Independent female candidate Dr Kerryn Phelps has won the Wentworth by-election, taking the highly coveted seat that previously belonged to Malcolm Turnbull before his resignation from the Liberal party. Australia has not had a hung parliament since Julie Gillard won Government in 2010, and with Kerryn winning the Wentworth seat, it renders the Liberals a minority government.
Kerryn has been a local doctor in Wentworth for the past 20 years. She has had extensive experience working in business, health and social justice advocacy at all levels of Government, including acting as City of Sydney Councillor, Former Deputy Lord Mayor, and former Federal President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA).
Kerryn was the first female President of the AMA, as President she was able to influence health policy at State and Federal levels. In her role she encouraged the development of the first AMA indigenous health report card and initiated the organisation’s first health policies on complementary medicine and on sexuality and gender diversity. As a health columnist for Australian Women’s Weekly she has actively challenged health professionals and patients to integrate multiple healthcare philosophies known as integrative medicine.
Although Kerryn is a passionate advocate for better health for all, she has also activity advocated on issues of social justice, climate change and developing a better economy. As a politician she brands herself as a voice of trust and independence for Wentworth. Her local concerns for the Wentworth community include; restoring funding and transparency to the ABC to ensure public broadcaster is free from political or commercial interference and to build a new public school for Wentworth.
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