liberal party.

Gilmore takes in three local government areas — Kiama, Shoalhaven and the northern parts of Eurobodalla. Its main population centres are Nowra-Bomaderry, Kiama, Milton-Ulladulla and the area around Batemans Bay.

The seat of Gilmore is one of the most marginal in the country, with Ms Sudmalis winning the seat by just 1503 votes in 2016.

This year’s candidates include The Greens’ Carmel McCallum, independent Grant Schultz, United Australia Party’s Milton Leslight, Labor’s Fiona Phillips, Liberal’s Warren Mundine, Nationals’ Katrina Hodgkinson and Christian Democratic Party’s Serah Kolukulapally.

CARMEL McCALLUM: GREENS

A BIT ABOUT ME: I grew up the eldest of eight children; not wealthy, a middle class family, in south western Sydney.

I am the mother of four children and married to a Naval officer. I have been a pharmacist for 43 years, am vice president of my professional union, owned a pharmacy business for nine years and have run four times as federal candidate for the Greens.

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: My life is full of coincidences, so much so my daughter thinks I should write a book titled ‘Is it a coincidence, or do I just talk too much?’

I have a theory that if everybody talked to everyone else, we would have no wars and could achieve world peace.

Greens candidate for Gilmore Carmel McCallum.

MY POLITICAL BACKGROUND: I’ve been an active Greens member and campaigner for 15 years, and have run as a federal candidate four times now — twice in Macquarie and this is my second time in Gilmore.

I have campaigned for support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart towards Voice, Truth, Treaty, all walking together, fought for fair wages, conditions and the return of penalty rates, advocated for refugees, campaigned for marriage equality, and biodiversity.

I will bring this experience to Gilmore and use my integrity and passion as my promise to work hard to represent all of my community with the dignity and respect they deserve.

GRANT SCHULTZ: INDEPENDENT

A BIT ABOUT ME: I’m married and have two teenage kids. I love fishing and dogs, and AC/DC and Italian food.

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: I have tattoos and ride a Harley in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride every year to raise funds for Prostate Cancer and Men’s Mental Health Support — two things I’m passionate about.

Grant Schultz at his Mollymook Beach home. Picture: Sam Walklate

MY POLITICAL BACKGROUND: I have 28 years experience with the Federal Police, have worked in centre of government roles in overseas missions in Cyprus and East Timor, and have a long history of service to the community.

In policing you have to have a thick skin, which is also critical in politics. It teaches you humility, patience, tolerance and above all, resilience. I can talk to anyone and have exceptional negotiation skills. I don’t back down in a fight.

WARREN MUNDINE: LIBERAL

A BIT ABOUT ME: I grew up in country New South Wales and have lived over half my life in regional Australia — in places including Grafton, Armidale, Dubbo and now Bomaderry.

My mother’s family are Yuin people from the South Coast.

My grandfather was born in Moruya and my grandmother in Kiama, and they married in Broulee.

My ancestors through my mother have lived on the South Coast for thousands of years. My father’s family are Bundjalung.

I’m one of 11 children and we grew up very poor. My parents moved to Sydney when I was in primary school for better work opportunities.

I started my working life in a factory. As a young husband and father I worked as a labourer digging sewer lines and also as a bartender, and for a while worked three jobs to buy my first home. My first office job was at the Australian Taxation Office. I’ve worked in all kinds of jobs including on gas pipelines and as a CEO. I’ve also started small businesses and hosted a TV show.

Through my work I’ve travelled to every corner of this country. I’m married and between my wife and I we have 10 kids.

Liberal candidate Warren Mundine in Bomaderry. Picture: Hollie Adams

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: I can’t think of anything people don’t know about me. I’ve been in public life for a long time and have published a very frank and open autobiography.

MY POLITICAL BACKGROUND: I’ve always been fascinated by politics since I was a child. My family used to have conversations around the dinner table during meals about politics. My older siblings were involved in the campaign for the 1967 Referendum to amend the Constitution to give Aboriginal people equal rights. I was fascinated by that as a child and also by the US Civil Rights movement.

My father was a Labor supporter and a member of the union which helped him get equal pay as an Aboriginal man. I started my political life in the Labor Party. I was Deputy Mayor of Dubbo and ran for election, once in an unwinnable spot in Dubbo and once on the Senate ticket. I was elected to Labor Party’s Presidential Panel in 2003, serving as Vice-President from 2004 to 2006 and as National President 2006-7.

However, I was also happy to work with the other side of politics to get results. I agreed to serve on John Howard’s National Indigenous Council after the 2004 election, for example. I left the Labor Party in 2012. I was shocked and disappointed with the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government. The Labor Party had become unrecognisable to me and I realised it had turned its back on working class families like mine and on regional Australia, including by cosying up with the Greens.

I’d been approached by political parties over recent years to see if I have interest in running for them but I was happy working in my business. Eventually Scott Morrison convinced me to join the Liberal Party and run for the seat of Gilmore. I’ve been very impressed with him as a Prime Minister. And I believe that the Liberal Party understands better the concerns and aspirations of working people and regional Australia.

KATRINA HODGKINSON: NATIONALS

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME: I can say the alphabet backwards in less than five seconds.

Nationals candidate for Gilmore Katrina Hodgkinson.

MY POLITICAL BACKGROUND: My mother was a Hansard reporter and my father was heavily involved with NSW Farmers Association so I grew up surrounded by politics. In 1996 I became an advisor in the Howard government and was there until I was elected as the member for Burrinjuck in 1999. I retired from state parliament in 2017.

During that period I was a member of the public accounts committee for four years, was for eight years a shadow minister, two years a Parliamentary Secretary and committee chairman, and four years as Minister for Primary Industries including Lands and Water and Minister for Small Business and Assistant Minister for Tourism & Major Events.

MILTON LESLIGHT: UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY

A BIT ABOUT ME: Born and raised in Sydney and lived in Melbourne for eight years. I’ve lived on the South Coast for past 19 years.

I am the father of three beautiful young adult children. My daughter is 27, eldest son is 22 and youngest son is 17.

My mother is part of the stolen generation and we only recently discovered this incredible chapter.

United Australia Party candidate for Gilmore Milton Leslight.

SOMETHING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME:

I have perused an armed robber with success and recently saved a human life.

I’ve raced in the Bathurst 1000 a couple of times in my own racing team incorporating women in our pit crew and played competitive soccer for almost three decades.

MY POLITICAL BACKGROUND: In local government I stopped a 25 per cent rate increase, successfully had flying bats relocated from our shire, identified bad planning causes bad outcomes and successfully initiated the returned of a major retailer to our area with significant employment opportunities.

I’m a member of the New South Wales Coastal Alliance, eurodollar Coast Alliance & Estates Agents Co-operative.

FIONA PHILLIPS: LABOR

A BIT ABOUT ME:

Fiona is a mum of four, a former TAFE teacher and has been married to her husband, a small-business owner, for 21 years.

Born at Nowra and raised on a dairy farm at Terara/Worrigee, Fiona has lived in the Gilmore electorate for over 40 years, with family dairy farming origins in the Gilmore electorate dating back to 1856 at Broughton Vale and also Jaspers Brush near Berry. Fiona now lives at Callala and raises her four teenage children with her husband.

SOMETHING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME:

Fiona has a Bachelor in Economics and a Master’s in Business, and has over 20 years employment experience in a range of areas including retail, defence and TAFE teaching.

Labor's candidate Fiona Phillips in Nowra. Pic: Hollie Adams.

MY POLITICAL BACKGROUND:

Fiona first got involved in politics in 2009, by leading the difficult but successful six year community campaign to save Nowra’s community pool. In October 2015, the new Nowra Aquatic Park was opened for the first time — rebuilt as part of a revitalised riverfront for our community.

Fiona was Labor’s Candidate for Gilmore in the 2016 Federal Election where she gained a two party preferred 3.1 per cent swing to Labor, coming within 752 votes of winning, and making Gilmore the most marginal federal electoral division in New South Wales.

SERAH KOLUKULPALLY: CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Serah Kolukulapally is the CDP’s candidate for Gilmore. The CDP was founded by a group of caring Australian ministers with high ethical values based on the Christian values and ethics. The aim of its members is to promote the common good by endorsing responsible, long-term goals, and not short-term gain.