Dawn Kelly interviews Jordan Woodhams, President of the Libertarian Party in Western Australia, in asKING Questions – because the questions won’t ask themselves.
This is my take on the conversation.
What began as an interview moved quickly beyond surface level and into something deeper. A discussion on resilience, character, and the philosophy of self-ownership that sits at the core of how we live, think, and participate in the world around us.
It wasn’t just about what he’s done.
It was about how he thinks… and why.
We’re told to follow the rules.
To trust the system.
To assume those in power know what they’re doing.
But every now and then, someone steps outside that frame… and asks a different kind of question.
Not what should I do?
But why am I doing it at all?
In this conversation, I sat down with Jordan Woodhands, President of the Libertarian Party in Western Australia. What unfolded wasn’t a political interview. It was a deeper exploration into character, choice, and the idea that sits underneath everything:
Who owns your life?
Character Isn’t Given. It’s Built
Jordan didn’t join the army for a career.
He joined it for a story.
At 16, he made a decision most people quietly avoid. He chose hardship. Not because he had to… but because he believed something simple and confronting:
If you want character, you have to earn it.
There’s something almost foreign about that now.
We live in a world that softens edges, removes friction, and sells comfort as the goal. But character doesn’t grow in comfort. It forms under pressure.
And pressure, when chosen, becomes something else entirely.
Resilience Isn’t a Buzzword
We talk about resilience like it’s a mindset.
But in reality, it’s a memory.
It’s the body remembering what it survived.
Training in the army.
Pushing beyond limits.
Even reaching the point of blackout in a pool just to touch the wall.
Not because it makes sense on paper… but because it answers a question internally:
Where is my edge?
Most people spend their lives avoiding that edge.
Others go looking for it.
The Moment Things Shift
For Jordan, COVID wasn’t just a public health event.
It was a turning point.
He could see the direction things were heading. Restrictions. Enforcement. The increasing role of authority in everyday life.
And he made a decision that most wouldn’t:
He stepped away.
Not reactively.
Deliberately.
Because something didn’t sit right.
And when something doesn’t sit right, the question becomes:
Do you ignore it… or follow it?
The Idea That Changes Everything
At the core of libertarian philosophy is a single idea:
You own yourself.
Not symbolically.
Not conditionally.
Completely.
And if that’s true, then everything else starts to shift.
Your time belongs to you.
Your labour belongs to you.
Your voice belongs to you.
So what happens when systems begin to claim portions of that?
That’s where the conversation moves from theory… into reality.
Australia and the Illusion of Certainty
Most Australians assume we have free speech.
It feels like we do.
Until you look closer.
What exists is not an explicit right, but an implied freedom tied to political communication. A subtle distinction… but an important one.
Because what is implied can be interpreted.
And what is interpreted can be limited.
Which raises a question many haven’t asked:
If your rights aren’t clearly defined… how secure are they?
Same Pattern. Different Form
We’ve seen this before.
During COVID, control came wrapped in health.
Stay home.
Stay safe.
Comply.
Now it shows up differently.
Rising costs.
Fuel pressure.
Movement becoming more expensive.
Different mechanism.
Same outcome.
Restriction.
Dependence.
Compliance.
From coronavirus…
to the car-owner’s virus.
The Question That Remains
This conversation isn’t about agreement.
It’s about awareness.
Because beneath politics, systems, and narratives, there’s a quieter question waiting:
Are you living your life…
or negotiating it?
And more importantly…
Where did you hand over the pen?
Explore More
Dawn Kelly
https://www.dawnkelly.com.au
Libertarian Party Australia
https://www.libertarians.org.au
Youtube: DawnMichelleKelly
https://www.youtube.com/@DawnMichelleKelly
By Dawn Kelly, Founder of the Inner Compass – Guiding you to align with the highest expression of your true self.
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