Don’t mention religion or politics.
It’s an appeal you may have heard prior to family or social engagements, but what happens when the two intersect personally and professionally?
That is the daily situation faced by three prominent WA politicians who shared their insights into faith, conviction and the common good at the Knights of the Southern Cross Leadership Breakfast held on Wednesday 23 September.
For the Hon Kate Doust MLC, the Hon Maryka Groenewald MLC and the Hon Nick Goiran MLC, faith plays a vital role in their private and public identities.
For all three, the influence and example of their families provided them with the faith foundation that helps guide them in their work as members of the Legislative Council.
Describing faith as her “anchoring point”, Maryka, the newest of the three to be elected (2025), said her grounding in faith helps inform what she does and how she does it.
While admitting as a young adult she questioned who Jesus was to her personally, she said she never doubted His presence or the importance of her faith.
“God is the foundation; His word is the foundation. Everything else is just irrelevant and movable,” she added.
For Nick, his birth encouraged his parents to “return to the Church” and provide him with a foundation in Christian faith.
“As a result of that (decision), I have had the blessing of having faith taught to me my whole life, so it inherently makes sense to me that God is real,” he said.
Kate too had a strong faith foundation in her family. That combined with their involvement in politics ultimately led her to her chosen career and longevity as one of the state’s most experienced parliamentarians.
As a university student, Kate resided at St Thomas More College where she was able to engage in and discuss some of the ethical issues that were important to her.
Early in her career she worked for the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) whose faith-driven values at the time also aligned with hers.
When the opportunity arose in 1996 to run for parliament, she threw her hat in the ring but ultimately was not successful. At that time abortion legislation was before state parliament and she recalled thinking, “I need to be at that table.”
“I wanted to have a say and give direction on how those laws were managed,” she revealed.
Kate’s passion for pro-life issues was well known in political circles so even pre-selection became a significant hurdle. She was eventually elected in 2001. Since then, she has never shied away from her beliefs, even if it means ‘crossing the floor’.
While she admitted it is hard to do the first time, she believes it’s about standing your ground when it comes to being true to your beliefs.
“It is the right thing to do if you believe in a particular issue. If you believe in the sanctity of life, you will make the right decision according to your conscience,” she suggested.
It also helps to have a thick skin, according to Nick, who was elected in 2008.
While people often enter politics with high self-esteem, confidence and strong personal views on ‘changing the world’ he said “political paralysis” can often take over, especially when you are facing pressures both from within and outside your party.
“Politics can be quite lonely and isolating at times. You’re fighting tough issues so it’s a physical battle, but it’s also a very spiritual battle,” Maryka added.
“I get to the end of a sitting week, and I feel like a bus has hit me (because) you are constantly thinking, recalibrating, praying, battling, negotiating. This is the reality (of politics) which not everyone understands.”
Needless to say, Maryka said over the last two years since her election she has relied on God “more than I ever have.”
So, what drives her to continue? Being a voice for the voiceless and sharing the message of God.
“I have probably shared Jesus with more people in the hallways, in the bathrooms, in the toilet over the last two years than I probably did in 10 years working with Australian Christians,” she said.
“If I can encourage people to think about Jesus in a different way through (what I say and do) that is job accomplished for me.”
In a society that continues to lean more towards a secular mindset, politicians such as Kate, Nick and Maryka face the ongoing challenge of making sense of everything that is happening in politics, while often having their beliefs undermined or attacked.
“Our Christian heritage affords us some incredible freedoms, incredible values. That is something worth speaking about, something worth championing,” Maryka suggested.
While we can often become desensitised to what is happening in the world, Maryka said policies and legislation can’t be considered in isolation because they all have ramifications.
“As Christians, I would hope and pray we understand the word of God and that we’re discerning what the battle ahead looks like, because without bold, courageous Christians discerning, speaking and praying, it’s only going to get worse,” she said.
For Kate, the real challenge lies in people not wanting to “rock the boat”, not wanting to have the discussion, or knowing how to have the discussion.
“You need to work out why you are (in politics). We need to get people back into the space where they are comfortable about having discussions…having open debate without fear of failure and then being prepared to stand up (for what you believe). If we don’t engage, we are going to have quite devastating outcomes,” she said.
Similarly, Nick suggested for a career in politics you need to be “bold and courageous,” whereby you back yourself and step forward when required, even if it is uncomfortable to do so.
“Moses didn’t want to do the job; he was making excuses. Jeremiah was making excuses. It’s our human nature to say it doesn’t have to be me, I’d much rather it be somebody else,” he said.
“Is it easy? It is absolutely not easy, but it can be incredibly rewarding (if you remain) true to your beliefs and principles,” he added.
As members of the voting public, we all have a part to play, Kate implied.
First and foremost, she said people need to understand how the voting system works, how you can maximise your vote, and where you need to place your non-negotiables.
And for those considering a more direct contribution, she said there was more than just being on the ‘front line’ as a member of parliament, with many of the support roles being “just as important.”
“Politics is bigger than just the members. It takes a team of people, so get involved,” she concluded.