18 March 2025

Pocock picks a running mate

| Chris Johnson
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Independent ACT Senator David Pocock has announced his new running mate, ANU student Hannah Vardy. Photo: Supplied.

ACT independent Senator David Pocock has announced that community advocate and ANU student Hannah Vardy is his running mate for the federal election.

The 21-year-old is a fourth-year law, biology and climate science student, and has worked as a research assistant and in Senator Pocock’s electorate office supporting constituents and working on policy.

A lifelong Canberran, Ms Vardy has been part of a leadership team advocating across the parliament and the community to legislate a duty of care on climate for young people and future generations.

The campaign, which includes a private senator’s bill Senator Pocock introduced in parliament, has garnered support from more than 25,000 people across Australia.

Senator Pocock said Ms Vardy has already had a huge impact on the community in her 21 years and he looked forward to the added contribution she could make during the campaign.

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“Young people have so much to offer when it comes to having the courage to tackle the root causes of the big challenges we face,” he said.

“Hannah has been an outstanding advocate on issues that her generation carries an outsized burden on.

“Tackling growing intergenerational inequity, driven by things like housing unaffordability, ballooning student debt and the impacts of our changing climate, has to be a priority for the next parliament.

“I believe it’s also really important that we foster the next generation of leaders coming into the parliament and the independents movement to keep giving authentic voice and representation to our community.

“We need to listen to the views of young people and create opportunities for them to contribute to our nation’s political leadership.

“I’m excited for the contribution Hannah will make to our community in her capacity as my running mate at the next election.”

Ms Vardy is also an avid long-distance trail runner.

She insists that the ACT’s “beautiful nature reserves and mountain ranges” are among the reasons why it is a wonderful place to live.

“I decided to stand as Senator Pocock’s running mate in the upcoming election because I believe it is vitally important that youth voices are not only heard in democratic and political processes, but are able to meaningfully contribute to the decisions that will impact our lives the most,” Ms Vardy said.

“Working with our community here in the ACT across different roles, I have come to understand the issues that matter most to Canberrans and the ways in which short-term decision making is letting people down. I want to be part of the work to change that.”

READ ALSO Coalition softens position over public servants working from home

Following re-endorsement from proACT to run again as the community-backed independent ACT senate candidate, Senator Pocock launched his 2025 campaign on Sunday (16 March) at Old Parliament House.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to set the date for the federal election, which has to be held before 17 May.

At his preemptive launch, however, Senator Pocock said electoral changes recently pushed through parliament by Labor and the Coalition aimed to lock out new independents.

He said “safeguarding our democracy” while standing up to “major party vested interests” would be a big part of the campaign.

“All the consultation I’ve done across our community shows four key issues are at the top of Canberrans’ agendas for the election: cost-of-living, housing, health, and climate and environment,” he said.

“And this is what Hannah and I will be campaigning on.”

Added to those issues is another topic to once again feature in the independents’ campaign.

“Integrity in government and fighting to get the ACT our fair share of federal funding also remain big concerns for our community,” Senator Pocock said.

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Heywood Smith10:51 am 18 Mar 25

What does this 21 year old know about costs of living or housing affordability?.. Has she purchased her own home, pays bills quarterly etc, i highly doubt it. Quote: ‘it is vitally important that youth voices are not only heard in democratic and political processes, but are able to meaningfully contribute to the decisions that will impact our lives the most’. Really, such as? Ms Vardy failed to mention anything of relevance or substance in relation to this statement.. Because, she has no idea!

Peter Curtis5:17 pm 18 Mar 25

Why wouldn’t she know? She is in a generation that will possibly never own a home. One should as that question of our PM who has never had a job outside the ALP and parliament.

Capital Retro11:50 am 19 Mar 25

Peter Curtis, I know a few people of Hannah’s age that have made other choices like working full time with a couple of earners on the side and no distractions like social media and politics.
They are already paying off their first home and planning their families.
I did something similar at her age. If I didn’t I wouldn’t have been to save the regulatory one-third deposit for my first home.

William Teach1:04 pm 19 Mar 25

she can stand where her party leader tells her to, that’s all that a backbencher is good for anyway.

@William Teach
Perhaps you could tell those of us, not as well versed in “independent ‘ministerial'” protocol as you, where she would stand if she were not a backbencher?

Oh wait, as an independent, her party leader is also a back bencher!

Nevertheless, thank you for your (totally lacking anything remotely resembling) insightful comment.

Capital Retro3:28 pm 19 Mar 25

Correct, William Teach.
Pocock has party status so he is really no longer an independent.

@Capital Retro
Congratulations – you just qualified for your gold medal in hair splitting. As you know, party registration, was a technical “jink” to the voting system, that allowed him to get votes, above the line and thus he was able to defeat your man, Seselja. What’s next? You claim the election was rigged?

Nevertheless, semantically, you are correct. I wonder, if he doesn’t vote along the David Pocock Party lines, will he be sanctioned by the party? Perhaps expelled?

Capital Retro9:37 am 18 Mar 25

“Tackling growing intergenerational inequity, driven by things like housing unaffordability, ballooning student debt and the impacts of our changing climate, has to be a priority for the next parliament.”

What a lot of rubbish.

Clueless, as usual, CR 🤦‍♂️

The upcoming federal election will be the first election where Gen Z and Millennials will outnumber boomers in every state and territory. So, while these issues are rubbish to you, they will probably resonate with the younger and majority voters.

Capital Retro11:06 am 18 Mar 25

People like you build receptivity for the demographics you nominated to accept the rubbish.
These same demographics are all about self-interest, a valueless concept which didn’t exist when times were meaningful.
You seem to accept that the “young and majority voters” will embrace these policies so it will be interesting to see how the same group will accept the abolition of same by the next foreign country to invade Australia.

Ignoring the climate change issue for a second, if its a load of rubbish CR, then surely your obsession with facts (ha ha ha) will be able to clearly show links that support the obvious conclusion that you think housing unaffordability and student debts aren’t increasing?

I look forward to some robust evidence being provided by you in regards to this claim. It should be fascinating to read, and I’m sure absolutely will be the product of rigorous analysis….

Oh wait, did I turn off the sarcasm mode yet…. 😛

CR clearly hasn’t read any of the intergenerational reports that outline distinct inequities in numerous government policy areas.

@Capital Retro
LMAO … unlike you, CR, I understand that times change and so does society. So yes I embrace receptivity and because of that, I accept that Gen Z and Millenials do have different expectations to mine, or even those I had when I was their age.

I know it will never happen, CR, but perhaps you would be less resentful, if you actually joined the rest of us in the 21st Century.

As for “the next foreign country to invade Australia”? No foreign country has ever invaded Austrlia. Even if your inane Chicken Little, ‘sky is falling’ prediction, comes true, the ‘next’ invasion will be the first. Yet again, you prove, CR, that you and facts will never be acquainted.

PS Before you come back with some retort, about references to ‘Invasion Day’, “Australia” did not exist in 1788.

What happened to Gen X…yep the forgotten generation

Capital Retro9:19 am 19 Mar 25

Send me your executive summary please chewy.

Capital Retro9:22 am 19 Mar 25

Gold medal for hair-splitting, JS.
You know exactly what I was referring to and you should also realize the fifth column is already here.

CR – well said. Don’t you love the tedium of responses that come back from a few regulars – “you haven’t provided evidence”, “you’re wrong”, “you’re unintelligent”. Sometimes i wonder if their greatest skills are to copy and paste.

Penfold,
When you keep making unsubstantiated comments and refuse to provide supporting evidence, is it any wonder responses pointing that out look similar?

You seem to prefer living in an unchallenged echo chamber where you can just freely make stuff up.

Why did you lie, Penfold? I did not read that anyone made those personal assertions above, yet on that false basís you try to denigrate others.

What is your objection to evidence for facts?

Guilty conscience chewy ? Thanks for proving the point !

Capital Retro2:31 pm 19 Mar 25

Penfold, a British WW2 bomber pilot told me many years ago “you knew when you were near the target because the flack got thicker”.

@Capital Retro
I’m not sure what hairs I split, CR, but thank you for the gold medal.

Unfortunately, I can only confer a silver medal on you, as I wouldn’t want it to clash with your ‘fifth column’ tinfoil hat 🤦‍♂️

LOL, Penfold, you were the one clearly telling on yourself with that comment.

Must be a struggle getting caught out constantly making stuff up and being unable to back it up.

@Penfold
I’ll take tedium over hypocrisy anyday. People who live in glass houses …?

Somebody is going to be very upset when they find out Gen Z is apparently becoming more conservative and religious than the previous generation.

The flack does get thicker CR though the quality of ordinance doesn’t seem to. I’m up for a good banter but it should involve a level of facts, evidence and comprehension.

Good on you JS. Btw can you wear a tinfoil hat in a glass house ?

@Penfold
I’ll have to defer to those more versed in the wearing of tinfoil hats than I.

“I’m up for a good banter but it should involve a level of facts, evidence and comprehension.”

Shame to see you announce that you’re going to stop posting Penfold.

@Ken M
“Gen Z is apparently becoming more conservative and religious than the previous generation”

Yeah about that … I read this report, on young people’s political leanings:
https://theconversation.com/australias-young-people-are-moving-to-the-left-though-young-women-are-more-progressive-than-men-reflecting-a-global-trend-222288
in which it states:
“I found that Australian Millennial and Gen Z men are more conservative than their female counterparts, but are more progressive than men of previous generations at the same stage of life.”

Now there’s contradiction for you. I guess it depends on who or what you read, but I’m not upset with what I found out.

Having responded to a later post, Penfold has evidently read my earlier one yet cannot find any answers at all; no facts, no evidence, no comprehension. Collapsed into his own void.

No further action needed.

Climate 200 are now hiring juniors. 🤣

Don’t vote for the climate 200 commies

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