Candice Burch

Burch was elected in a count-back held on 11 December 2017 to fill the casual vacancy for the Kurrajong electorate caused by the death of Steve Doszpot, and was declared elected on 13 December.[3] Burch stated that it was not easy to take the seat in such difficult circumstances.[4] However, her 'deep-rooted passion' for freedom, equal opportunity and small government led her to take-up the challenge.[5] In her inaugural speech, Burch noted that her sudden election was reflective of the 'unexpected nature of life and Hare-Clark’.[6] Burch stated that being a member of the ACT Legislative Assembly involves a lot of hard work and a genuine desire to represent one's constituents.[7]

Burch's election marked the first female-majority Liberal opposition in Australia.[8] Another motivating factor for Burch was to assist in removing barriers to gender equality.[9] She noted in her inaugural speech that being a Liberal and being a woman are not incompatible identities.[10]

Burch became the Liberals' Shadow Minister for Transport & Public Sector Management and was a fierce opponent of the Canberra Light Rail.[11] In the portfolio Burch was responsible for policy in relation to transport and road safety.[12] In her role, Burch fought against what she saw as poorly managed and directed bus routes, which in tandem with the light rail caused great transport issues in the ACT.[13] Burch has noted that her proudest achievement was her campaign mounted against the ACT Government's cuts for school buses and the reversal of a number of those cuts.[14]

Burch was born in South Africa, and emigrated to Australia at a young age.[15] She graduated from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Economics. She was previously employed in the Australian Public Service, most recently as an assistant director in the Department of Finance.[16]

Burch has stated that she has had a keen interest in local politics since she was a young person.[17] After moving to Canberra in 2007, Burch became the ANU Liberal Club President in 2010 and the ACT Young Liberal President in 2014.[18] Burch noticed extraordinary levels of Government debt and believed it was important to put up her hand and to have a young person involved in the decisions of how public money is spent.[19]

The 2020 ACT Election saw seat loses for both Labor and the Liberals.[20] Alongside James Milligan and Andrew Wall, Burch was one of three Liberals to lose their seat.[21] Burch was battling for the fifth Kurrajong seat of which she narrowly lost to the ACT Greens' Rebecca Vassarotti.[22]

During the 2020 ACT Election, an internal ACT Liberal Party investigation revolved around the illegal destruction of Burch's campaign material by former ACT Young Liberal President, Ben Dennehy.[23][24][25] Throughout the campaign, hundreds of Candice Burch corflutes (i.e. political signage) were systematically destroyed under the cover of darkness.[26] The investigation allegedly found video evidence of Ben Dennehy vandalising Burch's campaign material.[27] The investigation culminated in Ben Dennehy's resignation from the party in early 2021 alongside a second ACT Young Liberal who was not named.[28] Almost a year on at the 2021 Canberra Liberals Annual General Meeting in December, party members continued to ask questions and called for the party president to give a public apology to Burch.[29] At the meeting, one party member stated: "To this day there would be party members who would be unaware of the cruel campaign... that was waged against Candice by two of our own ... I implore the Division to apologise to Candice for failing to meet its duty of care."[30]

Burch has also made public that she is a supporter of the Sydney Swans AFL team and the Canberra Brave Ice Hockey team.[31] Additionally, she notes that she is an avid reader, stating after her electoral loss “I’m most excited about having time off and getting back to my reading list”.[32] Burch is a distant cousin of Australian actress Liz Burch. Burch herself has appeared in television as herself on ABC's The House and Weekend Edition.[33]