Election 2025: Dobell candidates and what they stand for
Meet the people vying for your vote for the seat of Dobell on May 3. Here’s who they are and what they stand for.
Central Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Central Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Labor incumbent Emma McBride holds the seat of Dobell and will be up against a number of candidates, with Brendan Small of the Liberal Party set to be her key opponent.
In the 2022 Federal Election, Ms McBride defeated the then Liberal candidate Michael Feneley after receiving a five per cent swing to Labor votes.
A total of eight candidates are vying to claim Dobell including a university lecturer, managing director, electrician, company director, hospitality manager, and network engineer.
We asked them to answer our questions to help you cast your vote.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATES
Emma McBride (Labor)
How long have you been involved in politics, and what made you want to run for this seat?
I was elected to the then Wyong Shire Council in 2008 and later that year appointed Chief Pharmacist of Wyong Hospital after joining Central Coast LHD as a Specialist Mental Health Pharmacist in 2006.
In 2013, I put my hand up to represent our community in the federal parliament and just fell short.
Over the first term of the Liberal Government, I saw cuts to health and education that hit our community hard. As a healthcare worker, I couldn’t sit by.
In 2016 I put my hand up again and since then have had the honour of standing up for our community in parliament.
Shortly after being elected our community came together to stop the State Liberal Government privatising Wyong Hospital – a hard-fought campaign to save our hospital that was deeply personal for me and others as the hospital is our community hospital.
Since Labor came to Government in 2022, I’ve had the privilege of serving as the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Assistant Minister Rural and Regional Health.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how will your party address these concerns?
On the Central Coast, cost-of-living is number one issue. That’s why our Labor Government has delivered a tax cut for every taxpayer and energy bill relief for every household.
We’re also strengthening Medicare with more Urgent Care Clinics, Mental Health Centres, cheaper medicines and more bulk billing – along with supporting First Home Buyers with five per cent deposit accessible to everyone and 100,000 new homes for first home buyers.
What is your top three wishlist for the electorate?
I’m proud to have delivered better health and mental health services for our community.
If re-elected, I’ll deliver an extra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic for the coast, in addition to the Lake Haven and Umina clinics, cut the price of PBS general scripts to $25 and freeze the cost at $7.70 for concession scripts and expand the Tuggerah Medicare Mental Health Centre, offering free walk-in mental health support and care.
What’s a fun fact voters may not know about you?
I’m the only pharmacist in federal parliament and the only female pharmacist ever elected to parliament.
Brendan Small (Liberal) – Managing Director
How long have you been in politics and what made you want to run for this role?
I’ve been involved in politics for a number of years, supporting Liberal representatives and campaigns.
I decided to run to become MP for Dobell because I have a passion for my local community and want to fight for it in the federal parliament.
It’s clear that Labor has left the Central Coast behind. I’m keen to get more funding for community groups that support our most vulnerable residents.
I’ve already secured a promise from the Dutton Liberal Government to spend $90,000 upgrading the home of the Bikers Hand, a local charity, and I’d continue to advocate for further funds if I am elected.
What is a fun fact that voters may not know about you?
I’m an active fundraiser for good causes, including for Central Coast Kids in Need – a local charity that supports seriously ill children and their families.
The charity runs an annual bike ride to raise money, and I’ve volunteered as a committee leader for it. We’ve raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for medical costs.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this electorate and how will your party address these concerns?
The biggest issues are cost of living, affordable housing, and small business support.
The Liberal team is committed to getting inflation under control; we can reduce the immense pressure on hardworking families by cutting out wasteful federal government spending.
We’ll boost housing supply with a $5 billion investment in infrastructure to build up to 500,000 houses and cut demand by banning foreign investors from buying existing homes for two years. It’s critical we support our hardworking entrepreneurs.
We will back small businesses by cutting red tape, providing tax relief, and creating a favourable environment for growth and job creation.
What is your top three wishes for the electorate?
To get local sporting organisations the investment they deserve.
It’s essential we encourage our youngsters to stay fit and active. I’ve already secured millions of dollars in investment from a Dutton Liberal Government to enhance local ovals and sports grounds, and I’ll fight for more. We need better, more accessible healthcare.
The Central Coast has a growing population and Labor has failed on healthcare access.
The Liberal team would invest $9 billion to fix the crisis and make GP appointments easier to get. We must reduce the cost-of-living burden; a Liberal Government has a plan to take the pressure off everyday bills, including cutting fuel excise by 50 per cent for 12 months.
Simon Cooper (Greens) – University Lecturer
What inspired you to run for the seat of Dobell?
It’s heartbreaking — and frankly unacceptable — that while so many people struggle to afford the basics of life, the major parties are doing almost nothing to address the cost of living and housing crises.
Families on the Central Coast are working harder than ever but falling further behind, while billionaires and big corporations pocket record profits and enjoy generous tax breaks. That’s not a fair go — that’s a broken system.
The Greens are fighting to change this.
We have a bold, practical plan to provide immediate relief to those facing tough times and tackle the root causes of the crisis, not just patch over them.
This vision for a fairer future — one where no one is left behind — inspired me to stand as the candidate for Dobell.
What do you see as the biggest issues of the federal election and how do they apply to The Central Coast?
This federal election will be decided on the issues that matter most to everyday Australians: the soaring cost of living, skyrocketing housing prices, and the escalating climate crisis. Nowhere is this felt more acutely than right here on the Central Coast — where mortgage and rent stress rank among the highest in the country, and more people are finding themselves without a secure place to call home.
It feels like daylight robbery every time I visit the supermarket, and seeing a dentist, accessing mental health support, or putting your kids into daycare is unaffordable for many people in our community. Insurance premiums spiral out of control as more frequent and severe extreme weather events wreak havoc.
Meanwhile, our tax dollars are being used to subsidise the destruction of our native forests and prop up the Eraring coal-fired power station with coal ash dams that leak toxins into our waterways. This is not the future we want for Dobell or the Central Coast.
We cannot keep voting for the same two major parties and expect anything to change. It’s time for something different — something better.
If you had a top 3 ‘wish list’ for Dobell, what would it include?
My vision for Dobell is clear:
Real action on the cost of living, housing, and the climate crisis — by implementing the Greens’ policies that put people before profits.
Protecting our natural environment — ending deforestation and stopping unsustainable urban sprawl that destroys what makes our region special.
Building a thriving green economy — making Dobell and the Central Coast a national leader in renewable energy, sustainable industries, and secure local jobs.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advocate for our community and build a future that works for everyone — not just the wealthy few.
Martin Stevenson (One Nation) – Electrician
How long have you been involved in politics, and what made you want to run for this seat?
I have been involved in One Nation since 2020 and have been a local candidate in the federal and state elections since then.
I was also a member and candidate for Australian conservatives in the 2019 state election.
I am concerned that the country is being run by people who do not put their constituents and country first. We have continually seen policies and actions from both Labor and Liberal governments that are detrimental to our country and people.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how will your party address these concerns?
Cost of living is hitting people now more than ever, One Nation has policies to put $40 billion back in Aussies pockets as well as $90 billion in budget savings that can be used to start reducing federal debt.
What is your wishlist for the electorate?
Slow the ridiculous population growth in our area and ensure essential/recreational infrastructure is kept up to the planned growth.
Youth crime is a growing problem due to over population with a lack of community recreational opportunities.
Address record homelessness now in our area.
What’s a fun fact voters may not know about you?
I am a classic car owner and dragracer.
Isaac Chalik (Libertarian Party) – Director
How long have you been involved in politics, and what made you want to run for this seat?
I have been actively involved as a volunteer for local candidates for the last 3-4 federal and state elections. The Libertarian Party is a fast growing movement and I wanted to make sure it is represented on the Central Coast.
A local candidate also means that more people are likely to vote for the our Senate candidate as minor party voice in the Senate is critical to resist growing Labour/Liberal uniparty decisions.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how will your party address these concerns?
There is no doubt that the cost of living crisis and government growing speech control are the biggest issues this election.
Cost of living is due to very poor decisions by government. Our party principle policies are less tax and less government because we consider it is in many ways a cost of government crisis.
Australian DOGE is required urgently. With respect to freedom of speech, that right must be entrenched into the Constitution similar to US. There must be freedom in exchange and debate of ideas to ensure real democracy exists without fear of persecution in the name of protecting ‘feelings’.
What is your top three wishlist for the electorate?
1. Federal funding for critical infrastructure.
2. Federal guarantee of access to great local environment by all Australians without Native Title restrictions.
3. Less government fees and regulations that limit every day freedoms.
What’s a fun fact voters may not know about you?
I have 5 dogs including a 15-year-old lab who thinks he is a puppy and an Aussie Shepherd who is very naughty. The 3 female dogs are always hungry.
Patrick Murphy (AJP) – Network Engineer
How long have you been involved in politics, and what made you want to run for this seat?
I got involved with the Animal Justice Party in 2017 when I found out about how many different animals were legally allowed to be mistreated.
I was a Candidate for Robertson at the last Federal election, which was a fantastic experience. This time I decided to stand in Dobell and represent voters in the northern end of the coast, who have been so supportive of us.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how will your party address these concerns?
A Fairer Tax System – clear initiatives to transform our tax system, ensuring that our economic systems finally work for animals, people and our planet.
Preventing Family Violence – fully funded support services for victims of family and domestic violence, including animal-friendly emergency accommodation for victim-survivors.
Affordable Housing for All – real solutions to prioritise secure housing as a basic right for all.
What is your top three wishlist for the electorate?
Reduced university education costs. Students attend school for 13 years, and want to pursue their careers. Many decide to go to university to get qualified to live their dreams.
I don’t want to see those dreams get crushed by a massive debt at the end of their course. Our universities are the fourth (down from third) largest export industry we have in this country, worth approximately $30 billion.
Our students shouldn’t be burdened with high debt levels, just so universities can make massive profits from them. Reducing the cost of further education will encourage those seeking to better themselves and their country to become a better version of what they, and we have now.
Housing affordability. It has become increasingly difficult to afford housing in Australia now. There are so many people living in vans and tents. It is such a shame to see people being unable to have a basic need met.
Get money out of politics. Governments need to have Australia’s best interests at heart, not that of the lobbyists.
Buying governments reduces democracy, it puts industries ahead of citizens.
This reduces trust in politicians and their parties. When we can’t trust our politicians to represent us and make Australia a world leading country, then we are no longer a democracy, but a business that can be bought.
That is why I support the position of the Human Rights Law Centre:
What’s a fun fact voters may not know about you?
When I was younger, I used to compete in karate tournaments as a 2nd Dan black belt.
These days, I wouldn’t swat a fly.
Tim Claydon (Legalise Cannabis)
How long have you been involved in politics, and what made you want to run for this seat?
I was a founding member of the Legalise Cannabis NSW Party in 2020.
In the 2023 state election, I stood as a candidate for the seat of Newcastle and received 6 per cent of the vote — a clear sign that the community is using the ballot box to call for cannabis law reform.
Since then, I’ve remained actively involved with the Legalise Cannabis Australia Party. Born and raised in the seat of Dobell, I’m passionate about seeing our region thrive and grow.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how will your party address these concerns?
The rising cost of living is the major concern on everyone’s mind. We’re committed to working collaboratively with other parties to deliver better outcomes — guided by our core values, expert advice, and the best interests of the broader community.
What is your top three wishlist for the electorate?
In my discussions with people the three major concerns people are talking about are creating more access for mental health facilities, better access to housing and finding a solution to sand erosion along our beautiful coastline.
What’s a fun fact voters may not know about you?
I enjoy competitive BBQ. My friends and I travel to events around the country.
Dr Anthony Tawaf DBA (Trumpets of Patriots)
How long have you been involved with politics and why did you want to run for the seat of Dobell?
I was in Sydney with the United Australia Party at the last federal election and I was the candidate for Kingsford Smith.
I have got four young grandsons and I am concerned about the future. I’ve been in Australia with my grandparents since the late 1960s.
I grew up in Australia, now I am 74, I have seen the best of the best of Australia, but now I don’t see it. I’m not happy with many things.
What do you see as the biggest issues for the electorate?
Cost of living. My children are concerned about going to the shops and buying groceries because of how much they are going to spend this week. They are on a very tight budget.
Housing prices. The last 10 years it has gone sky high, this is unfavourable for the younger generation. Stamp duty should be cut by half in my opinion.
Migration. Migration in the past three years, we have received 1.1 million migrants to Australia. To add on the shortage of housing and the cost of living – I’ve been in real estate for 25 years and can see what is happening. This has gone out of hand.
What is your wishlist for this electorate?
Make it affordable for housing: How are we going to reduce the cost of living? We have to work on it. There is a way to reduce it.
To make Australia better: I remember the best time in the 60s and 70s Australia was on top of the world. Where are our manufactures? Where are the white good manufacturers? It’s gone. Why? Because the United Nations are telling our governments we are too rich. I will stand against the United Nations and raise my voice. They are taking money from us, and are ordering us. We lost our freedom. Where is our freedom?
More Coverage
Young couple charged over alleged carjacking
A young hairdresser and her musclebound beau will be sentenced for their roles in the alleged carjacking of a mini-van that was later found ransacked and abandoned, a court has heard.
Woman who identifies as man slapped partner over ‘rapist’ taunt
A woman, who identifies as a man, has been jailed after sexually assaulting his partner and then slapping her across the face — while she was holding a baby — after she called him a rapist.