General News
26 March, 2025
Labor's Kennedy candidate has sights on helping families
Sharon Winn has put her hand up to take on Bob Katter at the federal election.
The Australian Labor Party has selected long-serving Australian Workers Union official and foster carer Sharon Winn to challenge Bob Katter at the upcoming federal election.
Ms Winn will make her first journey to Mount Isa and Cloncurry next week, where she will begin the daunting task of attempting to oust Mr Katter, who holds the seat with a comfortable 13 per cent margin.
The Gordonvale-based single mum said she had decided to contest the Kennedy electorate because of her concern over the rising cost of living.
“I am running because I am seeing people suffering around me,” Ms Winn told North West Weekly.
“I am seeing people staying in their cars because of a lack of housing and I am seeing people who can’t afford food for their families.
“I have spent my life fighting for people in the union movement – I have fought for their wages and for a safer work environment.
“I think people need someone who is willing to stand up and fight for them.”
Ms Winn said she believed Anthony Albanese’s government was delivering relief to household budgets, citing this week’s announced extension to the power bill rebate as an example.
“Under Labor, inflation is down, wages are up, unemployment is low and now interest rates have started to come down too – but we know there’s more work to do,” Ms Winn said.
“I think people want a government that is going to get things done, not just be negative and oppose everything like Peter Dutton does.”
Ms Winn said she was passionate about policies that help the vulnerable in our community, having dedicated much of her adult life to nurturing at-risk children as a foster carer.
“When my daughter was about four years old, she kept hounding me about wanting to have a brother or a sister,” Ms Winn explains.
“I didn’t really want to do that – but I thought we could look at fostering and give a good home to some other children.
“We ended up looking after twin girls and we went from there.”
Ms Winn said she has fostered more than 20 children over the years, mostly on a long-term basis.
“I had one child who couldn’t speak so watching her learn was wonderful,” she said.
“I had another child who didn’t know her name when she started living with me – so teaching her just to say her name would make me cry.
“It has been a wonderful experience and watching these children grow has been one of the great highlights of my life.”
Ms Winn now lives with her 18-year-old foster son Corey and her 16-year-old biological daughter Jessie. She said it would be difficult to be away from her family during the election campaign, but believed there was a need to bring change to the electorate.
“I have been looking after working people for more than 20 years and so I think I bring that experience to the table,” she said.
“I am willing to make this a real fight.”