Denise Fisher has represented Australia overseas as head of two diplomatic missions, but at 63 she is fulfilling a long-held ambition and seeking a political career.
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The roads, rates and rubbish of ACT politics may seem a world away from her time as high commissioner to Zimbabwe or consul-general in New Caledonia, career peaks that followed postings in Washington, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi and Nairobi.
Ten years after she ended her career with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the newly announced Liberal candidate for Ginninderra said the time was right to put her name in the ring.
"Our children are grown up, aged parents have sadly passed, and with the increased number of seats and change in electorates I feel that there's a real opportunity for the Liberals to have even more impact than they've had so far in the life of the Assembly and I think basically it's time for a change of government," she said.
"I think I can bring something to that."
Her father, Trevor Kaine, was the territory's second chief minister, leading a minority Liberal government for 18 months until June 1991. He was an MLA for 12 years until 2001, the final three as an independent.
Ms Fisher said she had always been a Liberal, and her father had imbued a sense of community service to her.
The international focus had remained, as in the past five years she and her fellow career diplomat husband, Denis Fisher, had spent extended periods volunteering in Jakarta and Beirut, and she was now a visiting fellow at the ANU's Centre for European Studies.
She pointed to the light rail project when asked how she thought the Liberals would perform better than Labor, saying it was an "ill-conceived mega project, calling for big bucks, when the cost benefit does not stand up, and delivering to very few, if it does deliver".
One of only two of the 25 Liberal candidates not living in the electorate they are contesting, the inner south resident said her connections to Ginninderra were deep, having previously lived in Aranda for 30 years while coming back from overseas.
Belconnen residents shared many concerns faced by the rest of Canberra, she said.
"To have the level of amenities they expect at their different life stages: be it maternity care, child care, schools, good after school facilities for working families, healthcare when you need it and good places for aged parents if that's necessary," she said.
Despite her pedigree, she dutifully batted off questions about any ministerial ambitions, saying her objective at the moment was simply to be elected to the Assembly.
