MEET YOUR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
About Kylie Flament
Kylie Flament is a Wollongong local, small business leader and mum who has spent her career building a fairer, greener Illawarra — and now she’s stepping up to do the same in Parliament.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Known for making things happen
Known for, locally
- Running Green Connect — with 200 staff and volunteers at the time, creating environmentally friendly jobs for young people and refugees, including an urban permaculture farm, two op shops, zero-waste event management, gardening and landscaping, and ethical labour hire
- Director of Flame Tree Community Food Co-op for five years
- Won Young Business Leader of the Year at the Illawarra Business Awards, 2021
- Setting up Illawarra Local Giving in 2026 — a new way to fund great social and environmental projects in the region, with a group of locals
- Scout Leader
Known for, further afield
- Running the Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA) — a peak body that champions, connects and advocates for thousands of businesses that put people and the planet first
- Won the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Award for Innovation in Sustainable Development, 2021
- Public speaking — a keynote, panel speaker and MC on topics from ethical business to circular economy
- Speaking at parliamentary inquiries, including the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into procurement practices
- Board roles including Chair of charitable social enterprise People for Nature
Education
- Bachelor of Commerce in International Business, University of Otago (New Zealand)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA), Macquarie University
- Graduate of the Australian Institute for Company Directors (AICD)
Personal life
I grew up in Aotearoa / New Zealand, on a small farm on the North Island. I moved to France as an international student, to Sydney to start my career, and then to Wollongong where I found a place to call home. I have two wonderful children, a loving partner and family spread across Australia, New Zealand, France and Pakistan.
Why politics?
If businesses can put people and the planet ahead of profits, then I believe politicians can put people and the planet ahead of parties and political gain. I’ve spent my career finding innovative ways to tackle some of the biggest social and environmental issues we face, and I want to bring that same drive for change into politics. Above all, I’m standing up for integrity and democracy, because our community deserves representatives it can trust. And if I’m honest, so many people asked me to run that, in the end, I couldn’t say no.
How is this campaign different?
When I agreed to run as an independent candidate, I said I would only do it if the campaign itself benefits the community. Whether that’s through working bees, picking up litter, helping people to connect with their neighbours or highlighting the enormous amount of work that community organisations are doing to make the world a better place (in spite of government regulations, policies and a shortage of funding), I would like to make this about what we can do together rather than what I could do alone.
Love for people
“Everyone has a different perspective and path, and I genuinely enjoy understanding those. My friends laugh at how easily I befriend people and learn their story. The richness of the human experience is a joy to glimpse in to. This is why I love reading, to understand different people and perspectives.”
Love for the planet
“I took it for granted as a child, growing up on a farm and spending time at the beach. My grandmother is an incredible gardener and taught me how to work with nature to grow good food. In my late twenties I had a moment looking into our rubbish bin at all the soft plastics and food waste, thinking: there must be a better way than sending all this to landfill. That started a ten-year journey into circular economy. Now I have a deep love for nature in all its complexity — understanding that we’re pushing our home to breaking point, but that given half a chance, it will regenerate.”
SNAPSHOTS
A life in pictures
Want to be part of the campaign?
Join Kylie’s push for a cleaner, greener, fairer, kinder Keira.