Hi, I’m Shelley Payne, your local Member for the Agricultural Region and part of Roger Cook's Labor team. 

I’ve lived in Esperance for the past 20 years and am passionate about helping our community. I advocate for local issues in our region.

As a mother, I’m keen to ensure regional children and youth have access to world class education and training, as they do in the city. 

It is important for me to build strong connected local communities and ensure we build a strong future for the regions providing better employment opportunities for our young people.

I will continue to support local jobs, local businesses and local industries. 

I have a strong interest in protecting the environment. I am an engineer and have completed a Masters in Business and the Environment at Imperial College in London.

Since moving to Esperance 20 years ago, I have used my range of skills as a self-employed consultant. I have also helped with running our small family fishing business, so I’ve learned about the pressures and challenges facing small regional businesses.

I am a Justice of the Peace and an active member of my local community.

In 2017, I was elected to the Esperance Shire Council, standing on a platform of being a voice for families. I was the only Councillor with school aged children and provided an important perspective to the Council. 

Upon election to Council in 2017, I completed my Diploma in Local Government (Elected Member) through the Western Australian Local Government Association. This helped me gain a strong understanding of local government and associated laws and regulations. My technical background has also been valuable and a very important basis for understanding complex issues.

I was also a Local Government representative on the board of the Goldfields Esperance Development Commission (GEDC) and on the Goldfields Voluntary Regional Organisation of Councils. 

My goal is to continue the hard work of the previous Labor Members in the Agricultural Region and in raising the profile of Labor in the regions. I’m proud that during the last term of Government, Labor invested more money in the regions than any other state government in history. 

We are seeing the results on the ground with important road works happening across our regions, hospital upgrades, new TAFE facilities and upgrades to our schools including the school maintenance program and new school STEM science classrooms.

I will continue to work hard to support our regional communities across the Agricultural Region, to achieve better roads and services regionally and most importantly, I will work to empower local communities to have their say on how they want to develop into the future.

I am proud to stand for Labor values and be part of strengthening Labor’s hold in the regions and am honoured to be able to represent the Agricultural Region in the Parliament.

My door is always open, so please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

Shelley Payne