Caroline White is a local mother from Mentone, a small business owner and Councillor for Caruana Ward in the City of Kingston Council (currently serving a two-month suspension from the Labor State Government for standing up for the community).
As a community leader, advocate, and Councillor, she has stood up for the people of Clarinda, Dingley Village, Clayton South and surrounding Kingston suburbs, focusing on our most pressing cost of living, environmental, and integrity issues - and being silenced in the process.
Caroline is strongly attached to Clarinda, growing up in Aspendale and living much of her life in the area. Her small business experience running her own dance studio for over a decade provides her with strong business acumen, leadership and commercial pragmatism.
Standing up for Clarinda as Councillor
Elected to Kingston City Council in 2024 as a community independent, Caroline campaigned on cutting wasteful spending, optimising council resources and operational efficiency, improving council culture to facilitate entrepreneurship, promoting economic and business growth, and focusing on the basics of roads, rates and rubbish.
Caroline has spearheaded the Tootal Road resurfacing and drainage project, despite Labor councillors voting against it. She leads opposition to the Suburban Rail Loop and toxic spoil, and has put pressure on the State Labor Government over the proposed redevelopment of Kingswood Golf Course. She has also opposed residential development on the Ball Road former tip site.
She has championed upgrades to the Heatherton Football Netball Club kitchen and bar, new public basketball courts as part of the Hawthorn Football Club facility development, and action on illegal dumping in Clayton South.
In less than two years as a Councillor, Caroline has saved Kingston residents and ratepayers millions in wasteful government spending.
Caroline has also stood up to council monitors, raised concerns about council transparency and integrity, and challenged decisions she believes are not in the interests of Kingston residents.
Caroline will bring her management skills, council advocacy record and small business experience to State Parliament, with a focus on independent representation, transparency, integrity, accountability, common-sense values, efficient government and economic empowerment.
Mum, business owner, and advocate
Caroline is a proud mum to her 13-year-old son, Lenny, and is actively involved with local sporting clubs and community groups.
She is the Principal and Director of Two Shoes Dance Academy, which has locations in Melbourne and Nagoya, Japan. Her experience running a small business for more than a decade has given her practical experience in leadership, management and business operations.
Caroline became prominent in 2021 through her advocacy during the pandemic lockdowns, including raising concerns about restrictions affecting children’s activity centres.
In 2022, Caroline stood as an independent candidate for the Victorian lower house seat of Clarinda, gaining over 14% of the votes after preference distribution.
She was also preselected as part of the 2022 Victorian Federal Senate ticket for the Liberal Democrats, now the Libertarian Party, before leaving the party to become an independent.
