A rookie MP and mother of four, who has experienced a whirlwind 18 months in parliament, has revealed her long-term aspirations.
Kendall Hatcher (nee Morton) has been in the thick of the action since she toppled Jason Hunt to reclaim the seat of Caloundra for the LNP at the Queensland election in 2024.
The former teacher and home care business owner has since been front and centre of the government’s focus on one of the state’s fastest-growing areas.
She’s been involved in multiple big-ticket projects to address traffic – which is the region’s biggest bugbear – erosion, development and a multibillion-dollar train project.
Despite the hectic start to her political career and the next election still two years away, Ms Morton said she wants to be in the hot seat for the long haul, and outlined her plans for the region.
“I’ll be running at the next election,” she said.
“Look at what I’ve managed to achieve the electorate in just 18 months, and there’s still a lot more to do.
“We’re building a new school, we’re building a TAFE Centre of Excellence, we’ve got the Caloundra Congestion Busting Plan, work on the Bribie Island breakthrough, new town centre, The Wave rail and so much more.
“The people of Caloundra … deserve all the things we’re now building. They deserve good representation.
“I’ll continue to work tirelessly … to continue to deliver what is not only playing catch up but also meeting the needs of our expanding population.”
The electorate’s population has blown out of proportion and is expected to lead to significant boundary changes in 2028.
There are almost 48,000 people in the seat, which is almost 18 per cent above the average of just over 40,000, and the fourth highest in the state.
There are projected to be almost 65,000 people in the electorate by 2032, if the boundaries don’t change, which would be about 46 per cent above the average.
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The proposed boundary changes include losing all territory west of the Bruce Highway, including the towns of Beerwah, Landsborough, Glenview and some of Palmview to the Glass House electorate, and losing Coochin Creek to the Pumicestone electorate.
Even with the changes, the projected population would be more than 54,000, which would be 21 per cent above the state average and the highest in Queensland.
“We always knew that we could expect significant changes from redistribution simply because of the population exploding in Southeast Queensland and particularly on the Sunshine Coast,” Ms Hatcher said.
“Caloundra is one of the largest electorates in the state. We knew that the significant growth in population was going to mean that our borders were going to change.”
“Redistributions happen over time and electorates borders are bound to change. However, I’ll continue to work hard for the people that I feel honoured to represent including Beerwah and the Hinterland.
“The electoral redistribution is an independent process, undertaken by the Electoral Commission of Queensland. The draft boundaries have been released, and people are welcome to have their say on what they think of the electoral boundaries presented by the ECQ. They can go online and submit their feedback.”
Ms Hatcher, from Victoria, moved to Caloundra two decades ago and worked as a teacher before she started a home care business in 2016.
She said during her maiden speech to parliament in 2024 that she recognised “the significance of women in leadership and influence”.
“People often wonder how I can parent effectively and still focus on a demanding career which is a question … my advice to them is do something you love, and you can do anything.”
Ms Hatcher, the 106th female member of Queensland Parliament, is the first state MP to change her surname while in office.
She married Michael Hatcher in a private ceremony held at Pelican Waters, surrounded by more than 100 friends, family members and political colleagues, on April 4.
