While the Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White might be getting plenty of media attention as the state election campaign runs at full speed, another Rebecca is making her move in the seat of Clark.
Rebecca Prince, a remarkable young woman who has lived with a significant hearing impairment since birth, is used to fighting for her beliefs. If the response she has been getting from the local community is anything to go by, it would seem Prince is someone to watch.
“I have been so heartened when I have been out door-knocking,” she said. “People have not only been polite and interested, but they have absolutely acknowledged the fact that I have taken time to knock on their door to really listen to what they have to say. I have enjoyed some fantastic conversations and encouragement.”
It is Prince’s first time running for office, but she is no stranger to political activism.
“When I was about 12 years old a friend and I started a petition to protest the proposed Oceanport development on the Hobart waterfront. We collected more than 7000 signatures, addressed a Town Hall rally and personally delivered our petition. The development did not go ahead.
“That experience lit a fire in me – I learned first-hand that standing up for what is right, working hard to listen to people’s concerns and working tirelessly to deliver an iron-clad argument can affect change. One or two voices can make a difference to the world we live in.”
Prince’s hearing impairment (she is totally deaf in her left ear and has minimal hearing in her right) has led her to work harder than her peers to understand and process speech.
“My level of concentration to simply make sense of what is being said around me has ironically made me an excellent communicator. I rely on lip reading and non-verbal language to make sense of the spoken word, so my levels of awareness are significantly advanced. I also suffered with depression, so I understand how mental illness can shape your life.”
Over the years, her physical and mental differences have led her to question her place in society.
“Living with a significant hearing impairment has made me realise how important it is for us all to have access to the right, affordable healthcare, at the right time. Diverse and inclusive spaces for all people is a fundamental human right.
“I am lucky. My amazing family and my wonderful husband have my back at all times, which supports me to thrive and achieve at work and in life. I will be advocating for every person in this electorate to have that same feeling: I’ll have your back at every step.”
Prince says she believes every Tasmanian deserves support from government to access timely and quality healthcare services, and access safe and affordable housing.
“I will also be telling people how a Labor government will work towards bringing Tasmanians relief from cost-of-living pressures,” she said.
Close to her heart is ensuring every person can participate fully in the workforce with access to reasonable workplace adjustments.
Prince says it is not only people with disability she is wanting to represent.
“I am advocating for every Tasmanian. We all require varying degrees of social support. We all face challenges, pressure and competing priorities that drain our emotional resilience and our ability to provide safe, secure and wonderful lives for ourselves, our families and our communities. I am talking about a wholistic approach, a whole of government agenda to better the lives of each and every person in this state.
“We can only achieve this with a strong, robust, well-resourced and funded public sector. We need early intervention programs and better access to allied health professionals. I would also like to see increased awareness training for teachers and teachers’ aides to address diversity and improve outcomes.
“I want to be a part of the solution, and I believe I have the life experience to bring real world expertise to inform government outcomes.”
“I believe that, under Rebecca White, Labor is ready to deliver better outcomes for Tasmanians – I wouldn’t be standing if I did not have absolute faith in what we want to achieve.
“Labor cares about people. It acknowledges each of us have something incredible to offer our beautiful city, our precious state. There is a strong commitment to bringing new life and new energy to our state, to build communities that allow everyone to have a fair go, ensuring no-one is left behind.
That is what I believe in. The right thing, the decent thing.”
Julie McGlone is a Brisbane based writer and editor who has worked on many of the country’s leading magazine titles. She is currently working on her first novel, a political thriller. She is in Hobart working with Rebecca Prince on her campaign.
