Independent Senate candidate David Pocock has announced his running mate and confirmed he has officially renounced citizenship of his birth country.
Nominating at least two candidates is a requirement to be listed ‘above the line’ on the Senate ballot paper, which is critical to any candidate’s chances of winning come polling day.
Mr Pocock’s second candidate will be Clare Doube, co-founder of ProACT, Canberra’s local ‘Voices of’ movement.
Ms Doube and her husband Glenn established proACT as a grassroots community movement aiming to reconnect people and politics.
Following kitchen table conversations with hundreds of people from across the ACT, proACT conducted an endorsement process late last year that selected Mr Pocock as the community-endorsed ACT Independent senate candidate.
Having instigated the process that was the catalyst for Mr Pocock’s campaign, Ms Doube said she was delighted to join the ticket, and support efforts to do democracy better.
“I’m excited that Canberrans will have a real choice at this election, and am delighted to be supporting a candidate with such integrity,” Ms Doube said.
“Having spent time with David over the last few months, I have seen how he operates – genuinely listening and engaging with people. I know that he will bring an impressive range of skills and experience to Parliament.”
Ms Doube has lived in Canberra for more than 14 years. After growing up in rural South Australia, her career spans senior positions with local and international not-for-profits and the public service.
Mr Pocock said he was delighted to have someone of Ms Doube’s intellect, calibre, and commitment to the community join him on the ticket.
“Clare is a passionate member of our community who commands enormous respect, and has deep connections right across Canberra,” Mr Pocock said.
“I am very fortunate to have her support, and so pleased that Clare has signed on as my running mate.”
David Pocock confirms Australian citizenship
Consistent with Section 44 of the Constitution, which restricts a candidate from running for Federal parliament with a citizenship other than Australian, Mr Pocock has provided documentary evidence confirming he renounced of his Zimbabwean and South African citizenship.
This means Mr Pocock is now solely a citizen of Australia and no other country as required.
This highlights his commitment to the Canberra community and the country in his campaign for an ACT Senate seat at the upcoming federal election, he said.
“As any migrant knows, giving up citizenship is a huge thing. But I love this community, and I want to do what I can to have the opportunity to represent the people of Canberra.
“Zimbabwe will always be a special place to me. I have been involved in community development, agriculture, and conservation projects there over the years, and it will always be part of who I am. But Canberra is my home, and I want to represent a community I love.”
Mr Pocock and his family relocated to Brisbane, Australia, in 2002, after their farm in Gweru was taken in the Zimbabwean government’s land reform. In 2012, Mr Pocock moved to Canberra to play rugby for the ACT Brumbies and the Australian Wallabies.
While David spent time during 2021 in Zimbabwe developing Rangelands Restoration Trust – an agriculture project working to build nature-based climate solutions, adaptation, and resilience in rural southern Zimbabwe – Canberra has been his home for the last decade.
