We don’t often touch politics at SnowsBest.com but when Australia’s most successful alpine skier throws her hat into the federal election ring, and does so against a former prime minister, then we feel obliged to let our snow community know.
What do they say about politics, sport and religion, again? Well, here goes.
Former world champion alpine skier and Winter Olympic bronze medalist, Zali Steggall, will challenge former Prime Minister Tony Abbott for the Sydney seat of Warringah in this year’s federal election in Australia.
Steggall, a barrister and four time Olympian, will run as an independent and launched her campaign today in her home suburb of Balgowlah in front of four hundred supporters. She’s more than familiar with the Warringah electorate having been born at Manly hospital then raised in Manly (her father is a Manly solicitor and member of the Manly Rugby Club) and schooled in Mosman at Queenwood private girls school.
“I am someone who listens and understands what the people of Warringah value and will proudly represent those values to the Australian parliament,” Steggall said.
“I’ve been actively listening to locals, businesses, clubs and social groups. The most common concern is the lack of action on climate change. People are also worried about the state of politics in this country, the lack of compassion on human rights, how rising congestion is disrupting our commutes, mental health and domestic violence.”
The Olympian is certainly impressive on paper. Bilingual in French and English, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), a member of the Australian New Zealand Sports Law Association (ANZSLA) and the Women in Sports Law (WISLA), inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2004, awarded the Order of Australia Medal for charitable works and contribution to sport in 2007, appointed in 2017 as Arbitrator to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, based in Lausanne and was selected to the AdHoc Division of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games 2018.
The list goes on with numerous non executive board director roles including the Winter Olympic Institute of Australia.
Steggall will have equally mighty competition as she will also be up against Susan Moylan-Coombs (indigenous activist) and Alice Thompson (former Malcolm Turnbull advisor), both independents running in the same electorate.
That wasn’t so bad, phew. Now you can follow Steggall’s platforms as they are revealed and then vote for her, or not.
