FOLLOWING almost 30 years of running her own successful beauty salon and training school, which provided a wealth of opportunities to many local women, Kim O’Keeffe has had a career change. Kim spoke of how her path to parliament was paved and her hopes for fellow women in our region.
“I was so fortunate to work in an industry that I loved and I will always look back on those years with such pride and so many wonderful memories”, said Kim.
“In 2016 I decided to run for Local Government. I could see that the Council needed some new blood and I felt I had a lot to offer. I wanted to contribute and to give back to the community that had supported me. I was already supporting the community with some fundraising events and volunteering.
“I wanted to see change and progress in the Council. I did question whether I was the right fit and if I had the skills, knowledge and experience to do the job well. What I did know is that I had the passion and commitment, and the timing for change was right. I was also looking into the future unsure of what was next. I took a leap of faith going to the Council election and stepping completely out of my comfort zone.
“As we know I was elected, and my next life journey began. I was first elected out of 29 candidates which was a huge surprise. I went in as Deputy Mayor and had the honour of being elected Mayor four times. Being the Mayor was the most incredible experience. It was a busy role and I loved each and every day I was in the Mayoral position. When you are in a position where you can work for your community and make a difference, you have to embrace those opportunities and step up. I was elected again in 2020 and then successfully elected into State Parliament last November as the Nationals Member for the Shepparton District. It was a natural progression and it has given me the opportunity to continue to work hard and to serve my community and the region at a whole new level, which is incredibly exciting.
“State Politics will be another big learning and I am embracing the role and the opportunity. I am really happy that our National Party team consists of six women and five men and I will strive to attract more women to all levels of politics. When Jeanette Powell was elected as the first woman for the National Party in Victoria, she was the only woman in the party at the time. It is great to see how things have changed. Let us hope that change continues with more women being elected at all levels of government.
“There is a lot of work to be done I will be advocating for the many needs of our region and continuing to work with the other tiers of government and others. I was really fortunate to already have had almost six years in Local Government and many strong and positive relationships with many MPs across the board.
“It is such a privilege and honour to have been elected, and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity, and I am determined to represent the region well. I am so happy in the role and I will continue to work hard, embrace opportunities, and to serve the community the best way I can.
“I never expected my career to have ended up where it has, and that is a good message to send out to others. Life is a journey and if we open our eyes a bit wider, you never know, you might encounter something that sparks your interest for a variety of reasons, or have an opportunity come your way that may not be what you thought you were capable of or it be what you were looking for.
“Only you can make it happen. Don’t over think it as it’s easy to talk ourselves out of things. Also, by stepping out of our comfort zone and challenging ourselves, it can be really rewarding and exciting.
“I will continue to strive to lead by example and hopefully be a role model and mentor to other women. Support and encourage each other. I also want to ensure that we all get the same opportunities to progress through life.
“When I look back at my younger self, I’m proud of how far I have come. My first job was at KFC at 14, which led into full time retail at 15, then into the beauty industry at 21 and owning my own business by 25. I am now a state politician, a role I am immensely proud of”, said Kim.
