Why Ariana is "ready for this job"
Ariana Doolan is a “bit of a risk taker” which helps explain how the former reptile handler and Netflix star has become a record-setting State Member for Pumicestone.
At 22, she was the youngest woman - and first person born in the 21st century - to be voted into Queensland’s Parliament, which returns next week for its first sitting of 2025.
The margin of victory last October was small (less than 250 votes), but vindicated Ariana’s decision to stand in Pumicestone for the LNP.
It’s her home electorate in her home region where family, work and community connections run deep, having lived at Beachmere for 10 years and been schooled in Kippa-Ring and Glass House.
But, she also had experience - sometimes very painful - and a lengthy resume which helped prepared her for challenges on the campaign trail, questions about her age and speaking before Parliament.
Now 23, Ariana is a member of Toorbul District Community Association and Sandstone Point Lions and has worked with Bribie Island Environment Protection Association, the Voices Choral group and Bribie U3A.
She follows her family’s “adventurous spirit”. Ariana’s mother is South African/Indian whose grandparents fled to Australia during Apartheid. Her father is Australian with Irish grandparents.
Now Head of Science at Glass House Christian College, his family farmed in Narangba, while Ariana’s mother took a break from teaching to run a newsagency in Redcliffe.
“I felt I was ready for this job and decided to give it a go,” she said, “I’m a bit of a risk-taker and thought … what’s the worst that can happen?
“Now it feels like this was meant to be - that I was moving in this direction, but not deliberately.”
Ariana is not a politician by chance or design, through many saw the potential well before her maiden speech in Parliament on December 10.
She was studying Business and Environmental Science at Griffith University when COVID arrived and restrictions imposed.
“I can’t relax. I have to be doing something. That’s why when COVID came I was stressed out,” Ariana said. “I wasn’t going into uni and I missed having that connection with people.
“I saw an advert on LinkedIn for Youth Parliament and applied. I was always involved with community at school, raising money for farmers, charities and thought this would be good.”
Ariana was given the seat of Glass House and mentored by Andrew Powell, the electorate’s State Member since 2009.
During that time, she produced and directed a tourism commercial with Robert Irwin and Baz Luhrmann’s daughter Lily at Australia Zoo to promote the Sunshine Coast.
“That’s when I started getting messages from politicians, from all sides of politics, wanting to meet with me,” Ariana said.
“But I didn’t want to be involved with politics at that stage. I wanted more skills in different sectors.”
She became a teacher aid at Caboolture and Redcliffe State High Schools and for six months a reptile handler on the Gold Coast.
“It was kids’ parties with snakes and crocodiles,” Ariana said, “I was scared of snakes and thought this might get me over it. It didn’t! But it was good fun.”
Ariana’s resume also includes playing Rashish, the daughter of one of Chris Lilley’s characters in the Netflix TV series Lunatics.
“I was involved with theatre and acting at school and really enjoyed drama,” Ariana said, “I had wanted to audition for NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) but can’t dance!
“Then I saw an ad for someone who looked like me. I got a call from the casting director for an audition and was given the role!”
However, the road to Parliament picked up speed when Ariana joined Zero Positive for Schools, a charity chaired by former State Member for Murrumba Reg Gulley.
He made her Youth Program Co-ordinator, monitoring solar in schools and energy conservation.
“I met the shadow minister for environment about the program,” Ariana recalled “and was asked if I’d thought about politics?
“I was told I should run as more young women were needed in politics. My parents have always been LNP voters and I thought … give it a go.”
Age was not an issue, nor Ariana still living at home in Beachmere, though there was the “odd comment on social media” she said.
Life/work experiences also helped handle fallout and hostility on the campaign trail, including having been bullied at school, which she turned into a “positive”.
“It took me a long time to get there, but now I’m glad that (bullying) happened because I understand not to take things to heart,” she said. “It doesn’t get to me.”
Former Caboolture Mayor Joy Leishman was on Ariana’s election team and former Federal Member for Longman Wyatt Roy - who entered the Australian Parliament at 20 – reached out offering support.
Ironically, his family also helped years earlier. Arriving in Australia from South Africa with little money, Ariana’s grandmother worked on the Roy family’s strawberry farm at Beerwah.
Now, Ariana's focus is on "being the best member I can for Pumicestone and deliver as much as I can to the community”.
That includes upgraded lighting at Beachmere Rugby League Club to stop “people being turned away because they cannot play at night”, Ariana said.
“... and a PA system for Bribie Little Athletics. Those are among the goals for the moment, as well as making Queensland safer for all.”
Becoming a Minister? "Not even thinking about that," she says.