LIBERAL Nicole Lawder’s political ambitions first surfaced 10 years ago as she sat, reeling, in an intensive-care waiting room.

“A lot of thoughts pass through your mind when you’re in that situation,” says Lawder.

“One of them is: ‘What if it were me, how would people remember me at my funeral? What had I done in my life, what have I achieved, what difference have I made?’”

While Lawder’s brother survived the shooting, her political aspirations didn’t come to light until last month, when she was announced as the replacement for former Canberra Liberals MLA Zed Seselja following a countback of ballot papers in the southern electorate of Brindabella.

She beat Tharwa identity Val Jeffery, who was widely tipped to claim the seat, by just eight votes.

Lawder, who has lived in Canberra since 1988, has a background in the disability and community sectors. She was a member of the National People with Disability and Carer Council, director of the Deafness Forum of Australia and, more recently, CEO of Homelessness Australia.

She says her background in social justice will play a key role in her political career.

“I guess you’d probably say that I’m an economic rationalist, but I’m very strongly driven by social justice values,” she says.

“I decided if I went into politics, it would be an opportunity for me to achieve systemic change at a more holistic level, not just in homelessness and disability areas, but also to try and make change across a range of different levels.”

Lawder and her second husband, Peter, live in Fadden. Between them they have five children and nine grandchildren.

She says by the time her grandchildren are grown, she wants to have helped create a “more vibrant and dynamic” Canberra.

“I want to get to the point where my grandchildren and their children will be able to find jobs, create business opportunities, and afford to buy a house… that’s a huge issue to tackle right now.”

Lawder will be sworn in at the next Assembly sitting in August.