Hannah Vardy (Class of 2021) joins David Pocock in 2025 Federal Election Bid
Hannah Vardy (Class of 2021) joins David Pocock in 2025 Federal Election Bid
ANU student and climate advocate Hannah Vardy will run alongside ACT independent senator David Pocock at the 2025 federal election.
Canberra student and climate advocate Hannah Vardy will run alongside ACT independent senator David Pocock at the 2025 federal election.
Ms Vardy, a fourth-year biology, climate science and law student at the Australian National University, wants young voices to be heard in the political process.
The 21-year-old lifelong Canberran has spent the past 18 months working with Senator Pocock on his campaign for an environmental duty of care.
Now, she’s turning her attention to the Senate race.
“I put my hand up to run with David, because we know that young people have the courage that is needed to address the multitude of intergenerational equity crises that we’re currently facing,” she told The Canberra Times.
Ms Vardy replaces Clare Doube as Senator Pocock’s running mate. Ms Doube is the co-founder of proACT, which has endorsed Senator Pocock to run again for the upper house, and will remain closely involved in the election campaign.
Senator Pocock said he and Ms Vardy would be campaigning on four key issues this election: cost of living, housing, health and the climate and environment.
He said it was important to foster the next generation of leaders coming into Parliament.
“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,” Senator Pocock said.
“Hannah has been an outstanding advocate on issues that her generation carries an outsized burden on.”
Ms Vardy isn’t the only young candidate giving the 2025 federal election a crack. ANU student William Roche, at 19 years old, is running as a lower house candidate for the Canberra Liberals.
Given this will be the second federal election that Millennials and Gen Z voters will outnumber Baby Boomers, Ms Vardy is confident there is an appetite for a younger generation of candidates.
She said young people have the courage to address issues that affect them, such as housing affordability, action on climate change and student debt.
“I think there’s a massive appeal all across the community for younger candidates to really push the major parties to go further on some of these issues,” she said.
Content: Canberra Times, By Brittney Levinson