Milthorpe announces surprise career move

EXCLUSIVE

Michelle Milthorpe, who helped spearhead news.com.au’s groundbreaking #JusticeShouldntHurt campaign to make court less traumatic for child sexual abuse victims, will today announce her intention to run as an independent candidate against deputy opposition leader, Sussan Ley, in the federal division of Farrer, located in south west NSW.

At a 10am press conference in Jindera, Milthorpe will reveal her plans to contest the seat which has always been held by either a Liberal or National Party member since its establishment in 1949.

The current sitting member, Sussan Ley has held the post since November 2001 and was appointed deputy leader of the Liberal Party in 2022.

But Ley has also faced several controversies throughout her 23-year reign.

In 2017, she quit as Minister for Health following an expenses scandal where it was discovered Ley had used taxpayer money to travel to the Gold Coast to purchase a $795,000 investment property and attend multiple New Year’s Eve parties.

In March 2022, Ley faced heated public criticism after approving a Coalition decision to scrap 176 recovery plans designed to prevent the extinction of threatened Australian species and habitats. The Government had previously called for public feedback, and all 6701 responses had disagreed with the proposed removal of the recovery plans.

In August this year, an investigation into parliamentary workplace behaviour found Ley had been ejected from question time on 11 occasions in this parliamentary session alone, making her one of the most frequently ejected members. Ley responded that she made “no apology” for her “passion” filled performances.

Who is Michelle Milthorpe?

Today Michelle Milthorpe will announce her intention to run against Ley claiming that rural and regional Australians are no longer being represented by the major parties.

“The people making decisions that affect our lives everyday do not understand the needs of communities like ours. They do not understand the pressures facing the regional people … and let’s be honest, it’s been this way for a while now” Milthorpe told news.com.au

“Our ‘safe-seat’ status has led to a complacency that is not serving us: our needs are not being heard,” she said.

Milthorpe, who is a mum of three and an educator, rose to national prominence in 2022 when she and her family launched the #JustinceShouldntHurt campaign in partnership with news.com.au.

The campaign successfully called for the expansion of a program designed to make court less traumatic for child sexual abuse victims, after two of Michelle’s daughters – Rose and Pippa – endured unspeakable and shocking treatment in court, following sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of a family friend, at ages five and eight, respectively.

In response to the campaign, more than $64 million was committed by the NSW Government to expand the Child Sexual Offence Evidence program beyond Sydney and Newcastle courts, so all child victims in the state would have equal access to the program, regardless of where they live.

“I’m very passionate about ‘postcode justice’ and the idea that you shouldn’t be discriminated against because of the postcode you happen to live in,” said Milthorpe at the time. “Regional Australians deserve the same rights as everyone else.”

Spurred on by that success, Milthorpe says that there are many other issues impacting regional Australia, where she wishes to make a positive difference, including improving access to education, health care, housing, and telecommunications,

“You know, I never set out to become a politician – it was not on my to-do list. [But] I grew up in Cootamundra and my parents, grandparents and extended family all embody the values of hard work, service to others, and loyalty.

“So I was taught that if you see something that needs fixing, and you have the capacity to make positive change, you should.

“Throughout my life I have worked as a teacher, but have also played the role of coach, small business owner and advocate, all of which have required determination and persistence, and have taught me to be solutions-focused.

“The seat of Farrer has been too safe, for too long … It is time to try something new: someone that will lead us to positive change.

“I am passionate about returning regional Australia’s voice to the table … We deserve better representation … more reflective of the values of regional Australians.”

The division of Farrer covers more than 125,000 square kilometres and has always been considered a safe non-Labor seat, with its members alternating between the Liberal Party and the National Party.

The division has had only four members since its establishment in 1949 – each sitting for an average of 18 years. All four members have also gone on to serve in cabinet.

The division is located in southwest NSW and includes Griffith, Albury, Hay, Corowa, Leeton, Narrandera, Deniliquin, Wentworth and Balranald.

Nina Funnell is a Walkley Award winning freelance journalist and was responsible for creating the #JusticeShouldntHurt and #LetHerSpeak campaigns.