Who will lead Bradfield? Candidates pitch climate policies to voters

North Shore candidates for Bradfield made their climate and environmental priorities clear on Tuesday night during a community forum in St Ives led by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF).

Around 150 locals attended the event, alongside three candidates vying for Bradfield: Harjit Singh (The Greens), Louise McCallum (Labor) and Nicolette Boele (Independent). Each presented distinct policies aimed at tackling climate change, economic challenges, and local concerns. Gisele Kapterian (representing the Liberal Party) confirmed her attendance but pulled out just beforehand, apologising for her absence.

The federal seat of Bradfield is a close contest this election, with current MP Paul Fletcher stepping away from politics. At the 2022 election, Fletcher held onto his seat with 54 percent of the vote on a two candidate preferred (TCP) basis. Independent candidate Nicolette Boele, who is running again this year, received 45 percent of the vote on a TCP basis.

The candidates for Bradfield make their pitch to voters

In a forum where climate action was a top discussion, candidates were pressed for their commitments to protecting the environment, as well as sustainability and the rising cost of living. Candidates asked a series of questions for around two hours at St Ives Community Centre.

“Tuesday’s forum was a chance for the people of Bradfield to see what measures and steps the candidates have in place to halt fossil fuels, reject nuclear, champion renewables and protect nature,” said Dan Scaysbrook, ACF’s National Organising Manager.

Here is a breakdown of the candidate’s major concerns.

👉 Nicolette Boele (Independent) advocated for a moratorium on new coal projects, and redirecting fossil fuel subsidies to renewable energy and energy bill relief, backed by years of experience in finance and clean energy. Boele has a background in clean energy, and advocated for decarbonising the economy, including steel and critical minerals.

👉 Louise McCallum (Labor) highlighted legislative achievements under Labor since 2022, including ensuring the Great Barrier Reef remains off the World Heritage “in danger” list. McCallum also spoke to Labor’s commitment to a 43 percent emissions reduction target by 2030, and a net-zero target by 2050. McCallum said her focus is on promoting renewable energy, electric vehicles, and upgrading the electricity grid to create jobs and reduce household power bills.

👉 Harjit Sing (The Greens) focused on combating the climate crisis, which he deemed the “defining issue of our time”. A long-time Bradfield resident and father, Singh emphasised the urgent need to halt the increase in global temperatures, calling out Labor’s continued coal and gas projects. He pushed for climate action, including phasing out coal and gas and ending native forest logging to protect wildlife.

Question time

Candidates were asked a range of questions. Here we have printed their responses to three in particular on the topics of environmental restoration, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and protecting Australia against climate change.

❓What steps will your party take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure Australia meets its international climate targets?

👉Nicolette Boele (Independent): “We have a cost of living crisis, housing crisis, climate crisis. We have these crises because we have a crisis in our politics. I want to double-down on Labor’s commitment and have more batteries for homes and small business, as well as large-scale solar and wind projects because we have to be productive and have to get our energy and economy back on track. We have a role not just for our own domestic consumption to get off gas and coal, and to get onto renewables.” 

👉 Harjit Sing (The Greens): “Per capita, we are at the top of the table [when it comes to emissions]. The climate crisis is costing us money and costing us our future, our children.” 

👉 Louise McCallum (Labor): “We’re encouraging homeowners to install solar panels, there are 1,000 solar panels being installed every day, generating clean energy and ensuring reliability. We’ve made significant investments in battery storage, including community batteries, like the one installed by the Labor government in Cammeray. We’re also installing electric vehicle charging stations every 150km to get more Australians behind EVs.”

❓ What concrete policies and commitments will you and your party bring to parliament to reverse the decline of nature and ensure the protection and restoration of our backyards?

👉 Louise McCallum (Labor): “In the last three years, we worked on the EPA legislation, and while it was disappointing that it didn’t get through, we’ve done the groundwork and are ready to push ahead with it to protect the environment. When we arrived, renewables made up about 25 percent of the grid, and now we’re at 44 percent. Our goal is 82 percent by 2030. We will continue working hard on this, in partnership with the private sector, to drive that change.“

👉Nicolette Boele (Independent): “The government promised to prevent more extinctions, but unfortunately, that has happened on our watch. There’s no national Environment Protection Agency (EPA). Why is that a problem? Because we have a social licence for renewable energy that is at risk in some areas. A national EPA will set solid guidelines. We also want to work hard to unlock the private wealth that exists. There’s a lot we can do around taxation and unlocking everything from super funds to organising companies that want to be part of the solution if they’re incentivised to do it.” 

👉 Harjit Sing (The Greens): “We will stop all new coal and gas projects, as this is both an economic and social justice issue. The best time to act was 20 years ago, however, we can’t keep saying that. The time to act is now.”

All candidates said Yes to the question on ending native forest logging.

❓ What actions have been taken to build resilience in communities while also protecting Australia from climate change, and treating these crises with the urgency they require?

👉 Harjit Sing (The Greens): “There are people buying homes knowing that they will not be insured, surrounded by floods, fire risks. These are extremes. We have resources, we just need to stop channelling into the wrong places. We need to stop the coal and gas subsidies.” 

👉Louise McCallum (Labor): “The bushfire recovery fund has been a significant investment which looks at all levels of preparedness and recovery that is implemented as soon as a bushfire event happens and provides immediate fast relief to help people being impacted by bushfires. At a local level, the Labor government has funded the new Killara rural fire station.”

👉Nicolette Boele (Independent): “We have a massive gap in uninsured assets, private ones. We need to make insurance more affordable for more people. If we can put a compulsory curriculum activity over climate change, its impact and how to prepare in the event of fires, floods, and storm surges, we give people the best opportunity to feel empowered.

❓ Elections are called every 4 years whereas climate solutions are over decades long. What mechanisms will you implement to future-proof the climate, when the political climate somehow does change in 5-10 years, so we do not get set back?

👉Louise McCallum (Labor): “Having parties enshrine things into law means they’re around long-term. The other thing is ensuring you vote consistently for the parties they’ve already delivered on.” 

👉 Harjit Sing (The Greens): “It’s not a national problem, it’s an international one. We have the United Nations, where countries can collaborate with. We need to work on that.”  

👉Nicolette Boele (Independent): “I am going to ask for a private member’s bill to be heard in the House with broad crossbench support, ensuring the opportunity to be heard. That’s your climate-proofing, working with the community, for the community, pushing for climate action.”