Cost of living pressures biting in one of Sydney’s most affluent electorates

The electorate of Bradfield boasts multi-million dollar estates and some of the city’s most exclusive schools, but its residents are still feeling the cost of living pain that promises to be a key election issue in the countdown to May 3.

Bradfield is one of Sydney’s most affluent electorates with large sections of the leafy north shore nestled within its boundaries.

If there was an area shielded from cost-of-living pressures, this on the surface would be a likely contender.

But travel its Pacific Highway spine from Ku-ring-gai in the north to St Leonards in the south and local constituents tell of feeling intense financial pressures from rising prices and mortgage stress.

To get a general read on the Bradfield sentiment - and before the teal independent Nicolette Boele was forced to apologise over a sexual comment made to a young female hairdresser in Gordon - The Daily Telegraph visited a barbershop in the same suburb.

Teal independent candidate Nicolette Boele was forced to apologise over a sexual comment made to a young female hairdresser in Gordon.

They are, after all, known to be neighbourhood confidants with their clippers on the community pulse.

Frank’s Barbershop loomed as a likely hive of insights and Anthony Vittorino, whose late father’s name adorns the shopfront of a business founded 56 years ago, did not disappoint.

“People have been talking about issues here for the last year and a half,” he said, while downing two Chiko rolls in the back office.

“I listen and learn, and I can tell you they’re fed up with what’s going on. They see Albanese spending willy-nilly but things for them are tough.

“It reminds me of 1987 under the Keating Government when my old man was complaining about interest rates getting to almost 18 per cent.

“People are hurting. Just because they live here and everyone thinks they have money, it doesn’t mean they haven’t got a lot of expenses too.

Anthony Vittorino at his family business Franks Barbershop, said “people are hurting”. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“I’ve got older clients, 55 and 60 years old. In the years since COVID, more of them have been made redundant and they’re struggling to get jobs.

“I had another guy come in with three kids. Lost his job. When he went to pay me, his card declined.

“He said could he bring it back later. I told him not to worry, come back when he got work.

“I’ve got people stopping me in the street saying ‘we’re not cheating on you man, but I’m getting my wife to cut my hair to save money’.

“I used to see people every six weeks. Now it’s 10, 12 or 14 weeks.”

Bradfield has been a safe Liberal seat since its inception in 1949 with Paul Fletcher, a former Minister in the Turnbull and Morrison governments, the sitting member since 2009.

He announced late last year he would not seek re-election. The Liberals endorsed Gisele Kapterian as the 2025 candidate.

Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian in West Lindfield. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

In 2022, there was a massive swing against Fletcher to Ms Boele. The teal platform of respect for women, climate change and integrity resonated across the state against a background of controversies involving the Morrison government.

After a redistribution of boundaries in 2024, the Liberals have a margin of just 2.5 per cent.

Mr Fletcher argued last December “the local mood is discernibly different from 2022”.

And cost of living looms as the major pain point ahead of May 3, with Mr Vittorino’s observations supported by business owners and residents.

Gloria Ge owns the Youge cafe in Chatswood and said her costs have escalated almost to the point of wiping out profitability.

Butter orders of $200 two years ago had doubled in price. Fifteen dozen eggs in a box had gone from $40 to $100.

“Everything is going up, but if we increase the prices on customers they won’t come back,” she said.

Gloria Ge at her cafe Youge in Chatswood, said her costs have escalated almost to the point of wiping out profitability. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Lindfield residents Phillip and Angela Chow added: “Things are getting more expensive but we just have to shop more carefully”.

Gordon small business owner Matt said simply: “I just want to see things improve”.

Richard and partner Emma agreed cost of living was the No. 1 concern in Bradfield, while their other grievance was growth in high-density developments – a state and local government issue.

An international trade lawyer and senior IT executive, Ms Kapterian met this masthead at a West Lindfield cafe before a door-knocking afternoon with the NSW Member for Davidson, Matt Cross.

On cost of living she said: “The problem right now is we’re seeing the fastest decline in living standards in the OECD.”

Ms Kapterian discussed an earlier electorate controversy involving a representative of Greens candidate Harjit Singh calling for voters to preference Ms Boele at a recent community event.

“The simple dynamics of this Parliament are that a vote for anyone else other than a Liberal is voting in a Labor-Teals-Greens government,” she said.

“I think it’s pretty clear in the voting record of the Climate-200 teals where that alignment actually exists … the record is already there for everyone to see.”

But Ms Katperian declined to discuss what Ms Boele described as her “poor attempt at humour” in the Gordon hairdressing salon.

“I’m not commenting on other people’s campaigns,” Ms Kapterian told this masthead on Tuesday. “My focus is on listening to the people of Bradfield.”