Lizzie Hedding doesn’t just play the game – she redefines it. As a creative strategist and elite athlete, she’s an unstoppable force shaping both ideas and outcomes in the leadup to the federal election.
To start, she has competed as a professional long jumper on the international circuit (just casually) – only making the call to retire just this month. Aside from also being a brand strategist and graphic designer, Lizzie, along with Tegan Lerm, is a co-founder of Project Planet – an initiative helping Australians turn climate anxiety into tangible action.
Hedding’s passion for climate advocacy started early. “I’ve been interested in climate for as long as I can remember – as a kid I would meticulously monitor our family water bills and develop and implement water saving measures during the drought of the early 2000s,” she told Frontrunners in a 2023 interview. “More recently, I (like many Australians) was shocked back into action following the devastating 2019/20 bushfires. The smoke that blanketed so much of eastern Australia, and left me unable to train on several days, was an omnipresent reminder of the future of life on an overheated planet.”
From Climate To The Ballot Box
Project Planet began as a way to share learnings around climate change, evolved into a nationwide digital movement that set out to make climate information more accessible by offering a digital toolkit that connects climate organisations, activists, and everyday Australians.
Now, she’s adding another string to her bow. Build A Ballot is a big bet that’s gaining momentum – particularly on social media – in the lead-up to this year’s federal election.
Build A Ballot is a one-stop voting prep kit designed to demystify the chaos of polling day. It lets voters explore where candidates and parties stand on the issues that matter to them most, then helps them build their own how-to-vote card, before stepping foot in the booth.
“It’s everything you need to do your research all in one place. Even as a very politically engaged person [myself], I’ve walked in to vote and not really been sure who these guys in the Senate are – like, no clue,” Hedding tells marie claire.
“Basically we asked how we could put everything in one place so that you can find out which candidates and parties best match with you, and then also actually plan your votes. To order your preferences and have it ready to go, so that when you walk into the polling booth, you’re not trying to figure that out.”
The tool is built around a short nine-question survey focusing on key policies, like how to ease the cost of living or address climate change. After answering, users receive a match score with candidates running in their electorate.
But the real power? Flexibility. “You can reorder your preferences however you like,” says Hedding. “Maybe a candidate doesn’t align perfectly with your values, but you still believe they’ll be a strong advocate. That’s what this is about – creating a personalised how-to-vote card based on what you care about.”
Incredibly, Build A Ballot has hit 100,000 users – all without a cent spent on paid promotion. Instead, it’s been fuelled by pro-bono support, word of mouth, and clever partnerships with brands like Twoobs and Gelato Messina, helping cut through to younger voters who might not normally engage with politics. They’ve also launched a Research Hub that breaks down policy platforms, voting structures, and more – helping voters become not just more engaged, but better informed.
“We want to reach the people who aren’t paying attention, because they’re the ones who matter most,” Hedding says.
While climate concern is at the heart of their mission, Hedding is quick to point out that Build A Ballot is designed for every voter. “Ultimately, it’s about helping Australians make informed decisions – whatever they care about,” she says.
Long-term, they’re already dreaming bigger. “We want to roll this out for state elections too,” she reveals. “There’s so much potential, and the response so far has proven that we can do really cool things.”
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- Feeling Disillusioned By Politics? Here’s How to Make Your Vote Count This Election
- Why Dutton’s Avoidance Of New Media May Be His Biggest Mistake
