ACT Independent Senator David Pocock has announced that Duty of Care Campaigner Hannah Vardy will be his running mate for the 2025 campaign.
A proud lifelong Canberran, Hannah 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 over 25,000 people across Australia, alongside prominent voices including Australians of the Year, a Nobel Prize laureate and Australia’s most decorated Olympian.
Hannah is a fourth-year law, biology and climate science student at the Australian National University who has also worked as a research assistant and in Senator Pocock’s electorate office supporting constituents and working on policy.
Also an avid long-distance trail runner, Hannah said the ACT’s beautiful nature reserves and mountain ranges are one of 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,” Hannah 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.”
Senator Pocock said Hannah has already had a huge impact on the community in her 21 years and looked forward to the added contribution she could make during the campaign.
“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. 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.”
Following re-endorsement from proACT to run again as the community backed independent ACT senate candidate, Senator Pocock launched his 2025 campaign yesterday at Old Parliament House. He said recent electoral changes rammed through parliament by the major parties will lock out new independents, and that safeguarding our democracy while standing up to major party vested interests will be a big part of the campaign alongside the four priority policy areas Canberrans have said are key for them at the next election.
“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, climate and environment and this is what Hannah and I will be campaigning on,” Senator Pocock said.
“Integrity in government and fighting to get the ACT our fair share of federal funding also remain big concerns for our community so holding politicians accountable will remain priorities.”