Get to know me... | The Average Woman

Get to know me and what I stand for...

My name is Kerrie Harris

I am a high school teacher from the small rural town of Cooma in the beautiful Snowy Mountains where I have lived for the past 14 years. I am the mother of three daughters and the wife of a mechanic.

The great joy of my life has been to care for young people – my own three children as well as the thousands of children I have been lucky enough to have pass through my life on their way to becoming young adults.

My care for these young people has not stopped because they have left my classroom. My concern for them and the millions of people just like them, has motivated me to run for elected office. I care deeply and feel compelled to step up.

I consider myself to be an average woman.

But let me tell you a few things about being average...

On average, less than 40% of students from regional areas aspire to go to university. Out of those who manage to start a degree, one third will drop out due to financial difficulties. As a high school teacher, I see the educational injustice students from the country experience every day. I see potential go unrealised.

If you are someone who believes in equal access to education regardless of where you live. I hear you. Quietly, I am a teacher in a country school who just wants equality for my students. What I am proposing is fair - means tested, subsidised, government owned university accommodation for rural students.

So back to averages. On average, one woman is murdered in Australia every four and a half days by their intimate partner. A further unknown and unimaginable number of women and children do not live in peace in their own homes. If you are one of those women, I feel you. Quietly, I was once one of those women too.

We need forward-thinking ideas to eradicate gendered violence such as school reform that prioritises the explicit teaching and learning of social emotional intelligence for all students from kindergarten to Year 12.

What else is average in Australia right now are the number of people doing it tough. They are struggling to pay their mortgage or are stuck in the rental trap. They are forking out exorbitant amounts for their weekly groceries, and they are scared about how their kids will ever get any further than them.

If you are someone who is working hard to live a pretty modest existence, I see you. Quietly, I come from humble beginnings and have worked hard to get an education and a good job. But I have a mortgage and like most people, I worry about how my children are going to be able to afford to buy a house one day.

Everyday Australians want leaders who better represent them. They want leaders who are relatable and who are responsible. They are done with traditional politics, and with traditional politicians.

I am not ruthless, performative or combative. I am not part of the political machine. I am just an average woman - compassionate and authentic and who will work incredibly hard for the people of New South Wales.

When I first started my teaching degree, my professor gave us a small but powerful exercise. He reminded us that teaching can be incredibly tough, and that we must always remember why we chose this path. He asked us to think deeply and define our ‘why’—a purpose so clear and simple that it could fit on the palm of our hand. That way, whenever challenges arose, we could glance at those words and reconnect with the reason we were there.

When I decided to step into politics—despite many people questioning why I would want to take this path— it was because of the words I wrote on my palm all those years ago. They are my ‘North Star’— an unwavering point of direction for me.

These words are not even very eloquent or profound, but if you are wondering what my intentions are, it is very simple: “To improve the human experience for ALL.”