How I Got Here: Elizabeth Lee
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Admit it, we’ve all been there—deep dive stalking social media and LinkedIn profiles, trying desperately to figure out how the hell someone got their dream job.
It seems impossible and yet there they are, living out your career fantasy (minus the itchy business suit). It might seem hard to believe, but once upon a time, they were also fantasising about their future career, and with some hard work, they made it.
Welcome to How I Got Here, HerCanberra’s series that reveals everything you wanted to know about the secrets of career success.
This week we get to see what life is like for ACT Liberal Leader Elizabeth Lee.
Existential crisis time: Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Elizabeth Lee – Member for Kurrajong, Leader of the Opposition, mother to two beautiful girls, Mia and Ava. I’ve been a lawyer and a law lecturer and in my “spare” time between cases and lectures, I used to teach group fitness classes at gyms around Canberra. I struck up a passion for advocacy as a young lawyer when I got involved with the ACT Law Society and it’s what drew me – eventually – to politics. I suffer from enormous “mum guilt” cos I can go days only seeing my girls asleep as I leave the house before they wake up and return hours after they’ve gone to sleep. I have to remind myself that I am setting a good example for my girls that women can be fierce and independent and can be leaders in public life.
Let’s go back to when you were a kid, have you always dreamed of working in this industry?
When I first migrated to Australia from Korea at the age of seven, I couldn’t fathom a future in Australian politics. Australian politics was for middle-aged white men; not for Asian girls who were growing up in Western Sydney. Like most young people, I didn’t turn my mind to politics at all. Growing up, my dad would always talk to us about current affairs and instilled in us the importance of making a positive contribution to our community but it was not overtly anything to do with politics; it was more a sense that we should give back to our community because we were fortunate to have this new opportunity in this new country.
Tell us about when you were first starting out, what set a fire in your belly to get here and how did you do it?
I didn’t turn my mind to politics until I was a practising lawyer and I developed a passion for advocating for my profession – first as Chair of the ACT then Australian Young Lawyers Committees then as Vice President of the ACT Law Society. I loved advocating for and representing my profession and I thought, how do I do this for the broader community. That’s what led me into politics – to advocate for and represent people who may not necessarily be in a position to do it for themselves. I did some research and the Liberal Party platform in terms of individual freedom and responsibility spoke to my values. I joined the party but was not actively involved until late 2011 when the then leader of the Canberra Liberals Zed Seselja suggested I think about preselection for the 2012 ACT election.
Recall a time when you wanted to chuck it all in; what did you tell yourself when it got too hard?
There have been several times throughout my time in politics (so far) that I have wanted to chuck it all in. The ever present guilt of whether I’m putting my “political career” ahead of my children especially as they are still so young plagues me daily. The monstrous challenge of leading a party that has been in opposition for over 2 decades; the enormous difficulty of changing a deeply entrenched mindset of an electorate that has voted the same way for over two decades…the day-to-day obstacles of dealing with people who underestimate me based on my sex, ethnicity and party is a constant and exhausting battle that does make me question if life would be much simpler if I just went back to practising law. The thing that does keep me going, despite these challenges, is that I know there is a big cohort of people who believe in me, who make a lot of sacrifices because they know I can and should be the next Chief Minister of the ACT and because, most importantly, deep down, I believe that in myself.
What was your biggest break?
I’m not sure I would call it my “biggest break” because it is the result of a lot of hard work over many years but of course, the privilege of being elected leader of my party in October 2020 was a defining moment for me in my political life so far. Not just for me personally but as a moment that I know meant a lot to Asian Australians, especially Korean Australians, in seeing someone that looks like me in my position in Australian politics. I am hopeful, of course, that I can go one step further for my party, and for the people of the ACT, in winning the ACT election for the Canberra Liberals in October this year, for the first time in over 20 years.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Never lose perspective. In the cut and thrust and daily grind of politics, it can be all too consuming. I have FOMO; I can’t say no; I have high expectations of myself and put too much pressure on myself. It can be easy to get too caught up in the drama of whatever stress is going on in my life and get fatalistic about my political life. I have learned to try and accept things that are outside of my control (particularly other people’s behaviour and responses) and keep things in perspective. My role as leader of the Canberra Liberals is incredibly important to me. I will do everything I can and I will sacrifice an enormous amount of myself to making sure I give my party the best chance at winning government in October this year. But I have also learned to accept that this role does not define me as a person or even my aspirations and achievements. My life will continue after politics and whilst everyone will forget who I am, I cannot let my daughters’ lives be one where they don’t remember me being there for them. So it’s all about perspective.
What is it about your industry that you love and what makes you want to pull your hair out?
I have the enormous privilege of being able to meet with people I would never have the opportunity to come across, and hear their stories – what challenges they’ve faced in their lives and what contributions they are making to our world. This is, hands down, the most enjoyable part of my job. There are people in this world who are the most amazing humans and I would never have come across them if I weren’t doing what I am doing. The most frustrating thing about my job is the utterly unfair and downright wrong assumptions people make about politicians, particularly those in my party. I have lost count of the number of times people have made (just plain wrong) assertions about how and what I think because, in their mind. “every Liberal” thinks like that. It’s maddening. Especially when it comes from people who are educated and articulate.
Tell us how you ‘stay in the know’, what media do you consume?
I stay on top of the local news daily (paper, websites, magazines, radio, TV) and I am guilty of scrolling social media for too many hours of the day. Local news and ACT politics are my immediate “go to” on any news site (whatever the medium) then it’s social media (I have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Threads and I am sure the algorithms push local news my way).
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hopefully having just won my second term as Chief Minister of the ACT under a Canberra Liberals government. Mia will be nine and a half and Ava will be almost six and I would hope they’re starting to understand what I do and are proud of me as I am of them; that they’re not getting a hard time at school because of what I do; that they’re learning the importance of making a positive contribution to our community.
Why should people follow in your footsteps?
Politics isn’t for everyone but it should be an option for everyone. I would hate for any little girl from a culturally and linguistically diverse background to think that they do not have a place in Australian politics, as I did when I was a little girl. I know that many people have a cynical view of politics and politicians but I put my hand up and got involved because I genuinely believe I can make a difference – to the lives of my constituents as well as to the Australian political landscape. Our parliaments (at all levels) should reflect the diversity we see in our community and I hope that for the next generation, it’s not even a question that they have a place in politics.
What advice would you give your past self?
Life won’t always be easy but it’s not because it’s not meant to be. Know that the challenges – even the ones that seem unassailable – are the flip sides of opportunities. Even if you can’t see it at the time, they are opportunities to learn new things – about yourself or others; or about how to deal with the challenges. When things seem hopeless, know that there are many people who look up to you; who admire you; and who respect and are inspired by what you are doing. They may not always say it but know they’re watching quietly and are taking heart in what you are doing. Don’t give up because you are and what you do is valuable to creating a better world.
