Julia Zemiro | The Independents Podcast

Alana has a background in social science and psychotherapy, leadership and governance training. A social activist and change expert, she is Chair of the Victorian Women’s Trust and co-founder and past President of Voices for Indi. https://www.communityindependentsproject.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Engineer Claire Ferres Miles combines deep local roots as a 30-year resident with significant leadership experience running large organisations, including Sustainability Victoria, and her own small business. Casey stretches from the suburban fringe through the Dandenong Ranges to the Yarra Valley, facing increasing pressures from natural disasters, infrastructure gaps, and cost of living challenge...

Francine Wiig, a Sunshine Coast local of nearly 20 years, brings extensive real-world experience as a legal professional, small business owner, and mother of twins. She is running as an independent candidate to prioritise the community and ensure it receives the representation it deserves, not what the major parties dictate. For too long, Fairfax has been treated as a safe seat, and as the fastest...

Michelle Milthorpe has worked as a teacher, coach, small business owner and advocate. She is well known in her regional community for her support for students with learning difficulties, and her successful advocacy for reforms to how the NSW justice system treats child victims. Michelle is challenging Liberal Party Deputy Leader Sussan Ley, who has held the seat for 23 years, with a campaign...

A small business owner and local councillor, Jeremy Miller owns a bakery and café in Taree, following a background in commercial radio, event management, and theatre. Through roles managing the Manning Entertainment Centre, founding community events, and his active council service, Miller has established strong connections across the changing demographics of the region, from traditional farming co...

Byron is a public policy specialist with over a decades’ experience working in international and domestic climate policy, climate aid, development finance, and federal politics. He represented Australia in the UNFCCC negotiations on the Paris Agreement and Second Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol. He then served as an adviser to the Co-Chair of the Green Climate Fund Board, managing the appr...

Simon is a self-confessed energy geek, 'root striker', 'Trimtab' and 'Impatient Incrementalist'. He is an energy analyst and climate philanthropist. He is also Climate 200's Convenor, a director at the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network and an advisor to the Smart Energy Council. www.climate200.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the publisher of the local newspaper, The Post, Tina Brown has been deeply immersed in the community of Sydney’s upper north shore, and connected to what residents are feeling. Tina founded The Post during COVID lockdowns, providing local news coverage and connecting with community organisations. She also runs an international education company and has actively supported women's shelters and me...

Ellie Smith has a background in environmental management and a career in policy and government relations. Over a decade she’s helped farmers, policymakers and conservationists find common ground and smart solutions that benefit all Queenslanders. She’s also held board roles for a number of environmental organisations, experiences that have built strong policy and negotiation skills. Surviving canc...

Erchana is a world-record holding marathon runner and change-maker. In 2022 she made history and inspired audiences across the world by running 150 marathons over 150 consecutive days from Cape York to Melbourne to raise vital funds for Australia’s endangered wildlife. Now, she’s taking that passion, motivation and energy to another start line by running for the southern Gold Coast seat of McPhers...

A lawyer and business leader, Kate secured a stunning victory after a rapid campaign in 2022. She brings significant private sector experience, including senior roles at Wesfarmers and Anglicare WA. Kate chose to run as an Independent to advocate for stronger climate action and political integrity. In Parliament Kate has championed evidence-based policymaking and long-term thinking, particularly a...

Dr Helen Haines life has been grounded in community service – as a nurse, midwife, and public health researcher. Helen lives in Wangaratta and was part of the grassroots independent movement that transformed politics in Indi and the nation. Helen was elected in 2019 as the first independent in Australian history to succeed another independent in a federal seat, continuing Cathy McGowan’s legacy of...

Kate Hook is a small farmer, who has also helped set up a locally-owned renewable energy co-operative. She has spent the last two years helping communities across NSW advocate for their needs with renewable energy projects. She first ran as an independent in 2022 because she was asked to step up and was overwhelmed by the community’s support – coming second against the National Party incumben...

Andrew Wilkie has been the Independent Member for Clark (previously called Denison) since 2010 and is the longest serving Independent in the Federal Parliament. He has a strong sense of social justice and is a powerful integrity advocate. His flagship issues include climate change, gambling, integrity, animal welfare, asylum seekers and foreign and security policy. Andrew famously blew the whistle...

When Nicolette Boele, a finance, clean energy and responsible investment expert, first ran as an independent candidate in 2022, she saw the biggest swing against the Liberal Party of all the community independent candidates. When she led the local campaign to support an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice in 2023, Bradfield was the only Liberal seat to vote ‘yes.’ Nicolette is running agai...

Broadcaster, author and small business owner Alex Dyson is again running as an independent to get a better deal for his home, south west Victoria. In 2019, with $5,000 and a handful of family and friends supporting him, Alex secured 10% of the vote. Then Voices of Wannon formed, inspired by the community independent movement in Indi in north-east Victoria.  The group endorsed Alex in 2022, wi...

Keryn and her husband pioneered grid-connected solar energy on the Sunshine Coast, transforming their electrical contracting business into a solar success story. Their efforts, in partnership with a local community group, helped the Caloundra postcode lead the country in solar uptake for several years. Keryn’s hands-on energy doesn’t stop there: she’s been a local councillor, volunteered with food...

From Olympic bronze medallist in alpine skiing to barrister specialising in commercial and sports law, Zali has built a career marked by determination and principled advocacy. Her path to politics was sparked by frustration with Australia's climate inaction, leading her to take on and defeat former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2019. In Parliament, Steggall’s landmark Climate Change Bill helped co...

Dr Sophie Scamps, a former emergency doctor at Mona Vale Hospital and local GP, turned this safe Liberal seat Independent in 2022. Before entering politics (and in addition to being  a doctor with a Masters from Oxford) Sophie founded Our Blue Dot, a community organisation focused on reducing waste and emissions, and competed internationally as a middle-distance runner. In Parliament, Sophie...

Award-winning foreign correspondent Zoe Daniel spent three decades covering global crises for the ABC. Her children convinced her that frustration with politics-as-usual wasn't enough – she had to step up and make change happen. She did exactly that when she flipped the safe Liberal seat independent.  Over the past three years, Zoe has brought deep experience to parliamentary debates on media...

Allegra Spender is an accomplished business leader, renewable energy advocate, and the independent Member for Wentworth. Allegra’s academic background includes an Economics degree from Cambridge University, an MSc from the University of London, and advanced business courses at Harvard and Dartmouth College. Her professional journey began at McKinsey as a business analyst, where she gained expertis...

2024 Victorian Father of the Year, Ben Smith is CEO of the Mornington Community Support Centre, a charity supporting locals struggling with housing insecurity and financial hardship. He is a well-respected community advocate, and also owns a successful local retail business.  Ben is passionate about helping vulnerable people, whether it be tackling cost of living pressure, improving healthcar...

For 25 years, Dr Monique Ryan treated children with complex neurological conditions, culminating in her role as Director of Neurology at the Royal Children's Hospital – until her community chose her to represent their voice in Canberra over the then longstanding member and deputy leader of the Liberal Party. Her first term in parliament has been marked by significant achievements, including helpin...

Caz Heise is a nurse and regional health leader who has dedicated her life to supporting people in their most vulnerable moments. This has included delivering compassionate care at the bedside, leading regional health and emergency response teams, and managing Cowper's local hospitals during bushfires and floods. Her role as a Board Director of Cancer Council NSW, combined with her experience as a...

A lawyer who has spent her career helping families navigate crises, Deb is running her second independent campaign in Monash. Deb is tightly focused on cost of living issues as well as the energy transition underway in the electorate, home to many who work in Victoria’s coal fired power industry, the site of a major renewable energy project, and adjacent to one of Dutton’s proposed nuclear power p...