Hi, I'm Kristy McBain

My advocacy work started as a lawyer; working across offices in Yass, Queanbeyan, Bega, Merimbula, Eden and Canberra, before taking my passion for regional people and places to the local government arena.

As a Bega Valley Shire Councillor from 2012 and Mayor from 2016 to 2020, I set out to be a new voice with a fresh approach to engaging with our community and working across the political divide. 

Projects including the Merimbula Airport upgrade, Tathra Wharf repairs, sporting complex improvements, water treatment plants, accessible playgrounds and local roads are some of the results of my collaborative advocacy style. Working with other local mayors to champion the entire region through the Canberra Region Joint Organisation was key to this work.

Our community has been hit hard by drought, bushfires, floods and COVID-19. With those challenges comes opportunity and I am more determined than ever to forge a path towards to bigger, brighter future for regional communities based on the lessons learnt and values we have rediscovered along the way.

I want to ensure there are real career prospects for people in our area, that ‘real’ regional development is a key priority for governments and that our bushfire-affected communities aren't forgotten.

My values and work ethic were formed as a teenager – watching and helping my parents run a small sporting store in Merimbula. I grew up on the Far South Coast and attended Eden Marine High School. I still count my high school mates as some of my best friends – it’s one of the reasons I moved back to the area after completing a double degree in Law/Communications at the University of Canberra.

I met my husband in high school, we now live in Tura Beach with our three children and our beloved Border Collie and run a successful plumbing business employing local people.

Everything I hold dear is here in Eden-Monaro.