City of Armadale councillor Jiby Joy has thrown his hat in the ring for the new state seat of Oakford, which encompasses Anketell, Aubin Grove, Casuarina, Forrestdale, Haynes, Hilbert, Oakford, Piara Waters, Wandi, and parts of Banjup and Harrisdale.
Mr Joy has been endorsed by the Australian Christians Party for the March 2025 election.
And on Saturday, his 49th birthday, he plans to show his gratitude to the community, and to God for the blessings and opportunities he’s been given, by donating blood alongside 20 of his supporters at the Cannington Red Cross Centre.
“I believe my life is a gift from God, and I want to show my gratitude by giving blood which may help save someone else’s life,” he said.
Originally from India, Jiby Joy made Australia his home in 2006 where he started along a path to becoming a nurse.
“I still remember the days of being a poor nursing student, and sleeping on the cold concrete floor with no mattress,” he said.
That experience informed his sense of compassion for those sleeping rough, and seven years ago Mr Joy took up a volunteer position as a street chaplain ministering to homeless people.
“Australia accepted me – this community accepted me. I wanted to do the same for everyone else, no matter their personal circumstances,” he said.
“It’s also why I wanted to step up into a decision-making role – to give back to the community which has given me so much.
“We’re spending millions on infrastructure. Imagine if we spent just a fraction of that helping those people who are facing homelessness or mental illness.
“I’m not saying that nothing is currently being done – but what is, is just a drop in the ocean.”
Mr Joy has a diverse resume of experience; on top of his nursing and street chaplaincy work, he’s also worked in real estate, is a Justice of the Peace, and has founded his own successful home-building company. He’s also fluent in six languages.
Mr Joy hopes this wealth of experience will help him communicate with people during his campaign.
He will need a lot of reach if he hopes to compete against fellow candidate and sitting MP Yaz Mubarakai, who will be leaving Jandakot – the seat he’s held since 2017 – to take a tilt at Oakford.
“With God with me, anything is possible,” Jiby Joy said.
“In politics, no one is forever, and everything is possible. And I think people are desperately looking for an alternative this election.”
But will that yearning for someone else lead people in WA to elect a representative from the Australian Christians for the first time?
Like the Nationals, the Australian Christians are advocating to maintain a sustainable live export trade, and abolish stamp duty for first home buyers and elderly downsizers.
They’ve also maintained a strong opposition to the vaccine mandate, which they said resulted in a loss of personal autonomy and imbalance of power.
But, perhaps contradictorily, they hold the sanctity of life dear, which means they are staunchly opposed to autonomy for women who wish to have an abortion, and the terminally ill who wish to end their life on their own terms with assisted suicide.
The Examiner asked Jiby Joy, who still practises as a nurse, whether he wholly aligned with his party’s core policies.
“I value life – all life,” he said.
Mr Joy explained he believes many people choose to abort for financial reasons.
“It’s a disgrace that someone makes the decision to not carry their baby because they can’t afford to,” he said.
He said more financial support was needed for women during pregnancy, and throughout the life of their child.
“A baby born is not just the parents’ responsibility, but also the whole community and the government’s,” he said.
But what of women who choose to terminate for medical reasons, because carrying their baby to term would lead to their death, or their baby’s?
“In that case I believe a mother’s life is more important,” he said.
Jiby Joy is confident in his ability to gain the support of a large majority of disenfranchised Labor and Liberal voters.
“It’s a crucial time to elect passionate, pro-life champions to the WA parliament,” he said.
