<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>329613</docID> <postdate>2024-09-25 11:01:24</postdate> <headline>Embattled Kikkert to fight on for Family First</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-329615" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kikkert_240922_ac-20-resized-e1727136568656.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Elizabeth Kikkert… "When I learnt about Family First, I just loved that name because that's who I am. I always put my family first." Photo: Andrew Campbell</caption> <p><b>Embattled MLA Elizabeth Kikkert, who was sensationally disendorsed by the Canberra Liberals earlier this month, will run again in Ginninderra.</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The two-term MLA will stand for the Family First, a national, conservative, Christian party that is fielding candidates in all five electorates in the ACT on October 19. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kikkert, the top vote-getter for the Liberals in Gininderra, was accused of breaching the </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Electoral Act 1992</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> around disclosure of donations and electoral expenditure and having exposed the party to potential workplace claims.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I strongly disagree with the allegations that the Liberal Party have made and… I am currently seeking legal advice," she says.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"[Family First] understood where I was coming from and I think because they know how politics work, they probably felt that this was just a political game."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kikkert, a devoted Mormon, has less than a month to the election, but says she's "very optimistic".</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I do have amazing people who are there to help me and I do have a pretty good idea on how to campaign grassroots wise – door knocking and being at the shops," she says.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"When I first learned that I was disendorsed I felt a sense of peace, but injustice at the same time. It was very clear to me that not running in the upcoming election is not an option. So I knew I was going to run, I just didn't know who with.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"When I learnt about Family First, I just loved that name because that's who I am. I always put my family first," says the mother of five.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Putting the family first as a number one priority when you're coming up with policies, with laws to implement. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It was easy for me to join the party because of their values.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"People are disappointed about what has happened and have asked me consistently what am I going to do now and please do not give up politics and that I've been a really good, strong advocate for them in the Legislative Assembly. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"And they don't want to see my political life come to an end like that."</span></p> <p>https://citynews.com.au/2024/embattled-elizabeth-kikkert-has-always-put-her-family-first/</p> </body>