Helen Haines never imagined becoming a member of parliament. In fact, it’s one of the last things she thought she’d end up doing.

But she's now an independent MP, and the only member of Federal Parliament with a background in midwifery.

And she still feels excitement every time her name is mentioned in the chamber.

Speaking with host Shirley Chowdhary, Haines is full of leadership wisdom and ideas on how to make your way in the world with passion, integrity and heart.

She explains how her desire to be an active and useful member of her rural community-led her down the unexpected path of politics.

And she opens up about the process of getting elected, and why she’s so passionate about issues of climate change, integrity, and making our

democracy work for everyone.

The Leadership Lessons is made possible thanks to the excellent support of Salesforce. It's produced by Agenda Media, the publisher of Women's Agenda and mixed by our producer Allison Ho.

You can check out our other podcasts, including The Women's Agenda Podcast and The Women's Health Project.

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