HAYLEY EDWARDS

I'm Hayley Edwards, and I'm running to represent Rockingham in the WA Parliament.

I grew up in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, attended public school, and, let’s say, I wasn’t the easiest kid to handle. 

My mum loves reminding me that people refused to babysit me because I was too much to handle.

My school reports all echoed the same message: strong-willed, persistent, relentless—but has a big heart.

My determination, spirit, and unwillingness to back down from something I believe in, has been a constant thread throughout my life. 

By the time I turned 18, my mum had well and truly had enough of me and gave me an ultimatum—move out or join the military. 

So, I joined the Air Force and trained to be a medic. 

This decision turned out to be the kick in the behind I needed. 

By 21, I found myself on the tarmac in Bali, part of the aeromedical evacuation operation for the terrorist attack we now know as the Bali Bombings. 

I was treating people my age with horrific injuries, who were fighting for their lives, —many of them didn’t make it.

But what impacted me most wasn’t the devastation-  but the courage and the Australian spirit I witnessed. 

Some of the most severely injured gave up their seats on evacuation flights so that others, with a better chance of survival could go ahead. 

I’ve never been prouder to be an Australian.

From then my journey of service only deepened.

I’ve been a nurse, a paramedic, a business owner, a member of our local government, and volunteer in my community. 

I’ve dedicated my life to serving others, and now, I stand before you, ready to fight for the community.

That same courage and spirit I witnessed in Bali is what I see every day in our police, nurses, teachers.

These are our state's heroes, putting their lives on the line every day, yet they are the most undervalued and the most underpaid in Australia. 

These are the heroes I want to fight for.

I care deeply about building a community that looks after its own—where families feel safe -and have access to high-quality education and healthcare.

Where no one is left behind. 

I want to change how we value and support our frontline workers; I know what they go through and how they feel- as I have lived this too.

They deserve better pay, better resources, and more support for the critical work they do.

We need stronger support systems for family violence victims and early intervention programs that keep us healthy and safe. 

My path here hasn’t been linear. It’s been shaped by a diverse career which has led me to this very point.

I will not back down, and I will continue stepping forward for our community. 

In me, you will find a strong, determined member of parliament who won’t stay silent, who won’t be a passenger—I am someone who will fight with the true Australian spirit. 

Together, we can build a community that stands up for our frontline heroes—because that’s the WA I believe in, and that’s the future we all deserve.