"We need honest politics, climate action, and safe, equitable communities."
~ Kate Lockhart in ABC Melbourne Drive

Independent candidate Kate Lockhart speaks with Ali Moore on ABC Radio about why she's running for Corangamite: to fight for gender equity, climate action, and integrity in politics. She also raises serious concerns about bullying and intimidation at pre-polling booths.

TRANSCRIPT

Ali Moore:
Up next, focus on… - this is what we've been doing during the election campaign where we've taken an electorate and put our focus on it. And today it's on Corangamite. I'll speak to the Independent Candidate in just a tick.

So we are focusing on Corangamite. Corangamite used to be 7,000 square kilometres. That was about 13 years ago. Today, it's just 640 square kilometres. And it used to be on a wafer thin margin. But with all those redistributions, it's now designated safe Labor. The margin is 7.8%. It covers Geelong south of the Barwon River, the Surf Coast around Torquay, plus everything east of Geelong on the Bellarine, so Portarlington, Queenscliff, Waurn Ponds and Mount Duneed, among others. The Independent Candidate for Corangamite is Kate Lockhart. Kate Lockhart, hello.

Kate Lockhart:
Hi Ali. I'm good.

Ali:
Is this your first time standing?

Kate:
At federal level, yes it is, Ali.

Ali:
Can I ask you why you stand?

Kate:
Well, Ali, I'm a good community person. I've done stuff with school councils and sporting groups. And I actually ran locally in the Council, for Geelong City Council, last spring, and was disappointed to be defeated by a recent retiree Liberal Party man. So, yeah, I just felt with the shifts to the right across the state and across the globe that I needed to stand. And I'm one of two women on a ballot paper with six men.

Ali:
So what are the key issues for you and for the electorate as you see them?

Kate:
Well, and this is what I was hearing on the street back in spring - that people are frustrated. They're actually frustrated with state Labor. The Liberal Party, there's no place for women in the Liberal Party on the right. And there's a bit of dissent about the Greens have lost their, lost their sort of fundamental values.

Ali:
That's what's wrong with the other parties. But what are you campaigning on? What are you offering? What are you saying that you'll try and achieve?

Kate:
Yes, so definitely standing for equity, so gender equity and access to education, to primary care, to childcare. There's a childcare desert on the Bellarine.

Integrity in politics. So just being honest, being able to present a conscience vote every time rather than party-based politics and decision-making.

And of course climate action, because I'm an ag scientist, and so I've had a lifelong interest in the environment, having grown up on a farm. And the climate's changing. We're a coastal community. There's people in our community that cannot insure their properties because they're not high enough above sea level. And we need change. 80 per cent of the people want change and action on climate change, no more coal fired power stations.

Ali:
It's also… I don't know Kate, how long have you lived in the electorate? So you would have seen some really big change? It's amazing, I can remember covering Corangamite because it was the most marginal seat in the country and at that time there were dairy farmers, there were fishermen leaving from Queenscliff, plus there were the urban areas sort of bordering Geelong. Now it's a much more urban seat isn't it?

Kate:
Very much so, yeah. The growth on the Bellarine and to the south of Geelong around Armstrong Creek is incredible. And that's what primary carers are wanting. They're wanting integrated infrastructure so that their kids can actually ride and walk safely to school. But there's a gap between what's happening in the new suburbs and accessing the old suburbs or the old part of town like Drysdale and Portarlington and Indented Head. And they just want decent footpaths, so that they can go about their daily business without having to get into a car.

Ali:
You're listening to the Independent Candidate for Corangamite, Kate Lockhart. Kate, what's the mood been at pre-poll?

Kate:
Ali, I've got to say, it's been pretty challenging. I've not done pre-polling like this, but I have to say the aggression from the assistance in blue has been very intimidating.

Ali:
So you're blaming the Liberal Party?

Kate:
I'm blaming the people, the alleged volunteers that are here. I counted just before I went through and there were eight. At one point today, we had 12 big-ish people, blue hats, standing with their legs wide apart, blocking access to the entrance ways. They've got more billboards. They've got a party tent. It's intimidation. We've just had an act of bullying just before I came on. That actually wasn't, that was from a voter.

Ali:
So what actually happened?

Kate:
He made some condescending remark to Libby Coker, the standing member, and then he wandered around to the smallest person who happened to be with Animal Justice and started gesticulating to her as well.

Ali:
Yeah, what happens when that happens? We're to talk to Libby Coker a little later, but what happens when you're on pre-poll because you don't have… there's no security there as such, is there?

Kate:
No, no, but these guys are standing around like bouncers and so the rest of us are trying to support each other and keep our space safe. It has been genuinely intimidating.

Ali:
Do you think it's something that is targeted more at female candidates?

Kate:
I had a gentleman throw… Have a chat to me - again, another large man - I gave him my flyer and he flicked it back in my face when I told him the truth that he didn't agree with. He threw it in my face.

Ali:
Do you think that it's time that there were some restrictions put on what can be done around a pre-poll or indeed a polling station?

Kate:
Yes, and I think it's my understanding that the Victorian Electoral Commission has a bit more structure around that. I think the only rule here is you've got to stay outside six meters from the entrance. I'd love to see just a single poster for each candidate, none of this negativity with extra billboards and just one and maybe a maximum of probably two or three volunteers. I think that would be equitable. I think that would be reasonable. I think that would be fair and safe.

We had a woman here two days ago that had an anxiety attack because of the number of people that were at pre-poll, the number of mostly volunteers that were at pre-poll trying to give her papers. She had a genuine anxiety attack.

Ali:
Gosh, if you're going to have compulsory voting, you absolutely have to be able to vote in peace, don't you?

Kate:
Absolutely, yeah. And so I think there should be a safe three-metre corridor all the way with clear visibility all the way to every polling station. And that's not been the case.

Ali:
Kate Lockhart, good to talk to you, wish you well for the last couple of days. I'll bet you're looking forward to a sleep-in on Sunday.

Kate:
I cannot wait to find out the result on Saturday night. It's so exciting. I think it'll be close, but I'm hoping that the progressives will hold fast. It's not safe for women in the conservative side of politics, so I'm really hopeful.

Ali:
Thank you for your time. Kate Lockhart there, Independent Candidate for Corangamite. We've seen lots and heard lots of examples of what's been going on at polling booths and I guess partly, I don't know, I'm making an assumption here which I shouldn't do, but because there are fewer polling booths than there will be on Saturday, you've got more volunteers in a more concentrated space. But it can be really intimidating and just hearing there from Kate about the aggressive behaviour. Really keen to know what you have seen if you have already voted. Give me a call, 1300 222 774.