Tasmanian election, Saturday 01 May 2021
Our endorsed candidates are listed in order of their electorate and support them by making a donation to their campaigns today!
We will be regularly updating this page as new candidates are confirmed.
Michelle O'Bryne is Deputy Leader of The Tasmanian Labor Party and Member for Bass. Michelle was first elected to the Federal Parliament in 1998 until 2004 and has been in the Tasmanian Parliament since 2006.
During this period Michelle served as a senior Minister for 8 years and as Deputy Labor Leader since 2014. A former National co convener of Emily’s List, Michelle had worked to increase the number of women in Parliament and been responsible for delivering significant legislative reform for women.
A proud product of the public education system Michelle and her partner live in Launceston with their two teenage daughters.
Michelle is currently the Australian Chair of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians who work to increase women’s participation in political processes globally.
| Donate to Michelle's Campaign |
Jennifer Houston for Bass
Jennifer Houston is the sitting Member for Bass and Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs
She has real life experience and knows what it’s like to do it tough. Her path in life has been marked by her endless pursuit to improve her life and the lives of others, especially working-class people and those communities doing it tough.
Jennifer was born in Launceston Tasmania, into a large family with a very long history in the region. The family wood yard provided a strong foundation in the value of working hard and working together.
Like the majority of her extended family, Jennifer has lived much of her life in the Northern and Eastern Suburbs of Launceston.
Jennifer was a single mum when she studied for her first university degree and has previously worked as a meat worker, a cleaner, a cook, a shop assistant, a manager, a university lecturer and the General Manager of a not for profit organisation. She is the only Tasmanian Aboriginal woman to ever sit in the Tasmanian Parliament and the only Aboriginal candidate this election.
| Donate to Jennifer's Campaign |
Janie Finlay has always fought hard for our region. She has a heart for community. She loves it and that’s why she has always been so committed as a councillor and a leader of community and sports organisations.
As your Labor member for Bass Janie promises tenacity, courage and empathy to fight for what’s right for Northern Tasmania.
NZ prime minister Jacinta Ardern said: “It takes courage and strength to be empathetic and I’m very proudly an empathetic and compassionate leader.”
This is an approach Janie identifies with. We have to combine courage with understanding around what our community needs when we consider housing, secure jobs and proper health care. We also need to deeply understand the needs of businesses.
Janie will work with everyone in our community, she will listen, she will learn and together we can boldly drive our region forward.
| Donate to Janie's Campaign |
Anita Dow for Braddon
She returned to Burnie in 2001 and worked as a registered nurse in clinical settings, project management, education and research, predominantly in palliative care services across the North-West and West Coasts.
Anita was elected Mayor of Burnie in 2014 following 10 years’ service as an Alderman, including four as Deputy Mayor. As Chair of Making Burnie 2030, Anita steered her community to develop a 20 year strategic plan for their city’s future. As Mayor, Anita championed Making Burnie 2030’s vision that Burnie is a regional leader, engaged with the world; a vibrant, thriving, beautiful place; a caring community and a city that lives its dreams.
Anita believes that for the people of the North West to have a bright and prosperous future, government must support our diversified local economy to enable more employment opportunities and invest in our people through improved access to health care, education opportunities and community services.
Anita is a strong advocate for the North West. She has developed her knowledge and skills through 12 years experience in local government and as a regional healthcare professional.
| Donate to Anita's Campaign |
Justine Keay for Braddon
Justine Keay, a candidate for the state seat of Braddon, is Devonport born and bred, and has lived here for most of her life. A mother of three rambunctious boys who inspire her to stand up and fight for a better future.
As the former federal member of Braddon, Justine pushed, and at times, shamed the Liberal governments into delivering essential services and infrastructure in our region, fighting their cuts every step of the way. The Liberals cut Tazreach funding, which Justine pushed them to restore, bringing needed specialists to our region again. She fought for improved access to mental health services, again pushing the Liberals to fund a second HeadSpace on the coast and funding for Bass Highway improvements between Wynyard and Marrawah and the coastal shared pathways. Justine will continue to stand up for TasTAFE, ensuring free access to courses needed to meet the current skills shortage and boost apprenticeships.
Justine has been working in dementia prevention research as a Project Officer at the University of Tasmania, which is an area close to her heart. In her spare time, she is President of the Burnie Harness Racing Club, a Board member of not-for-profit disability services provider, Devonfield, and a member of Soroptimist International. She is also halfway through her honours degree in Psychology and is passionate about improving mental health services for all ages here on the North-West and West coasts.
| Donate to Justine's Campaign |
Amanda Diprose for Braddon
For the past decade, Amanda has been proud to represent our community as a Central Coast Councillor. Amanda has lived in Ulverstone most of her life-with five years in Darwin – and wants to make the North West Coast a greater place to live.
As a mum of two teenage girls, Amanda want them and their friends to have every opportunity to succeed in life. Under the Liberals, we’ve seen things go backwards. Fewer people have a roof over their head, hospital waiting times are going up and education opportunities for our younger Tasmanians are diminishing. We’re also seeing the impact on youth and mental health services as these opportunities continue to disappear.
Amanda is backing Labor’s free TAFE policy because it will train our youth and reskill people for jobs of the future.
| Donate to Amanda's Campaign |
Michelle Rippon for Braddon
Michelle Rippon is a Labor candidate for Braddon. Michelle is running to save TAFE and public education in Tasmania. This is our future.
As a primary and high school teacher Michelle has been educating young Tasmanians since 1988. They deserve an education and a bright future in our state. There is nothing more important. Michelle wants her family and yours to feel valued and contribute to our wonderful community in Braddon.
| Donate to Michelle's Campaign |
Ella Haddad for Clark
Ella Haddad is the Member for Clark. She has worked and volunteered in Tasmania’s health and community services sector for 17 years and have seen first hand the damage that cuts to these services can do to individuals, families and communities.She is passionate about health and community services, easing cost of living pressures including housing affordability and availability, along with secure and reliable jobs.
As a single mum for six years, she walked the tightrope of work, study and parenting and struggling to make ends meet. She relied on people during that time more than she ever thought she would have to and learned a little can go a long way.
Working long hours in retail and hospitality when she was younger, Ella relied on penalty rates to get by. Having worked in health and community services, she know how important ensuring health services are there when we need them. Hospital treatment must be well funded and available when needed. She believes Tasmanians deserve well-resourced preventative health care services.
Ella loves the vibrancy of the Denison community and is determined to make sure no one gets left behind.
| Donate to Ella's Campaign |
Deb Carnes for Clark
Deb Carnes joined the Labor team in Clark because she's really scared by what is going on in our health system. Health worker safety is patient safety.
Deb is a member of the Clark Labor team for the 2021 state election. She has been a Labor member for over 25 years demonstrating an ongoing commitment to Labor values.
This includes standing up for a strong public sector and the role of government in ensuring no one is left behind.
Deb is Tasmanian born with Labor in my DNA stretching as far back as Labor party founding members. Growing up she was taught to work out what you believe in, understand why you believe it and then stand up for it. This is not her first election having been endorsed as a Labor candidate in the 1998 state election that elected a Bacon Labor government resulting in Hydro staying in public hands.
Currently Deb working part-time on her own business as well as being employed in a health technology research consultant role.
| Donate to Deb's Campaign |
Alison Standen for Franklin
Alison Standen is the Opposition Whip and Shadow Minister.
Growing up in different parts of Tasmania, Alison experienced the benefits of close-knit communities. But she also witnessed the despair that arises from a lack of jobs. Access to health, education and critical services varied from suburb to suburb, town to town. From a young age it troubled her that there were people who were struggling and missing out on opportunities. Alison has always wanted to make a difference in their lives; and believes it shouldn’t be someone else’s problem.
Through her working life as a health practitioner, a community leader and a public servant, Alison became very aware of the shortfalls of the health system. She believes every Tasmanian should be able to get access to health care when and where they need it.
There is still a lot of work to be done to lift educational outcomes in Tasmania, so that all children get the most out of their education and prepare for the workforce. Alison wants parents to have the support and jobs they need to provide hope and opportunities for their children. She wants to restore pathway planning in our schools so that our young people can have a proper pathway from school to work, and rebuild TAFE with proper consultation with industry, so that young Tasmanians have better opportunities.
Alison helped to establish The Smith Family in Tasmania, supporting disadvantaged children and their families to create better futures through education. As well as expanding literacy and mentoring programs to support 3,000 school aged children statewide, I introduced a scholarship program that provides financial assistance and personal support to over 520 of those children.
| Donate to Alison's Campaign |
Amy Brumby for Franklin
Amy Brumby was born and bred on the Eastern Shore and now live in Kingborough. She is standing in this election because she believes Tasmanians deserve better than the current Government.
Amy is a straight talker, ready to listen and ready to take action for Franklin.
Last year showed her Tasmania urgently needs significant improvement when it comes to mental health services, particularly for young people. Amy's 15 year old daughter was diagnosed with an acute mental health disorder during the worst of the COVID-19 lock down. Navigating the systems for the support, treatment and the help she needed was confusing, frustrating and extremely difficult. She knows thet are not the only family to face such struggles. We must do better for our future generations to ensure they can grow up stable, healthy and happy individuals.
As a survivor of family violence Amy also knows how hard it is to find support, guidance and information about your rights when in this situation. We need to do better. Am is determined to campaign for more resources, clearer pathways and easier access to legal support.
Amy studied Commercial Cookery at TAFE, before working in Hospitality for 10+ years. She has been a single mother on casual Hospo wages, wondering if her shifts next week would be enough to pay the bills, working every weekend and nights while missing precious time with her daughter. She has owned and operated her own small business, Lean-to-Kitchen for 2 years, so Amy understand how much work is involved in starting and running a small business.
More recently Amy has worked with United Workers Union. Over these 17 years she has worked with hospitality and public sector workers like the Education Facility Attendants who clean children’s schools. She understands how politics plays an important role in the lives of working people and that when people have good stable jobs, our economy benefits.
Amy believes everyone is entitled to be heard, especially those in our community that feel overlooked, forgotten and feel like they don’t have a voice.
If elected on May 1 Amy will work hard to stop the privatisation of public assets, increase resources and accessibility for mental health services, better support and legal access for survivor/victims of family violence.
| Donate to Amy's Campaign |
Jen Butler for Lyons
Jen Butler is a political and community activist. Jen’s family are from St Helens on Tasmania’s East Coast. Jen is a mother of three and comes from a close knit family. Jen is the daughter of Heather Butler AM, a former MP.
Jen has organised and ran successful campaigns against family violence, launching the White Ribbon group in Tasmania. Recently, Jen stopped the stealth closure of online access centres throughout rural and remote Tasmania.
She has more recently been campaigning for the Illawarra Road to be maintained as a service road between Perth and Longford. Jen is currently running a community campaign to push for funding to build a new Bridgewater Bridge with proper pedestrian and cycling access.
| Donate to Jen's Campaign |
Janet Lambert for Lyons
Janet grew up and was educated in the Launceston suburb of Ravenswood and worked as a retail assistant to support her college and university education. Graduating from UTAS with a Bachelor of Education, Janet dedicated herself to a successful 25-year teaching career in the public system. Janet has also worked as a campaign coordinator, an electorate officer for the Federal Member for Lyons and has served three terms as a local government councillor.
Janet has seen firsthand how education and opportunity can change lives. If elected, a focus will be on assisting young people to realise their full potential by finishing year 12 with clear pathways into apprenticeships, TAFE, University or secure employment.
A married, working mother of three adult children, Janet has entrenched herself into community life through her active roles and past roles in many local community committees – including fishing and football Clubs, playgroup, as well as being the inaugural Secretary and committee member of the Australian Fly-Fishing Museum. Janet has also been an active campaigner for the ‘No Super Trawler’s in Australia’ Campaign. Janet remains a strong advocate for recreational and local industry fishing sectors.
Janet will fight for greater access to general health, including preventative and mental health services in our regional areas. A firm believer that no one should be left behind, Janet will work to ensure the people of Lyons have access to secure and affordable housing in regional areas.
Making Tasmania a better place to live and work is a goal Janet aspires to achieve.
| Donate to Janet's Campaign |
Rebecca White for Lyons
Rebecca White is a Member for Lyons and the leader of the Tasmanian Labor Party.
She is passionate about ensuring there is equality of opportunity for all Tasmanians regardless of where they live, their background or circumstances. Rebecca is passionate about ensuring regional communities are well represented and supported and she is committed to growing Tasmania’s reputation as a great place to work, to visit and to live. Her focus is on building stronger communities, promoting innovation in agriculture and harnessing the potential of the NBN technology.
| Donate to Bec's Campaign |