With the declaration of nominations occurring today, David Pocock has announced his running mate and confirmed he has officially renounced citizenship of his birth country.
Nominating at least two candidates is one of the requirements to be listed ‘above the line’ on the Senate ballot paper, which is critical to any candidate’s chances of winning come polling day.
ProACT, Canberra’s local ‘Voices of’ movement, co-founder Clare Doube will be David’s second candidate.
David said he was delighted to have someone of Clare’s intellect, calibre and commitment to the community join him on the ticket.
“Clare is a passionate member of our community who commands enormous respect and has deep connections right across Canberra,” says David.
“I am very fortunate to have her support and so pleased that Clare has signed on as my running mate.”
Together with partner Glenn, Clare established proACT as a grassroots community movement aiming to reconnect people and politics.
Following kitchen table conversations with hundreds of people from across the ACT, proACT conducted an endorsement process late last year that resulted in David’s selection as the community-endorsed ACT Independent senate candidate.
Having instigated the process that was the catalyst for David’s campaign, Clare said she was delighted to now be joining the ticket and supporting efforts to do democracy better.
“I'm excited that Canberrans will have a real choice at this election and am delighted to be supporting a candidate with such integrity,” Clare says.
“Having spent time with David over the last few months, I have seen how he operates - genuinely listening and engaging with people. I know that he will bring an impressive range of skills and experience to Parliament.”
A local now for more than 14 years after growing up in rural South Australia, Clare’s career spans senior positions with both local and international not-for-profits as well as the public service.
Consistent with Section 44 of the Constitution, which restricts a candidate from running for Federal parliament with a citizenship other than Australian, David has also provided documentary evidence confirming renunciation of his citizenship of both Zimbabwe and South Africa.
This means David is now solely a citizen of Australia and no other country as required. It also serves to further highlight his commitment to the Canberra community and the country in his campaign for an ACT Senate seat at the upcoming federal election.
“As any migrant knows, giving up citizenship is a huge thing. But I love this community and I want to do what I can to have the opportunity to represent the people of Canberra,” David says.
“Zimbabwe will always be a special place to me. I have been involved in community development, agriculture and conservation projects there over the years and it will always be part of who I am. But Canberra is my home and I want to represent a community I love.”
David and his family relocated to Brisbane, Australia in 2002, after their farm in Gweru was taken in Zimbabwe government’s land reform. In 2012 David moved to Canberra to play rugby for the ACT Brumbies and the Australian Wallabies.
While David spent time during 2021 in Zimbabwe developing Rangelands Restoration Trust - an agriculture project working to build nature-based climate solutions, adaptation and resilience in rural southern Zimbabwe - Canberra has been his home for the last decade.