LNP Member for Pumicestone Ariana Doolan vindicated after emerging victorious despite Labor attacks

She endured school bullies who called her the ‘n’ word, then came Labor’s vitriolic campaign mocking her age, but after clinching victory by just 500 votes, Ariana Doolan feels vindicated.

Queensland’s youngest-ever female MP Ariana Doolan, the new LNP member for Pumicestone. Picture: Lachie Millard

It will go down as one of the nastiest personal attacks of the 2024 state election, but Labor picked the wrong target in 22-year-old Ariana Doolan.

Queensland’s youngest-ever female MP credits schoolyard bullying with toughening her up against the vitriolic campaign that mocked her age and criticised the fact she was still living with her parents.

Advertisements produced by the United Workers Union – which installed Steven Miles as Premier after dumping Annastacia Palaszczuk last December – proclaimed: “We deserve a serious representative – the LNP’s candidate just isn’t ready”.

But that wasn’t the worst of it.

Ms Doolan, of Beachmere, alleges she was bullied by the now-deposed Labor member Ali King.

“She looked me in the eyes and said, ‘you stand for nothing, you ARE nothing’, without even blinking,” Ms Doolan told The Courier-Mail.

“Who does that? Especially when the Labor Party is always going on about getting young women into Parliament.”

Social media post by the United Workers Union attacking the LNP’s Ariana Doolan. Picture: Instagram

Ms Doolan said Ms King – whom she met in 2020 as the 18-year-old Youth Member for Glasshouse – tried to intimidate her during pre-polling and on election day, standing beside her and telling voters as they walked by that Ms Doolan was “selling out women’s rights”, reflecting Labor’s claim the LNP was anti-abortion.

“Her volunteers were telling people I was a child, and that I was getting my sister to run for the Legalise Cannabis Queensland party so I could get preferences.” (The LCQ candidate Rosie Doolan is no relation).

“All of that behaviour was disgusting – and many voters watched it unfold and it worked in my favour.”

The Courier-Mail asked Ms King to comment on Ms Doolan’s claims and she said in a statement: “Running for office is a very challenging thing to do and I respect anyone who puts their hand up.

“I always treat people with respect. Elections can get heated between parties and between their supporters and I wish Ms Doolan the best as an MP.”

Former Pumicestone MP Ali King. Picture Lachie Millard

In clinching victory this week by about 500 votes, Ms Doolan feels vindicated.

She has stared down a political smear campaign and years of personal attacks.

“I was bullied in high school (Glasshouse Christian College, Beerwah, where she graduated dux in 2019) and also in primary school (Hercules Road State School, Kippa-Ring),” she said.

“I was called the ‘n’ word because of the colour of my skin, they said I had a big nose; I was getting high grades and they tried to drag me down. I threw myself into extra-curricular activities like drama and singing to keep my mind off it.

“But that bullying helped me – I’m so glad it happened – so when I stood there during the election and people were saying awful things to me, it didn’t hurt at all.

“I get my validation from myself, not from other people.

“I know how hard I’ve worked and I have a right to stand here.”

Ariana Doolan during her high school years at Glasshouse Christian College, Beerwah. Photo: Supplied.

Ms Doolan, who is poised to complete a double degree in business and environmental science, spent four hours every day doorknocking the good people of Pumicestone, which takes in Bribie Island, Sandstone Point, Ningi, Beachmere and parts of Caboolture.

“I met about 11,000 people and rang about 3000,” she said.

“We didn’t have unlimited resources like Labor so I asked my friends to give up an hour a day to do phone canvassing.”

Ms Doolan, who said she supported a woman’s right to choose, acknowledged Mr Miles’ TikTok campaign was “effective in reaching the young”.

Ms Doolan, the Member for Pumicestone, at home in Beachmere. Picture Lachie Millard

Ms Doolan did question early on if she would be too young to enter Parliament but LNP figures including Member for Bonney Sam O’Connor said no.

“Sam said look at Lawrence Springborg, he was elected at age 21 (in 1989) and rose to lead the LNP,” she said.

If she wasn’t in politics, though, Ms Doolan would’ve followed her parents into education.

Her father Fenton Doolan, of Irish heritage, is head of science at Glasshouse Christian College, while her mother Yonell, of South African-Indian descent, will return to teaching, after some health problems, at Caboolture High School next year.

“My parents are super proud of me, and mum used to say when I was being bullied in school that it was building my resilience for something great I would do in the future.”

Ms Doolan’s calling to politics came during Covid.

She didn’t like the isolation of remote university learning and, missing a sense of community, applied to be a member of the YMCA Youth Parliament in 2020.

Queensland’s youngest-ever female MP Ariana Doolan. Picture Lachie Millard

She wanted Pumicestone but got Glasshouse, which is where she met (and later began working as an assistant electorate officer for) her mentor, LNP Member Andrew Powell.

Ms Doolan – previously an extra on the drama series Harrow and film Godzilla v Kong as well as a snake handler at kids’ parties – saw an opportunity to bring young people back to the Sunshine Coast after lockdowns.

She created a YouTube commercial with her friend Robert Irwin at Australia Zoo, also roping in Lilly Luhrmann, daughter of filmmaker Baz.

“That video sparked in me an understanding of how I could make a difference,” she said.

Ms Doolan is primed for the rough and tumble of Parliament.

“During the election campaign, I think I had the worst of it, but I will not be treated that way.

“I’m ready for the tough fight.”

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Originally published as LNP Member for Pumicestone Ariana Doolan vindicated after emerging victorious despite Labor attacks