![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
b_auspolKerrie Christina Harris (Ungrouped Independent)
Website: https://www.theaveragewoman.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Kerrie-Harris-Independent-for-Federal-Senate-for-NSW/61572884173185/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerrieharris01
The first of the ungrouped independents this election, Kerrie Harris is a generally centrist social progressive who is a high school teacher in Cooma. She focuses on how ordinary and ‘average’ her life experience is (indeed, her campaign website is called The Average Woman) and on the struggle folk are feeling right now.
Harris is clearly inspired by the Voices for movement and very compelled by the concept that having independent representation means that she’s only beholden to voters, not other interests.
This is a charmingly naive concept: while she is certainly not the only candidate on the ballot who is there for essentially a ‘testing the system’ reason (Crikey is running an ungrouped candidate in Victoria for reporting reasons), the scale of trying to run as an independent, for the Senate, in the largest state in Australia, from a regional country town does seem to have not been addressed here.
In terms of policies: honestly it’s a lot of socially progressive stuff with a regional bent.
Harris cares about housing prices, wanting rent caps, increased housing supply, more social housing and restricting negative gearing to one property.
Harris is focused on violence against women and children, and wants more action about the current number of deaths, including more educational reform in schools and long term strategies to change society (in this she sounds VERY much like the teacher she is).
She wants more regional and rural support: extra funding for rural students to attend university, better healthcare funding for rural hospitals, better internet for the country, and more access to public transport.
She wants environmental reform protecting ecosystems and animals, and a renewable energy transition.
And then there’s the general suspicion of politicians and parliament: fewer career politicians, a real time political donation register with lower caps, government contract transparency, and so on. She’s generally suspicious of anything either the ALP or the Coalition have done in government is focused on themselves first.
Look. Kerrie Harris sounds like a lovely person, and most of her policy ideas are those that clearly get talked about around the table at a cafe or the pub with friends. There’s an earnestness to her position, but I cannot help but think that there are multiple parties and organisations out there with practically identical platforms that she could coordinate with, and achieve more than standing as an ungrouped candidate.
Website: https://www.theaveragewoman.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Kerrie-Harris-Independent-for-Federal-Senate-for-NSW/61572884173185/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerrieharris01
The first of the ungrouped independents this election, Kerrie Harris is a generally centrist social progressive who is a high school teacher in Cooma. She focuses on how ordinary and ‘average’ her life experience is (indeed, her campaign website is called The Average Woman) and on the struggle folk are feeling right now.
Harris is clearly inspired by the Voices for movement and very compelled by the concept that having independent representation means that she’s only beholden to voters, not other interests.
“I am attempting to get elected to the Federal Senate as a 100% true independent, taking no-donations and by running a no-cost campaign!”
This is a charmingly naive concept: while she is certainly not the only candidate on the ballot who is there for essentially a ‘testing the system’ reason (Crikey is running an ungrouped candidate in Victoria for reporting reasons), the scale of trying to run as an independent, for the Senate, in the largest state in Australia, from a regional country town does seem to have not been addressed here.
In terms of policies: honestly it’s a lot of socially progressive stuff with a regional bent.
Harris cares about housing prices, wanting rent caps, increased housing supply, more social housing and restricting negative gearing to one property.
Harris is focused on violence against women and children, and wants more action about the current number of deaths, including more educational reform in schools and long term strategies to change society (in this she sounds VERY much like the teacher she is).
She wants more regional and rural support: extra funding for rural students to attend university, better healthcare funding for rural hospitals, better internet for the country, and more access to public transport.
She wants environmental reform protecting ecosystems and animals, and a renewable energy transition.
And then there’s the general suspicion of politicians and parliament: fewer career politicians, a real time political donation register with lower caps, government contract transparency, and so on. She’s generally suspicious of anything either the ALP or the Coalition have done in government is focused on themselves first.
Look. Kerrie Harris sounds like a lovely person, and most of her policy ideas are those that clearly get talked about around the table at a cafe or the pub with friends. There’s an earnestness to her position, but I cannot help but think that there are multiple parties and organisations out there with practically identical platforms that she could coordinate with, and achieve more than standing as an ungrouped candidate.
