Gabrielle Duykers, Naracoorte Community News

Naracoorte-born leader Lucy Hood has won the seat of Adelaide, ousting Liberal frontbencher Rachel Sanderson.

In late 2020, the South Australian Labor Party announced Ms Hood as its candidate to contest the state’s second most marginal seat in the 2022 election.

After a two-year campaign she emerged victorious, along with her party, on March 19.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Ms Hood said. “I gave it my all until the very end.”

On election day, she said she stood outside a polling booth in Prospect for more than 10 hours.

“I set myself a goal that I would literally talk to every single person in the line if that was possible,” Ms Hood said.

“The only time I stopped was to go and actually cast my own vote, so I was probably suffering from a bit of heatstroke and dehydration by the time I got home.”

Ms Hood completed her schooling at Naracoorte Primary School and Naracoorte High School before moving to Adelaide to study journalism at university.

She worked as a journalist with The Advertiser before joining the Labor Party and working as a media advisor and policy director.

Ms Hood said she considered her rural upbringing a strength, and wanted to bring “country values” to her electorate. 

“I’m so incredibly proud of being a Naracoorte girl,” she said.

“Growing up in a country town, community is in your DNA.

“You help your neighbour and you help your friends.

“It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to run for my community and recreate that sense of connection that I had growing up to my local area.”

Ms Hood now lives in Prospect with her partner Jarrad Pilkington and their two children.

Her brother, Ben Hood, stood as Liberal candidate for the seat of Mount Gambier but was defeated by Independent incumbent Troy Bell.

With two siblings running on opposite sides of politics, Ms Hood said her parents were in a “unique situation”.

“It is a bit tough, but we all grew up just respecting each other’s opinions,” she said.

“Sometimes you agree and sometimes you agree to disagree.”

Ms Hood described her brother as her “best friend”.

“We talk just about every day and that’s not going to change,” she said.

“He’s an amazing person who gives back to his community time and time again, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store next for him.”

Ms Hood said her primary focus while leading the seat of Adelaide would be investing in health services – an area Labor allocated more than $1 billion towards in its election promises.

As she prepares to take her seat in Parliament, Ms Hood wanted to thank her friends, family, and former teachers from Naracoorte and surrounds for their continued support and encouragement.

This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.