Susie Bower is no stranger to the communities of Lyons. A fifth-generation resident of Tasmania’s Meander Valley, Bower’s deep connection to the region is as much personal as it is professional. Now vying for the federal seat of Lyons, she brings with her a blend of grassroots experience, professional acumen, and a steadfast commitment to the people she hopes to represent.
“My whole reason for getting into that area was my community,” Bower said. “Community is very special to me.”
Her political journey began in 2018 when she was elected as a councillor at Meander Valley Council. After three years of service, she resigned to avoid conflicts of interest upon being preselected for the federal seat. Her career outside of politics has been equally community-focused, with a background in community and economic development. This experience, she believes, equips her to address the unique challenges faced by the diverse towns across Lyons.
“Lyons has about 80 small communities, and that’s hard to get your voice heard when you’re a small community,” Bower explained. “Every community is different, so I’ve made a really big effort to get to every community to know what their aspirations are and how I can help them achieve those aspirations.”
When it comes to her values, Bower is clear and concise: honesty, integrity, and relationship building. She believes in the power of delivering on promises and fostering respect through consistent action. “When you build a relationship with someone, whether it’s in the business world or anywhere, you do what you say you’re going to do,” she said. “That builds respect and integrity in your personal brand.”
The issues Bower is most passionate about reflect both her personal experiences and her constituents’ needs. At the top of her agenda is healthcare, particularly GP access in rural and regional areas. “We have to address it right back at the starting point,” she said, noting the declining number of doctors choosing to specialise as GPs.
Another pressing concern is digital connectivity. Despite being close to urban centres like Hobart, many areas in Lyons still suffer from poor mobile and NBN coverage. “Even in Sorrell, they’ve got to have Starlink. They’re only 15 minutes from Hobart,” Bower noted. “If you have an EFTPOS machine and you can’t make a transaction, you can’t actually run a business.”
Aged care is also close to Bower’s heart, as both of her parents are on aged care packages. She advocates for policies that allow people to age at home and within their communities. “They want to age in that community, where their friends are and where their other connections are,” she said.
Bower also focuses on creating opportunities for young people in Tasmania to counteract the state’s “brain drain.” She believes that by bringing industry and private investment into Tasmania, young people can have the option to stay. “If they want to leave, hey, that’s their prerogative, but it’s a choice rather than a have to,” she said.
Bower’s approach to politics is grounded in her belief in the importance of real-life experience. She recalls her own struggles with the cost of living, having worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. “I got up at four o’clock in the morning and delivered newspapers as a side gig because I wasn’t quite sure if I’d be able to pay my rent and the bills that were coming due,” she shared. This personal history informs her understanding of her constituents’ struggles and shapes her policy perspectives.
“I think we have too many career politicians right now,” Bower said. “It’d be really good to have some real people coming into politics that actually understand. Not just listen, but understand people’s issues and look at solutions for them.”
Despite her critical view of the political landscape, Bower acknowledges the evolving role of social media and technology in modern politics. While it offers new avenues for communication, it also raises challenges in discerning trustworthy information. “How do you validate what information is correct and what’s not? I think that’s a real struggle for society at the moment as we move forward,” she observed.
When asked about her favourite part of the Meander Valley, Bower’s answer reflects her deep connection to the land. “The Western Tiers is my favourite place. It’s visible from wherever you are in the Meander Valley,” she said. “When I came back home from the Launceston airport and I looked up at the Western Tiers, I went, ‘yeah, I’m home’.”
