Cr Claire Ewart-Kennedy steps up to lead Strathbogie Shire

Cr Ewart-Kennedy’s journey to leadership has been anything but conventional. Hailing from a sheep and cattle farm in NSW, her career began in media, working for prominent publications such as Time magazine and The Age. Later, she transitioned into politics, serving as a media advisor for various politicians, including Josh Frydenberg and Ted Baillieu.

Alongside these roles, she managed her family’s business and pursued higher education, completing qualifications in speech and drama from Trinity College in London, a BA, and a master’s in social investment and philanthropy.

Despite a challenging period with her family due to her daughter’s illness, Cr Ewart-Kennedy co-founded the Hush Foundation. The foundation delivers workplace kindness programs and music therapy for paediatric patients and their families.

When asked what prompted her transition to council, Cr Ewart-Kennedy reflected on her previous role as GV Health Foundation and Engagement director.

Describing it as “quite a front-facing role” that required her to “be prepared to champion a cause”, she explained it brought her to a realisation.

“I had something else to give and I wanted to give it to the community I love, and this (the Strathbogie community) is the community I love,” Cr Ewart-Kennedy said.

“You can do so much good in the community if you just front up and be prepared to be part of something.

“If you put your hand up for anything, that’s the first part, but you’ve got to be prepared to be a change maker when change is required.

“Be prepared to be part of the change — don't be frightened of that.

“So that’s probably what made me decide to change to run for council.”

Returning to Strathbogie’s heart

Cr Ewart-Kennedy’s move to Strathbogie was prompted by a desire to invest in the region where her family has long-standing ties.

“Alistair and I made a decision following the death of his mother that we would buy out the family farm and transition our life out of Melbourne as a full-time base,” she said.

“We wanted to spend more time in the country, which we did, and I would never look back.

“I love the fact that we are embedded in our community up here.”

When asked what the Strathbogie community meant to her, Cr Ewart-Kennedy’s passion shone through.

“It’s my life and blood,” she said.

“It’s my family’s life and blood.

“And regional Australia runs very deeply in my veins.

“I’m very connected to making strong regional communities, because strong regional communities are what’s going to make our country fantastic across the board.”

As mayor, she hopes to help shape the shire’s future, with a focus on regional growth.

“We are the number one growing shire in Victoria and the third in Australia,” she said.

Cr Ewart-Kennedy emphasised her administration’s commitment to advancing the shire’s growth.

“The number one mantra of our council is ‘open for business’,” Cr Ewart-Kennedy said.

“If you’ve got an idea, come to us.

“If we can make it work, we will.

“If we can’t, we’ll tell you why, and we’ll tell you where to go to get it working.”

Lessons from the past, vision for the future

Cr Ewart-Kennedy’s leadership comes at a pivotal time for Strathbogie Shire Council, which faced significant challenges in recent years.

In December 2023, the council was suspended by Premier Jacinta Allan’s office after a report cited governance failures, including an inability to address key issues.

“We’ve got so much going on in our region,” Cr Ewart-Kennedy said.

“And our region deserves the very best.

“We have the best resources, we’ve got the best wineries, the best agriculture, we’ve got great small businesses.

“We cannot afford to go back to that (having a suspended council).”

Determined to move forward, Cr Ewart-Kennedy expressed how her team’s focus was on restoring trust in the council, advocating for federal and state funding, and ensuring accountability to the community.

“I say quite openly and honestly to all of the residents, rate payers, businesses of Strathbogie — I am here for our community,“ she said.

“That is my number one job, and I’ve got a great council.

“We’ve come together collectively.

“We’ve been working really hard for the last two weeks, since we’ve got elected, we’ve been in the room together pretty much full time.

“I’ve got a fantastic deputy, Scott Jeffery (...), and a breadth of experience on the council that one can only dream about.

“I’m feeling very energised.

“We (Strathbogie Shire councillors) are going to listen, we’re going to be available, we’re going to be respectful, we have integrity, we’re going to be responsive, accountable and transparent to our community.”

Building bridges with the community

A self-described “conduit” for connecting people, Cr Ewart-Kennedy prioritises community engagement.

“We’re not stuck in one town,” she said.

“We move around the region — whether it’s morning teas or local sporting club meetings — to meet with people and hear their ideas.

“I encourage people to pick up the phone, to email me, to email any of your councillors and say ‘This is what I want for our community.’

“Come and meet with us.

“I’ll come to you.

“It’s very easy.”

Personal touches

Beyond her professional achievements, Cr Ewart-Kennedy’s personal story is one of resilience and passion. She is inspired by her husband, Alistair, who has navigated life with a vision impairment, and her daughter, Emilia, a cancer survivor.

A passionate Collingwood and Newcastle United supporter, gardening and cooking are among her hobbies. She is currently renovating the family’s two-acre garden, aiming to make it both productive and beautiful, with hopes of involving any or all of her three children — Lachlan, Emilia or Fergus — in the process.

“I love living on the farm,” Cr Ewart-Kennedy said.

“And when the crops are coming out, and you look at the sea of yellow for canola, it’s so exciting.”

A message for the community

Cr Ewart-Kennedy thanked her fellow councillors and Strathbogie Shire Council’s staff and stakeholders.

“It takes a team and a village to run a family, let alone a council,” she said.

As she embarks on her mayoral term, Cr Ewart-Kennedy remains clear on her mission.

“If, in four years, people can say that we’re stable, respectful and open for business, then we’ve done our job,” she said.