If you could change just one thing about Australia, what would it be?
When I lived across Africa, I loved the positivity — in the most difficult of circumstances people believed tomorrow would be better than today. There is a lot that can be done to make tomorrow better, but a belief that we can achieve a bright future is critical for mental health and for delivering outcomes.
What is the worst thing anyone has ever said to you?
I met with a mother in Rwanda who tried to breastfeed her five-year-old son while we were talking; she said to me that she couldn’t afford to buy food in the market that day, so she hoped she was able to produce milk so she could at least feed her two children. That experience, along with others in my career in Global Health, has motivated me every single day to ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive and prosper.
What is the best thing that has ever happened to you?
Having the skills and experience needed to join the United Nations Ebola mission in 2014. To be able to deploy your experience to save lives and shape the future is an incredible privilege.
Who or what do you see as the biggest threat to Australia?
Biosecurity and cybersecurity threats and misinformation campaigns launched by hostile actors, and as the emitter of 28% of global atmospheric carbon, with an annual growth of 1.5% or more, China’s emissions are a global concern.
Which historical figure do you most admire and why?
Nelson Mandela: his ability to continue to strive despite incredible adversity, and to assume a leadership role, then step away from power in the best interests of his country and the people he represents.
What would your final meal be?
Mum’s bread and butter pudding, with some South Aussie Golden North Ice Cream.
Elect Me! is an ongoing Crikey election series. If you are standing, and we have yet to be in touch, please feel free to answer the questions in this article and send us the answers to letters@crikey.com.au.
She has these beliefs and she is standing for a party which has embraced neo liberal economics? A party which has ruined people’s lives through its application of welfare policies? It’s very sad that a smart woman actually can’t see this. I am reminded of David Niven as Peter Carter in A Matter of Life and Death describing his politics ‘I am conservative by inclination and Labour by experience’. Seems to me that Dr Swift has learnt nothing from her experiences.
Took the words right out of my mouth! Why is she running for the Nasty Party?!
Unless she says one thing to Crikey and another thing to the Murdoch media.
Strange bedfellows indeed.
You can only conclude that in spite of the nice words, she actually sees more money in politics than in medicine.
Someone that smart would not join the wrong party by accident…..
I am yet to meet anyone from South Africa, white, privileged and used to having servants who do not vote for the Nasty Party.
Lordy, lordy! At face value something or someone . . . has to ‘give’.
Spot-on, I could not have said it better. Anyone who can support a compulsive liar and fraud has no self-respect.
So because the leader of the party might be what you say they are, and I’m no fan, that means all the centre right candidates should just leave the party? That’s not how political parties work. Scott is just the prime minister, temporarily chosen by the MPs. Nothing stopping them rolling him after the election, (and I think they will and should) and to do that you need MPs who are sitting MPs and no longer support him.
It’s not about who leads the party, it’s about the actions of that party whilst it is in government, stretching back to the Howard government when it picked up the economic neoliberal/social conservative ball and ran all the way to the bottom with it, dragging us with them.
Doesn’t matter who leads it, it’s been the Nasty party for quite some time. It would break Menzies’ heart.
My point is, why would the good doctor be in tow with a man known for his misogyny, corruption, cowardice, incompetence, lies, homophobia, transphobia, fascism and religious zealotry? Add to that bullying. When you sleep with dogs… etc
I suppose you didn’t read Julia Banks description of “menacing wallpaper”.
Smirko is the product of a cult and knows how to :manage” a group to his ends.
Ask Michael Towke and wonder whether it isn’t easier to run as an Independent and hold the balance of power.
Just because she has a medical degree doesn’t mean she has any sense.
She has worked in places where her experiences should have informed her opinions. Getting a degree in medicine suggests a good level of intelligence. I can only assume that her privilege is so entrenched that she is unable to see the disconnect between her experiences and her political beliefs.
As someone who works in the medical field, she probably isn’t happy dealing with the unwashed public.
Does she have a medical degree? Maybe check that.
One could easily be misled reading this interview. You do realise that “Dr” Swift has a science Phd, is a business consultant and definitely is not a qualified medical practitioner? Can’t imagine for the life of me why she hasn’t made that clear in her chat with Crikey. Her current consulting business is I think called “Swift Outcomes” (Feel free to Google same). I believe that she previously had about 10 years working for Boston Consulting. BCG have made a lot of money advising governments on privatizing public assets – I think that was also the company that Mr Tudge also worked for.
That’s interesting. I went back and reread it, and due to her alluding to working for Global Health and speaking to a woman who was breastfeeding, I jumped to the conclusion that she was a medical doctor. I suspect that was deliberate on her part.
Surely not!
BS O/D WARNING – “Headquartered in South Australia, Swift Outcomes is a boutique consulting firm bringing health and education-focused consulting services to Australia. Our firm specialises in corporate strategy, hospitals, and health system strengthening, value-based health care, digital health care, and education. …
Our consultants have top-tier consulting experience combined with practical hands-on experience as C-suite executives…” blah blah ad nauseam.
Many years working with Boston Consulting Group and her own business consultancy (Swift Outcomes) – business consultant Dr Swift (PhD) has I think definitely learned a thing or two about marketing from her working life experience.
Glad I wasn’t the only one bemused, although the singling out of PRC carbon emissions is a bit of a giveaway, being one of the agreed talking points of the “we shouldn’t take any action on climate change mitigation until everyone else has” mob. Shame they don’t apply the same principle to most other global issues eg baiting China on CoVid19 origins.
I was driving into Adelaide city this morning and was intrigued to observe Rachel Swift’s corflute signs. Instead of the standard Liberal party Royal Blue she has gone for a softer blue with a pale pink background. It’s a distinctly pretty image and I’m wondering what she’s intending to project and who is she appealing to …
This candidate is one up from ” Everything will be alright!
Strangely, in Africa all I saw was desperation.
Anyone who comes out with that sort of trite drivel has been prepped beyond normality.
Were a fraction of what she said true, she would not be in a party which is the very antithesis of all her, rote, predigested & reconstituted sentiments.