Are women the future of politics?

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

DI GILLETT [HOST] (00:04)

Kellie when you hear the words power of women, what comes to mind?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (00:09)

and optimism and all my girlfriends and just generations of great energy.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (00:15)

Leadership is tested most clearly at moments of disruption. And when we’re talking about politics, women are at the center of that shift. I’m Di Gillett and this is the Power of Women podcast. And what I love about this platform is the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the strength, resilience and achievement of women from all walks of life. Today, I am joined by Kellie Sloane, leader at the Liberal Party of New South Wales.

 

and in fact one of the most consequential figures in state politics right now. Kellie leads at a moment when expectations of political leadership are changing, greater accountability, deeper scrutiny and higher standards. And as the events of December 2025 in Bondi Beach in Australia revealed, at a time when we have never experienced such volatility in the community.

 

Callie has spoken publicly about issues left to the margins. Men’s health, Australia’s declining birth rate, economic participation, infrastructure, and importantly, access to healthcare. And only a few weeks ago, she announced a new shadow ministry, positioning her team as government ready as we approach 2027. This is a conversation about why women are changing politics.

 

At a time when change is a daily headline. Kellie Sloane, welcome to the Power of Women podcast.

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (01:47)

Thank you, Di. It’s so great to be with you.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (01:50)

Great to see you, Kellie. And for those listening who feel somewhat disillusioned by politics, we’re trying to put pay to that in today’s conversation. Kellie, love to reveal a backstory of where somebody’s come from and what brings them to current day. You’ve built an incredibly successful career outside politics. Why the shift and why now?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (02:18)

first job was as a journalist, a television journalist. I worked for Channel 9 primarily for about 14 years. And I had the great privilege of standing with people in moments of crisis, moments of loss, and moments of opportunity and celebration. And in those moments, there was a real privilege in reporting on that, telling their stories. But I guess I increasingly got frustrated by

 

The fact that I couldn’t play an active role in the change that I wanted to see. So telling their story was important, but being an active participant in the change that I wanted to see in our community became something that was really motivating for me. So I left journalism and moved into the not-for-profit sector.

 

worked with Life Education was the CEO of that organization and your listeners might be familiar with Healthy Harold, the giraffe. That was the icon of that organization. Got me deeply involved in policy around children’s and young people’s health, their mental health, their physical health. So I started to get an itch to do more. And I guess there was a point where I thought,

 

You know, I’ve told people stories, I’ve advocated for them. Now let’s jump in and see if I can make an even bigger difference in politics. And here I am.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (03:37)

Fantastic. And I know there is a personal cost in stepping forward into public life and in particular in politics. And I know a lot of people would wrestle with what that looks like. How have you come to terms with that part of the decision to step up into politics?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (03:57)

I have my eyes wide open, have to say, having covered politics for so long as a journalist and interviewed lots of prime ministers and engaged with the political process. So I knew that going into it, it would be tough. And I had to be okay with that. I had to be okay with giving up a level of privacy, giving up a lot of family time, because as a member of parliament, people probably don’t realize that you’re up very early and you’re going to

 

community events every night, which is really terrific. And I really enjoy that part of the role, but it means less time with friends, less time with family. And so guess I’m, you know, had that chat with my husband and our boys, our boys are now teenagers. So they understood and they were very supportive. And so I’m really lucky to do that. And can I say, I have to say there’s so much more that’s positive about this role than negative and

 

I thought there would be a greater deal of skepticism, a greater deal of anger, a greater deal of hate. And I have to say, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the warmth in the community. People who were inclined to vote for me, people who won’t vote for me, who have said, you know, we really respect what you do and what you’re putting your hand up for. So I think we have in Australia that healthy skepticism of politics and politicians, understandable. But there’s also a lot of people who say, thanks for what you’re doing.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (05:18)

Kellie, was there ⁓ a political figure either in Australia or globally who has influenced your decision to step forward or in fact your views?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (05:31)

strong strength and inspiration from a variety of different figures. Sometimes they’re very different. As an example, if you were to go back a number of decades, Margaret Thatcher, who had this steely determination even when opposed and just pushed through based on her values. I find that incredibly inspiring. But on the other hand, someone entirely different, like Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand, whose policies I may not agree with, but I really respect her for showing a

 

kind of leadership that really resonates with me. One that says that kindness is a strength and not a weakness. And then I also in more recent times and closer to home, Gladys Berejiklian, who, you know, through COVID really steered our state, gave us ⁓ comfort. And that came through her diligence and her work ethic. And I really admire that too. And she’s someone I check in with from time to time to get a bit of advice.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (06:30)

that’s wonderful, having mentors. I found this wonderful little booklet the other day in memorabilia from my late father who was also a state politician for a short period. And it’s a little book for 30 cents that says quotations from the chairman Henry Bolte. Now none of them are repeatable because they’re almost all sexist, but it’s the most hysterical little booklet that ⁓ probably should be in the political archives now that I…

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (06:59)

Yeah

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (07:00)

Yeah, incredible one. So on more serious note, Kellie, ⁓ we were really shaken in December 2025 with the tragedy at Bondi and you were front and centre at that event. What did that moment clarify for you about leadership?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (07:26)

I had been the opposition leader for less than three weeks ⁓ when the terrorism attack happened at Bondi Beach. I’m also the local member for that area and I was nearby at a separate Heineken celebration about to deliver a speech. I was standing on stage when the crowd started running and the place ended up in lockdown and I went to find out what was happening for my own safety. ended up having to jump into a

 

what’s called a Hatsola ambulance. was a community ambulance and the driver said there’s been a shooting at Bondi. My colleague has been shot. I’m going down there and I said, well, look, I’m coming with you. And we tore down to Bondi, arrived within minutes and as the shots were still being fired but was finishing up and we ended up parked under that bridge.

 

⁓ not knowing that the gunmen were above us still wrestling with the police and I went in ⁓ as did the ambulance driver and we attempted to help people and

 

In terms of what, you know, the moment of clarity from that, I think it’s something I always knew that community and all our decision-making community must come first, their safety, their, you know, a sense of bipartisanship was really important to me in the days and weeks after that attack that I felt it was very important to be working with the government to make sure that we were providing the resources locals needed, that we were there in lockstep when it came.

 

to supporting their grief, attending funerals, attending memorials, ⁓ an incredibly difficult time, incredibly difficult time and moments that I will certainly never forget my entire life.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (09:20)

How do you manage your own mental health having been fronted, etc. and then try and make clear headed decisions as part of that experience?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (09:32)

You know, I guess my answer is I just, really don’t know because there’s no one, there’s no textbook that can tell you how to manage that. So I think you draw on your own resolve and there are moments I’ll admit where, you know, I find it incredibly tough. And those moments often hit me out of the blue where I’ll stop and there’ll be just intense sadness. And I’ve talked with some of the other people that were there. ⁓

 

in the immediate aftermath of that shooting, the other first responders. I’ve got a lot of comfort talking to people like our surf lifeguards and lifesavers. We all went through that together and I find great comfort in that. And then I also feel, you know, it’s been important for the community that they knew I was there, that I understand and that I’m motivated only to support them.

 

in everything that I do. But I need, you know, it’ll be an ongoing process for anyone that was there. And in fact, even, you know, community members who weren’t there, but are feeling that secondhand trauma. And this is going to be a long process of healing and recovery for the community. I just have to channel those very real emotions I have into making sure that the decisions I make are empathetic, that they are putting people first.

 

that politics doesn’t come into it when we’re dealing with a national tragedy. But that I feel I’ve shared something with the community and in some ways that’s helped me because we all feel so helpless. it’s, yeah, exactly.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (11:19)

point of connection. Changing tack if we may. ⁓ Politics has been criticized and probably fairly so for toxic cultures up on the hill and outdated power dynamics. What’s your experience been?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (11:41)

I understandably politics has had a bad rap, politicians have had a bad rap. A lot of the people who observe through their TVs and online ⁓ feel like some politicians are in it for themselves, that they’re out of touch. And I understand all of that. My experience has actually been a pretty positive one. I entered parliament only three years ago. I think a lot of work had been done by my predecessors in terms of

 

calling out some of the bad behavior and addressing it. And in New South Wales Parliament, the Liberals Party Room is ⁓ almost half made up of women here. And we have a lot of young people. There are 10 millennials in our group. So we have a really balanced ⁓ party room. And I think that helps as well. There used to be a culture of a lot of drinking in Parliament, when there were the late night sittings. That just doesn’t happen anymore.

 

So I feel like it’s been incredibly positive that that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of work to be done. But perhaps we’re also fortunate in New South Wales maybe compared to federal parliament where there might be bigger Stouches and maybe bigger Egos.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (12:55)

You may well be right. You may well be right. So Kellie, ⁓ do women in politics need to operate like the boys or is there an opportunity to elevate leadership and lead by example?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (13:12)

Maybe in the past they had to be a bit like the blokes. Look, I have to say though, there is an appetite for empathetic leadership. ⁓ Voters like voting for women because they see that we are pragmatic, that we are values-based, that we’re perhaps a little more consultative. By and large, a little less ego. ⁓

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (13:16)

federal mob.

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (13:40)

And I say that as a broad sense, of course there are exceptions, but I believe when women bring their true selves to politics, when they are authentic, when they are speaking on behalf of communities, driven by their lived experience, that makes us powerful. And they are values and leadership qualities that the community is crying out for.

 

So that is where if we bring our authentic selves to the chamber, to our public life, that is why people are wanting to vote for us. I think gone are the days of having to be like the boys to compete with the boys. These days, women are valued for the qualities they bring. And that’s not to diminish the values of men either and the qualities that they bring that are sometimes different. We work best when we’re in partnership.

 

And we have a variety of different skills. you know, I, but I do think that these days leadership isn’t about being combative. Leadership is not about clashes in the chamber. Leadership isn’t about opposing for the sake of opposing. True leadership in my mind is about reaching consensus, putting people at the heart of every decision you make and bringing your authentic self.

 

the life that you’ve lived into public life. And when you do that, people resonate with that. And I think that’s very positive for politics and public life.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (15:16)

And may that resonate beyond politics into every boardroom around the country because they’re great values. Thank you, Kellie.

 

You’re listening to The Power of Women podcasts and I’m talking with Kellie Sloane, Liberal Leader for New South Wales in Australia. And coming up, we’re going to explore if women lead differently.

 

If you’re loving the Power of Women podcasts, be sure to jump onto our YouTube channel and hit that subscribe button to ensure you never miss an episode. Kellie, the rise of women across the political spectrum and including the Teals has really disrupted that traditional pathway to power. In your view, does gender matter in politics?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (16:07)

Gender matters only in so much as it brings different perspectives into the chamber and into the development of public policy. I equally think that diversity of cultures and experience, ⁓ geographies is as important as well. So where we have almost half of our party room in New South Wales is females, so that’s a really good thing, but I’d like to see more diversity in terms of experience and upbringing and background as well. And that’s something that we have to consistently work on.

 

And I think if we have more voices at the table testing our ideas, challenging our ideas, that is really healthy for democracy.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (16:45)

That’s the ultimate boardroom, isn’t it? Testing and challenging. like that very much. Kellie, how do you actually describe your leadership style?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (16:55)

I like to think of myself as an empathetic leader, that I will be bipartisan when it matters, bring people together, but equally I can be tough. But I can be tough in the same breath as being kind. And I think, I hope that’s the kind of leadership that I’m bringing that people see in me. That someone who will always seek solutions before combat. ⁓

 

but that when the government needs to be held to account and when we have better ideas, we will forcefully prosecute those ideas. ⁓ So tough but kind. I hope that’s what people see in me.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (17:37)

We like that very much. you’re, am I right in saying would be the third liberal leader for, female liberal leader for New South Wales Parliament? was someone who preceded Gladys previously was there?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (17:55)

So

 

there was Christina Keneally ⁓ was a female premier. ⁓ And then look, we’ve had a long history though of women in the New South Wales Parliament. The first woman and her name was Millicent Preston Stanley was elected 100 years ago. And she was also the member for the Eastern suburbs. And she was a firebrand conservative woman, right? And she got into that parliament with all the blokes and she advocated strongly.

 

⁓ for women to have access to their kids in divorce, ⁓ a whole lot of social issues. That’s Incredibly groundbreaking and quite inspiring. So ⁓ we’ve had a long line of conservative women in politics. ⁓ But yeah, until sort of the last couple of decades, not as many women as we might have liked.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (18:31)

at that time.

 

Yeah, so if you look to more recent times, what do you think are the most significant changes women have brought to the fore over the last decade?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (19:00)

think women in leadership have made us feel safe in times of crisis. ⁓ I’m thinking particularly about Gladys Berejiklian as the New South Wales Premier during COVID, her work ethic, her diligence, turning up every day and we watched her on the TV every day looking at those numbers. That was an incredible strength and comfort to the people of New South Wales.

 

I also think that we have demonstrated more broadly, ⁓ females in leadership everywhere, that sort of willingness to bring people together to find solutions, ⁓ that understanding of community and the value of community and decision making. And there are plenty of blokes who recognise that as well, but women bring a different voice to it sometimes. And we bring an experience of

 

I guess raising families, the challenges of paying the bills, the juggle that we bring. And often, I think my observation has been whether it’s women who ⁓ have achieved ⁓ significant promotions in business as CEOs or in media like yourself or have gone into politics, we’re often really ready for those roles because

 

It’s a problem that we doubt ourselves so much in the lead up to it. We’ve had to work so hard to overcome so many things or juggle so many things, family and work and the mental load and all the rest of it. That by the time we jump into big roles, we battle hardened, we’re ready, we know how to juggle, we know how to prioritize and we know how to get the job done with as little messing around as possible.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (20:45)

think if you look forward to the Millennials who are in your rooms, do you think they’ll be having these same conversations about women at the table as we are or do you think it will have been put to bed by this?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (21:01)

I have to say we don’t even talk about it in our party room ⁓ as an issue. In fact, I stood up when I announced my first shadow cabinet and all my new shadow ministers. One of the journalists asked me, what’s the gender makeup? And I had to stop. And I can honestly tell you, I had not even thought about gender. And afterwards I reflected on that and thought,

 

That’s pretty good that we’re not talking about it in our party room. And I wish that for our federal colleagues and for other party rooms. But the conversations that we’re having are not about whether you have ovaries or not. They’re about how can we help families ⁓ get ahead? How can we help young female entrepreneurs succeed and get rid of the red tape? How can we provide more flexible work and home solutions so that women can get ahead without having to put family last?

 

⁓ They’re the conversations that we’re having. Women have told me, business women that I’ve met with, that they want better economic conditions, they want ⁓ better workplace laws, they want less government interference, they want to make sure that transport infrastructure is being developed so that they can get home faster.

 

And these are all things that Liberal governments have done successfully over the last few terms and will continue to advocate for in our policies.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (22:22)

Yeah, fantastic. So, March 2027 is approaching at a rate of knots. It is. And you’ve described your new shadow ministry as government ready. What would you like your constituents to understand around what that actually means?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (22:42)

Well, it means that we’ve got an incredible team ⁓ of former government ministers who know how government works, who have that experience that’s really important. But equally, we have a group of young people coming through that understand the real concerns of young families and communities who know where the state’s heading, not just where it’s been. And I think that that mix in our party room is incredibly important.

 

And we are all inspired by our predecessors who built an incredible legacy in New South Wales of transport infrastructure, of metros, of new hospitals, ⁓ and that we want to be ambitious for our state too. So we will be an ambitious team with great experience, ready to govern, and ready to ⁓ remind families in New South Wales who are finding it really tough that there is a better way forward.

 

because right across our country, cost of living is declining, ⁓ government bureaucracy is growing, union influence is increasing and small businesses are closing at a rate of knots. So we will present a policy platform over the coming months that we hope will be hopeful, ⁓ that will be ambitious and that they’ll see in my team.

 

not just me as leader, as a capable leader and a future Premier, but a team that will be incredibly strong for New South Wales.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (24:08)

Yeah, wonderful. Kellie, I appreciate the first few weeks of your role were certainly ⁓ extraordinary. Outside of that, the shift to politics lived up to your expectations?

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (24:28)

It’s probably exceeded my expectations. I have seen the power that can come from good opposition. So it’s not just about jumping in and trying to get into government. We have developed policy that the government has adopted from the opposition benches. That’s really satisfying. We’ve also produced amendments to government legislation that have succeeded.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (24:51)

And that’s what a good opposition does.

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (24:53)

It’s so healthy for the state. I have equally worked in a bipartisan fashion with the government to get good legislation through and to make what I’ve thought is ordinary legislation better. ⁓ I want the Premier and his team, every time they produce a policy, to be looking over their shoulder saying, what would Kellie think? What would the opposition say about this?

 

and sure that they dot the I’s and cross the T’s and sharpen their pencils and make sure that they are delivering the best for New South Wales. So at the very minimum, my job is to make sure that we hold this government to account, that they become a better government because of a tough opposition. And at the very best, then I hope to be in office in a year from now. But I’ve been incredibly satisfied by the work we’ve done in parliament, but also I have to say,

 

You know, nothing prepares you just for ⁓ how much you care for your community as a local member of parliament. And I get incredible satisfaction out of the small community events, out of going down to the surf clubs, about speaking to locals and trying to make a difference on the everyday issues that matter to them. And it’s a real privilege. I have to say it’s an incredible privilege.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (26:08)

Kellie, I’ve got a couple of rapid fire questions to throw at you as we wrap up today’s conversation. One issue you believe politics has underestimated for too long.

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (26:21)

Social cohesion, we’ve taken that for granted. We need to try harder. We cannot say she’ll be right when it comes to our multicultural communities.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (26:32)

And leaderships treat Australia needs more of right now.

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (26:37)

at courage to make tough decisions even when they’re not popular. I think we need that right now. We can’t please everyone.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (26:46)

and one decision principle you’ll never compromise on.

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (26:51)

Integrity. Yeah, you have to stick to your values. I want to leave politics with my integrity intact and hopefully that will serve me well while I’m in the job.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (27:02)

Yeah, fantastic. Kellie, what a ⁓ refreshing and resounding positive take on life in politics and what your views are. I commend you on that and thank you for that and I have no doubt you become a role model for other women considering a path in politics. I know I grew up

 

As a school kid, if you asked me what I wanted to be, for years it was a politician and somehow it fell off the radar and I commend you on making that decision because it is a huge sacrifice. You’re a wife, you’re a mother, you’ve got the role of opposition which I sometimes think is tougher than the role of leading and you are doing it with such grace and conviction. It’s so impressive.

 

KELLIE SLOANE MP [GUEST] (27:54)

Thank you, Di And can I just say we need women like you in politics. It is never too late to step up. Can I also say to your viewers and listeners that we need more people in politics, whether it’s front and centre like me, whether it’s behind the scenes, whether it’s joining parties, whether it’s my party, the Liberal Party or the Labor Party, have a voice, have a say, because we need more people contributing to our democracy right now.

 

valuing our democracy and making sure that we hold every politician to account. So ⁓ thank you and thank you for the community that you provide for women.

 

DI GILLETT [HOST] (28:29)

Thank you Kellie and thank you so much for joining me today. I know that the time of a politician is scarce and heavily scheduled so much appreciation. Until next time.