Headland to run for Durack

Former Fremantle Dockers AFL star Des Headland has spoken of his excitement at swapping the footy oval for a career in politics.

The 32-year-old has worked at Clontarf Academy in Broome for 12 months, and was announced last week as the Federal candidate for the seat of Durack for mining magnate Clive Palmer’s newly formed Palmer United Party.

Mr Headland admitted to being nervous about the magnitude of the challenge, but was excited to get started.

“Being an indigenous person of Australia, you always feel like you want to have a say,” he said.

“The main factor behind the decision was that I can have a say for my people, my community and the areas that I have been involved in.”

Mr Headland will start campaigning in mid-August, and will take unpaid leave from Clontarf in an attempt to cover the massive Durack electorate which takes in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Mid West and Wheatbelt regions.

He admits to having a lot to learn, but feels he has the support to be in the running at the polls.

“I will take the skills and knowledge that I have picked up into politics,” he said.

“What I have been doing over the last few years hasn’t necessarily been anything to do with the word politics, but really politics is in everyday life anyway.”

Mr Headland is thoroughly convinced of the party’s policies, which he feels will attract voters.

“Obviously I can’t divulge the exact policies until they are made public, but I think a lot of people will click onto what we are trying to do,” he said.

“We are here for the area of Durack. We want to make a change for the communities.

We want to listen to the people and make a difference.”

Mr Headland’s AFL career spanned more than a decade, and included a premiership with the Brisbane Lions in 2002.

However, he said his sporting background was a double-edged sword.

“The unfortunate thing about having an AFL career is people think they know who you are as a person because you played for the Fremantle Dockers or the Brisbane Lions,” he said.

“I have got to change a few minds, there is no doubt about it.” Mr Headland said his passion would be indigenous politics, and he would focus on suicide prevention and education.

“If I get elected, one of the main issues will be addressing mortality rates in infants in indigenous communities,” he said.

“It is the worst of any indigenous race around the world, worse than in Africa or Asia. Not a lot of people know that.”

When asked about his chances, Mr Headland remained upbeat and said he was 100 per cent committed to winning the seat.

“I know I have got a big challenge, there is no doubt about it,” he confessed. “At the end of the day it is up to the voters.

“If I can voice my opinion and help people out along the way then I will have reached my goal and achieved what I wanted to.”