Dr Fiona Kotvojs
Beef farmer Fiona Kotvojs is competing against Bega Mayor Kristy McBain for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro after winning preselection on Saturday night. Dr Kotvojs previously ran for Eden-Monaro in 2019 but was beaten by former Labor member Mike Kelly. This was despite a 2% swing to the Liberal party. Source: Timberbiz
Dr Kelly announced late last month he was resigning from Parliament because of health issues.
Dr Kotvojs, is the Liberal Party candidate for the seat and is a former teacher, scientist and small business operator from Dignams Creek, won preselection over defence department official Mark Schweikert.
A date hasn’t been set for the by-election, but it is expected in late June or early July.
With an extensive resume under her belt, Dr Kotvojs has a strong chance of succeeding this time around.
Dr Kotvojs is a Rural Fire Service volunteer, board member of Oxfam Australia, and has more than 30 years’ experience in the international development sector.
She has helped design and manage several Australian foreign aid programs in Asia-Pacific nations across a range of sectors, including education, economic governance, and law and justice.
Among Dr Kotvojs’s top priorities for the electorate will be rebuilding communities after the recent bushfires and bringing more jobs into the region.
Her farm, which is between Narooma and Cobargo, came under threat in the recent summer bushfires.
“I’m on a family farm down in Dignams Creek, and yes the bushfires did go over us,” she said.
“They went through the farm, so I know what the pain is like when you lose fences, you lose pasture, and you lose your property.”
Dr Kotvojs said rebuilding after the bushfires, drought and COVID-19 would be key issues in the byelection.
She has also spoken up about investing in major infrastructure such as highways and has long argued that freight for Snowy 2.0 should come through Eden Port, rather than Port Kembla.
