Meet Ballarat’s candidates for the federal election

THE 2025 Australian Federal Election, which will determine the makeup of Parliament and the
leadership of the nation for the next three years, is this weekend.

Ahead of the 3 May election, the Times News Group sent a list of identical questions to all seven candidates in Ballarat (either to their direct e-mail, or via their party).

Responses from candidates are on this page. We received no responses from Terri Pryse-Smith (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation) and Ian Maxwell Harkness (Family First).

For information on how and where to vote, head to aec.gov.au.

 

JOHN BARNES

RETIRED
LIVES IN BROWN HILL
LIVED IN ELECTORATE FOR ENTIRE LIFE

What’s your involvement with the community?
Lifelong activist in Ballarat civic life. Former Ballarat Council senior officer, councillor and mayor; past chairman of Central Highlands Water (during Millennium Drought). Countless other roles.

Are you associated with or have you been associated with a political party or movement?
Australian Greens. 2022 Federal candidate.

Who are you preferencing?
Labor ahead of Liberal

What is your campaign budget?
Approximately $6000.

Are you receiving financial assistance?
Around $2000 in-kind from Victorian Greens.

For you, what are the three most important issues in your electorate?
1. Cost of living crisis:· Raising pensions and social security payments above the poverty line immediately.·Free dental, mental and GP into Medicare.·Free public education (and childcare), including TAFE and universities.· Wiping existing HECS debts entirely. 2. Housing crisis:· Freezing rents,
capping future increases.· Limiting mortgage rates.· Grants, low interest loans to homes (owned/rented). Building 610,000 low cost public dwellings over next 10 years. 3. Climate crisis:·No new coal and gas. Adapting to the threats from wildfires, floods, storms and droughts – dangers to future prosperity, biodiversity and wellbeing.

 

CATHERINE KING

MEMBER FOR BALLARAT
LIVES IN BALLARAT CENTRAL
LIVED IN ELECTORATE OVER 30 YEARS TOTAL

What’s your involvement with the community?
Local MP since 2001. Former social worker at Child and Family Services.

Are you associated with or have you been associated with a political party or movement?
Australian Labor Party.

Who are you preferencing?
2 John Barnes, 3 Paula Doran, 4 Luke Parker, 5 Ryan Redfern, 6 Ian Maxwell Harkness, 7 Terri Pryse-Smith.

What is your campaign budget? Are you receiving financial assistance?
Raise funds throughout year at events and through community donations.

For you, what are the three most important issues in your electorate?
Cost of living pressures – Cheaper childcare, free TAFE and student debt relief. Energy bill relief. Cheaper home batteries for solar. More tax relief. Health – Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. $1 billion into free mental health clinics across Australia. Investment in Medicare so 9 out of 10 GP visits will be bulk billed by 2030. We’ll ensure a PBS prescription doesn’t cost more than $25. Housing and local infrastructure – We’ll ensure more Australians can purchase their first home with 5% deposit. $10 billion to build 100,000 homes for first home buyers.

 

LUKE PARKER

GENERAL MANAGER CONSTRUCTION
LIVES IN TEESDALE
15 YEARS WITHIN THE GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE

What’s your involvement with the community?
Involved in sports organisations and community groups.

Are you associated with or have you been associated with a political party or movement?
No involvement with any endorsed political parties.

Who are you preferencing?
2 (Ryan Redfern),3(Ian Maxwell), 4(Terri Pryse-Smith), 5 (Paula Doran) ,6 (Catherine King),7 (John Barnes).

What is your campaign budget?
What my wife has allowed me $3k

Are you receiving financial assistance?
No, self-funded

For you, what are the three most important issues in your electorate?
Cost of living. Stopping reckless renewable projects and preserving farming and agriculture in the community. Infrastructure or lack of infrastructure, only projects we receive are reckless renewable projects.

 

PAULA DORAN

ENTREPRENEUR/BUSINESS OWNER
LIVES IN BALLARAT
MOVED BACK TO BALLARAT IN NOVEMBER 2023

What’s your involvement with the community?
I am a member of Ballarat Business Women.

Are you associated with or have you been associated with a political party or movement?
For the bulk of my career I worked in the media and so wasn’t able to be an active political party member. Since starting my own business I have become more active with the Liberal Party.

Who are you preferencing?
Please see ‘how to vote card’ – pauladoran.com.au/where-to-votehow-to-vote

What is your campaign budget? Are you rreceiving financial assistance?
Support from local donors and volunteers. I would describe our spending as considered.

For you, what are the three most important issues in your electorate?
Building a strong, safe, and thriving future across electorate/supporting business growth and collaborating to establish well-thought-out suburbs in growth corridors.
Taking a balanced view of energy supply.Making sure we don’t destroy prime farm land and beautiful landscapes at cost of an adhoc Labor bender which ignores the needs of community and implements more red tape at cost of progress.
Infrastructure, roads, community safety.

 

RYAN REDFERN

ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT
LIVES IN BALLARAT
BORN AND RAISED IN BALLARAT, LIVING AND WORKING IN COMMUNITY FOR MOST OF LIFE

What’s your involvement with the community?
Part of the community within school, university and work over the years and am confident I know how to best represent Ballarat.

Are you associated with or have you been associated with a political party or movement?
Up until recently I have not had any public political involvement, but I am honored to represent the Principles of Libertarians in fighting for real solutions to many of the problems we face at a national level, but feel at a local level.

Who are you preferencing?
Our suggested local preferences: Libertarians #1, Luke Parker Independent #2, Terri Pryce-Smith of One Nation #3, Ian Harkness Family First #4.

What is your campaign budget? Are you receiving financial assistance?
Grassroots region-based community of citizens that volunteer, donate to support the party.

For you, what are the three most important issues in your electorate?
1) Prosperity – Cost of Living Solutions. 2) Strengthen the Rights of Families. 3) Freedom of Speech