In this episode, we talk to Minister Gordon Ramsay MLA, ACT Member for Ginninderra and Attorney-General; Minister for the Arts, Creative Industries and Cultural Events; Minister for Building Quality Improvement; Minister for Business and Regulatory Services; Minister for Seniors and Veterans, about engaging the Australian voters in the political discourse.

Topics covered include:

- How to juggle multiple portfolios in ACT Legislative Assembly
- The roles and responsibilities of the Attorney-General
- How a background in the community sector can be beneficial for a career in politics
- How a positive approach to politics can be more beneficial than a negative approach.
- How direction from the federal government can be applied at a territory level
- Relationships with federal and state governments
- Current political projects in the ACT
- How to ensure the dissemination of information on these projects is effective
- The importance of listening to members of the community and understanding their concerns
- The strengths and drawbacks of territory government taking on both state and municipal responsibilities
- How the ACT has become a leader in many areas of policy for other states
- The values of the Canberra community
- The positives and negatives of the Hare-Clark system
- The importance of a continuous campaign
- The need for genuine political engagement
- The importance of hope


About Minister Ramsay:

Minister Ramsay has lived in Canberra for over 20 years, having moved here in the 90s with his young family to lead Kippax Uniting Church. Before he became a Uniting Church Minister, he had been a commercial lawyer in Sydney.

A long-term Latham resident, Gordon has always been mindful that while Canberra is a great city, there are people experiencing various kinds of disadvantage and he has made it his main focus in life to advocate for justice, inclusion and participation for the people of the community. 

To do this, he established UnitingCare Kippax and grew it into one of Canberra’s best known and respected community service bodies. Gordon was involved in ACTCOSS, the ACT Community Inclusion Board, the ACT Better Services Taskforce, and in 2012 he led the ACT Targeted Assistance Strategy. He was the Chair of Uniting, which is one of Australia's largest aged care service providers, and in 2014 he was very honoured to be a finalist in the ACT Local Hero category of the Australian of the Year awards.

Gordon decided to stand as a representative for Ginninderra so that he could work even harder to make Canberra a place where everyone can belong, be valued and have the opportunity to participate fully.

Minister Ramsay believes it is a great honour and privilege to be able to serve not only the people of Ginninderra as their local elected representative, but also the wider Canberra community as their Attorney-General, Minister for the Arts and Cultural Events, Minister for Building Quality Improvement, Minister for Business and Regulatory Services, and Minister for Seniors and Veterans.   

That all keeps him pretty busy but in more relaxing moments, you will find him spending time with his wife, Lyndelle, their young adult kids, Joel and Justine, and their very, very old miniature Schnauzer-cross, Paddy. You can also find him - or more likely hear him - at the Brumbies, where he has been a season ticket holder for well over a decade. And Gordon also loves to cook - especially the recipes of that other Gordon Ramsay.