Kate Lockhart is running as Community Independent in Corangamite, supported by Voices of Corangamite
Kate Lockhart's election campaign was borne out of a series of listening sessions and community forums, an online survey facilitated by grassroots community group Voices of Corangamite, and her own very successful local council campaign in spring 2024, where residents voiced their shared concerns and hopes for a more accountable and representative politics.
● Kate Lockhart has emerged from a community-driven process through a series of small meetings. The redistribution of the Corangamite electorate has focussed the electorate over the Bellarine Peninsula, where Kate has lived, worked and volunteered for 20 years.
● As a viable and eligible candidate Kate has decades of experience in community advocacy and on-ground action across schools, Landcare and sporting clubs. She mobilised 70-80 volunteers in her 2024 local council campaign where she received 48% of the votes (7,100 first preference votes). These volunteers continue to support and champion Kate in this federal election campaign.
● Kate’s ability and commitment to engage with local communities is proven through her representation of parents on school Councils. Her leadership of Bellarine Landcare through COVID saw its membership reach new heights. She has participated in government community consultation, and as an agricultural scientist, she has readily applied her natural resource management knowledge to provide input on local, state and Federal environment and planning issues. She's able to listen carefully to the community, think laterally to find solutions, and is able to develop policy platforms that represent the electorate, and enact change.
● Kate’s understanding of key policy issues and her ability to communicate them to diverse audiences is engaging. That strength comes from her capacity to listen and understand issues from the community perspective. Her ability to understand the science, critically analyse the data, and distill and simplify often complex issues into practical solutions, means that she comfortably communicates with diverse audiences.
● Kate runs on a policy platform of Integrity, Equity and Climate Action. As a primary carer for her three children and her ageing mother, she has direct experience in the omnipresent inequity across generations and genders, and is always striving for solutions that make their lives more independent and fulfilling.
● As an Agricultural Scientist her professional and volunteer life has been dedicated to action on Climate. Kate won the City of Greater Geelong Women in Community Life Award for Climate Action in 2023 for her work with the community advancing knowledge and understanding of the natural environment, and supporting landholders to protect biodiversity and enhance climate resilience through good soil health.
● When Kate talks with voters and fellow candidates, she begins with a clear and powerful message: ‘I have one policy that stands above all others: I listen. I listen to my community. What do the people of Corangamite need? What are they asking for? That is my starting point.’ As a Community Independent, Kate is doing politics differently, free from the influence of big donors and the fossil fuel lobby. Her focus is on genuine representation and ensuring the voices of her electorate are heard. ‘Representation is my number one policy,’ she says – a principle she upholds through open, honest conversations and a deep commitment to community-led decision-making.
● Kate continues to demonstrate that she is fully committed to the demands and challenges of a successful election campaign.
Agricultural scientist Kate Lockhart has been endorsed as the Voices of Corangamite Community Independent candidate for the Corangamite electorate, covering the Bellarine, Surf Coast, and Geelong, in this autumn’s federal election.
A long-time advocate for better services and infrastructure, Kate has been deeply involved in local community groups. Now, she is ready to take that commitment to Canberra as Corangamite’s next representative in Parliament.
“The Community Independents movement is about real action – on climate, gender equity, integrity, and transparency. These are the values I have dedicated my life to,” Kate said.
Kate is passionate about gender equality – frequently leading community grant applications and implementing projects that create opportunities for women and girls. She recently completed a 12-month fellowship on women in leadership and local governance and is ready to apply her expertise and life experience in Parliament.
On 5 March 2025, Kate co-hosted an episode of The Sustainable Hour on 94.7 The Pulse, featuring passionate discussions and music celebrating International Women’s Day. The episode explored the connections between women, climate action, leadership, and the push for meaningful change.
The show also featured Emilie Flynn who is running as a Greens candidate in the Corio electorate and who shares Kate's concerns about Australia's role in the climate breakdown the world is now witnessing.
Kate will be attending several community events in the coming days, meeting residents and discussing key issues:
Kate Lockhart and the Voices of Corangamite group will be meeting face-to-face on Friday 14 March 2025 at 5:30pm at The Dill, (5/62 The Terrace), in Ocean Grove. RSVP with an email here.
Kate will also be attending the following events in the next days:
Monica Hayes Award for North Bellarine women at Scotchmans Hill today Thursday 6 March at 2:30pm-4:30pm
St Leonards Community Care at St Leonards Memorial Hall on Friday 7 March at 10am.
Bellarine Agricultural Show on Sunday 9 March.
Kate's election campaign website is: www.katelockhart.au