Election 2022: $16m mansions, luxury cars: Lavish lives of candidates exposed
Multimillion-dollar mega mansions, huge fortunes, superyachts, luxury cars and roles as high-ranking executives: These are the lavish lives of our richest election candidates.
Federal Election
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Multimillion-dollar mega mansions, huge fortunes, luxury car collections, superyachts, floating swimming pools, elite educations and roles as high-ranking executives — some of this year’s federal election candidates live incredibly lavish lives.
Here’s a look at some of the wealthiest candidates.
ANDREW CHARLTON
Andrew Charlton might be running for a western Sydney working-class electorate but when he casts his vote he’ll be doing it in the wealthy eastern suburbs.
Last month the former economic adviser to Kevin Rudd, bought a new $2m house that’s in the boundaries of a marginal seat he’s been parachuted into to run as a candidate: Parramatta.
But it’s much smaller than the $16m mansion complete with six bedrooms and four bathrooms that he lives in with his wife and three children in Bellevue Hill.
It’s the same one that Mamamia co-founders Mia Freedman and Jason Lavigne rented before a messy legal dispute with the owner.
The mansion has stunning harbour views on one side and ocean views on the other.
Due to an oversight, Mr Charlton had put his electoral address down at a third property owned by his wife in Woollahra – which is last listed as being rented out at $1450 per week in property records.
The Liberal Party has asked the Australian Electoral Commission to investigate if it is an electoral breach – but they came back on Friday morning and said there was insufficient evidence of any fraud.
Defending himself on Tuesday morning on radio station 2GB, Mr Charlton said he was in the process of moving to his new house.
“Absolutely I sleep in there (in Parramatta) most nights, the truth is this has happened very quickly and I’m spending a lot of time in Parramatta but I’ve got a young family with three kids, and so it’s going to take a bit of time to complete that move,” he said.
“Like all Australians I’ll be voting in the place I’m enrolled, which is Wentworth.”
Mr Charlton, 43, is one of several candidates who lives a lavish existence compared to everyday Australians struggling with the cost of living.
CLIVE PALMER
Mining billionaire Clive Palmer is not only the richest candidate – he’s also the seventh richest person in the country, according to The Australian’s 2022 The List: Australia’s Richest Top 250.
The United Australia Party founder, whose wealth reaches an estimated $18.4bn, is trying to get a seat in the senate, leading UAP’s Queensland ticket.
And he’s splashing an obscene amount of money on advertising to try and get his candidates elected – revealing at the National Press Club he planned to lighten his pockets by $70m.
But that’s just a small splash in the ocean for someone like Mr Palmer.
In the countdown to election day, he’s been campaigning in his own Global Express jet – no economy flights for him – but he also famously has a $40m superyacht which once featured on a documentary about the “world’s most luxurious yachts”’.
The superyacht is the stuff of dreams, complete with a 12-seat jacuzzi, a wet bar and even an outdoor cinema.
The lower desk has a water slide and floating swimming pool.
Then on land, Mr Palmer boasts a 32-strong property portfolio in Queensland.
He also claims to have the world’s biggest collection of vintage cars, including 120 Mercedes and 100 Rolls Royces.
ALLEGRA SPENDER
Allegra Spender, the daughter of late fashion designer Carla Zampatti, has a successful business background and grew up in the wealthy electorate she’s now vying to represent.
The independent candidate for the affluent seat of Wentworth, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, has completed an economic degree at the prestigious Cambridge University and also business courses at Harvard and Dartmouth College.
She has also previously worked as managing director at her family’s high-end fashion label where dresses go for more than $1000.
Carla Zampatti’s designs have been worn by the likes of Princess Mary of Denmark and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Ms Spender was also the chair of a solar company before becoming the CEO of the Australian Business and Community Network.
It aims to address educational disadvantage through partnering with businesses.
She drives a hybrid Toyota Prius and her family has a diesel car, too.
She’s unable to have solar panels on her home because it’s in a strata building.
DAVE SHARMA
The incumbent for Wentworth is a former ambassador to Israel who has a very impressive share portfolio.
In his 2019 register of interests there’s everything from the likes of AfterPay to Appen and Xero.
The 46-year-old last year sold his Paddington terrace for $3.15m and upsized into five-bedroom house near Centennial Park for more than $4m.
He and his wife Rachel Lord – who is an international human rights lawyer – have also declared owning properties in Turramurra in the city’s upper north shore, in Brisbane and the highly-sought after Barton, where diplomats like to reside near Parliament House in Canberra. Mr Sharma says he lives in a terrace so only has one car between his family-of-five, which they lease through the Commonwealth Vehicle Scheme.
He scoots around on a 125cc Vespa to enjoy the ocean views of Bondi, if he’s so inclined.
Mr Sharma has also been a member of the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Point Piper.
It’s described by some as one of the most beautiful boating waterways in the world.
KRISTINA KENEALLY
She might be renting a one-bedroom apartment overlooking the Georges River in Liverpool after being parachuted into running for the seat of Fowler, in western Sydney, this election.
But former NSW Premier and federal hopeful Kristina Keneally still has another waterfront house that she can always go back to – in very exclusive Scotland Island.
She snapped that property up with her husband – who is a Boston Consulting Group executive – in 2017 for $1.8m.
It has five bedrooms.
Scotland Island is an idyllic hamlet, 15 minutes by ferry from Church Point in Pittwater.
PETER DUTTON
The Defence Minister has the kind of property portfolio that people struggling to get into the market will only be able to dream of.
He owns about $4.5m in real estate and has sold a number of properties in recent years where he’s made a healthy profit – almost $4.6m.
Property records show that Mr Dutton even owns his own $2.1m 68-hectare cattle farm in Dayboro, Queensland.
Last year Mr Dutton sold a holiday home on Millionaire’s Row on the Gold Coast for $6m.
The rest of us will have to forgo a lot of avocado toast to catch up.
KAREN ANDREWS
The politician who took over Mr Dutton’s old job of Home Affairs Minister also has an eye-watering number of properties.
Karen Andrews’ register of interests shows she and her partner have declared seven properties.
And despite earning more than $360,000 as a cabinet minister, Ms Andrews hasn’t been known to scrimp on her rental income.
She was forced to defend a decision to hike the rent on her investment property in regional Western Australia in February last year.
Rent on the three-bedroom Mullingar property, in the outskirts of Kalgoorlie, increased by 15.25 per cent in June – going up from $295 to $340 per week.
A spokesman for Ms Andrews said at the time the unit was listed for rent in line with all relevant rules relating to COVID-19.
“The advertised price was determined on the advice of the local agent and was in line with market value,” he said.
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