PRECEDE
The other night, while we were sleeping, SANDY BOLTON MP was sitting at her Parliamentary desk going over the last of 229 amendments to a bill she cared about deeply, as the sun came up over Brisbane. The only true independent in the Big House, the Member for Noosa has no support staff so sleep deprivation is the norm during sitting weeks, but if there is one thing the Queensland Parliament has learnt in Sandy’s first term it is this: never under-estimate her capacity for hard work or her strength of purpose. Phil Jarratt sat her in the Hotseat.
My research reveals that you’re a surfie chick from Gosford.
Well, certainly born in Gosford, but I wasn’t a surfie, even when we lived at Evans Head. I come from a sole parent family and my mother was incredibly hardworking. She’d come from multi-generational poverty and hardships, so in an era when there was no welfare, she did whatever work it took to put food on the table, and a roof over our heads.
Sounds like you’re a chip off the old block.
My mother didn’t know anything else except to work hard. She taught us that whatever was needed to be done, you just got in and did it. She built up and sold businesses, including the jetty at Evans Head. We then jumped in a caravan and moved to Sydney’s western suburbs. Mum worked as a PA, a contract milker and house painter so that she could train horses. I grew up with many smells … cleaning fish, turps and yes, manure!
Did you have siblings?
Yes, a brother and two sisters but much older, so by the time I was five they’d left home and it was just Mum and me. I left school early to contribute to the household, working in a variety of jobs, then from 18 in hotel management until at the grand old age of 22 I needed a break to see a bit of Australia. I had $100 and a backpack.
Mataranka in the Territory was where I met my future husband and I found myself living on a million acres just below Arnhem Land. Suddenly I’d gone from high heels and a suit to life of beauty and isolation. After the first bub, to Brunette Downs, then by the time we were north of Julia Creek, we had three. During the annual visits back to Sydney, there was always a magical green patch. And after being in drought for three years, with our two oldest never seeing rain, this green patch on the old Bruce Highway at Cooroy became a beacon. That is how we discovered Noosa, and soon after bought a derelict old farmhouse on 60 acres at Kin Kin. That was 29 years ago. What was your first local job?
Setting up the Kin Kin Village Voice with a $20 contribution from the guys at the sawmill to pay for the photocopying. It was basic but had the contact numbers for services and all the stuff you need in a small community. I just loved getting the stories from the old-timers.
When were you inspired to run for office?
A combination of things. When I came to Noosa there were very few jobs, so I took whatever was available including dishwashing, volunteered and when working for not-for-profits became very much aware of problems such as housing and domestic violence here. I wasn’t interested in politics per se, it was more that I wanted to resolve and couldn’t get any answers how to fix, though heard a lot of reasons how we couldn’t. To get answers I realised I needed to understand by getting inside the system, and so began the journey once our children had fled the coop – becoming a Councilor, running for Mayor and missing out, then running for State Parliament and getting in.
When you were campaigning for the seat of Noosa in 2017, you said, “It seems no party will have a clear majority … independent members like me will have the opportunity to exercise real influence.” Labor did win a clear majority, but have you been able to exercise real influence?
When I ran I set out with six commitments to the electorate, and by the time the election comes around I will have nearly delivered on all of them. However, it wasn’t about influence. It was persistence and hard work to put cases forward effectively without denigrating others. The day you see me throwing rocks, you’ll know something is very, very wrong.
Do you sometimes feel as an independent that it’s you against the world?
It was very daunting at first because there is nowhere to hide, and your every vote is read out, unlike when you are with a party, and yes, there were boos at the start! You have to take responsibility and explain how you got to that decision, and the research is extensive to get to that point. With difference of opinions, tackle the issue, not the person.
Looking back on your time on Council and in the State House, how does the level of nastiness and the quality of debate compare?
As a Councillor I’d have to go and lick my wounds out on the veranda after a vigorous debate, however it never got personal! At State level, I don’t support this idea of dragging the other side down to make a point, and wrote to the Premier and Speaker about this, as we have schoolchildren watching and listening. We have to set an example if we’re ever going to stop the bullying and harassment that is being experienced at all ages. You can debate with respect, hold the government accountable and call out the porkies without denigrating people in Chamber or outside on social media.
What about campaigns? You’ve been through a few now. Any dirty pool?
Oh, horrendous, where do you start? But I’ve always been clear during campaigns and elections. Our team has a code of conduct, and an ethos to lead by example. Never engage in those dirty tactics, never denigrate. You don’t have to do that to win an election, and I think I’ve demonstrated that. I haven’t had time to think about the (October Queensland) election yet, but I will be asking the same of candidates as I have before, for everyone to demonstrate how you can have an election that inspires others to follow suit.
How has Noosa coped with Covid?
I’ve been so proud of this community. It was like the bushfires all over again, except it has gone on for months and no one could see it or smell it. I saw the incredible selflessness of residents getting on and doing what had to be done. It was a defining moment for Noosa. Our health and businesses were at stake, but as I did my rounds I found that people were committed to be safe and responsible, supportive and resilient.
So should we open the border?
There are components that are confusing everyone regarding the indicators that are being used for that determination. Understandably there is caution from residents and business people, because they don’t want to go backwards. But they’re confident, they’ve worked hard to set up their strategies to manage outbreaks, and they’re ready and looking forward to July 10.
