Federal Election 2025: Macarthur candidates and what they stand for
Seven candidates have put up their hands to run for the seat of Macarthur in the May 3 federal election. We find out what’s on their wish list and help you determine your vote.
Macarthur
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Seven candidates have put up their hands to take the seat of Macarthur in the federal election on May 3.
The seat is held by Macarthur federal Labor MP Dr Mike Freelander, who is seeking a fourth term in the seat, holding a steady 58 per cent majority since 2016.
The historically Labor electorate is in southwest Sydney and includes Campbelltown and suburbs south of Raby and Minto, along with parts of Denham Court and Leppington down to Currans Hill in the Camden LGA.
The latest boundary redistribution saw Catherine Field and Oran Park shift to the Hume electorate, Ingleburn and Glenfield to Hughes and Macarthur gaining parts of Denham Court and Leppington from Werriwa.
Go to this page to find out which electorate your household is in.
We asked Macarthur’s candidates a series of questions to help you decide who to vote for.
Dr Mike Freelander, Labor
Dr Freelander has served the Macarthur region for over 40 years as a pediatrician and as the member for Macarthur since 2016. During his time as a pediatrician, he saw more than 200,000 patients and had clinics in Camden and Campbelltown.
He opened his first clinic at Brown St, Campbelltown. on the same day that Medicare was created.
He and his wife Sharon have raised their six children in the region, a time they both “cherish”. He entered politics to help communities, especially those struggling with health care, housing and education affordability.
What inspired you to run?
I was inspired to run in 2016 due to the hardships that residents were experiencing under the then Liberal Government, particularly how cuts to health and education were harming households and schools.
As a healthcare professional, I am a big believer in the government investing in and supporting public healthcare and education, as well as infrastructure, as it dramatically improves outcomes for our region. I’m proud to be the Member for Macarthur and am proud of what I’ve been able to help achieve to improve outcomes for residents and our local environment too.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how do they apply to the Macarthur region?
While the cost of living remains the most prominent issue, most people I am speaking with are aware of what our government has been doing to assist (such as tax cuts and energy relief) and many are feeling a positive turnaround, which is good to hear, and I’ll keep advocating for these supports.
Aside from this, health care and infrastructure remain two other prominent issues. However we have some fantastic policies and projects that are benefiting Macarthur residents, such as Campbelltown’s Urgent Care Clinic, our investment in increasing bulk-billing rates and cheaper medicines, as well as pushing ahead to begin the first stages of the rail link from Western Sydney Airport to both Leppington and Macarthur stations. We are also getting on and upgrading Appin Rd, which provides important safety upgrades for motorists and wildlife alike, and we have fully-funded the construction of the new 500-plus multideck carpark at Campbelltown Station, which should be opening soon.
What is your top three wishlist for the Macarthur electorate?
- Improved health outcomes is of course a big wish of mine, as it means less health complications and costs to residents and our healthcare system.
- Improved infrastructure, which we are working on and
- Better outcomes for our flora and fauna, which I am working on and will have more to announce shortly.
Find out more about Labor candidate Dr Mike Freelander here.
Binod Paudel, Liberal Party
I’m a proud first-generation Australian, having migrated from Nepal nearly two decades ago. As a local entrepreneur, I work closely with small businesses to create jobs, strengthen our economy, making Macarthur more prosperous.
Macarthur is my home, I’m raising my family here and my son has just started high school. Like many parents, I want to ensure our future generations have an even better place to live, work, and thrive. That’s why I’m deeply involved in our community – volunteering with the NSW SES Campbelltown unit, the local Rotary Club and leading various initiatives to support the people of Macarthur. I’m committed to creating more jobs, improving transport – especially connections to the International Airport – and making life easier for residents.
What inspired you to run?
Becoming the Liberal representative for Macarthur would be the honour of my life, it’s a chance to truly deliver for our community. This is my second time running for the seat of Macarthur and I remain as committed as ever to addressing the infrastructure gaps and growing challenges our region has faced under the Albanese Labor Government.
I’ve already secured commitments from an elected Dutton Liberal Government, including over $5.1m to upgrade Campbelltown Stadium, improve shared pathway lighting for safety and enhance facilities at a local school. If elected, I’ll fight to deliver even more for Macarthur.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how do they apply to the Macarthur region?
The spiralling cost of living is the No. 1 concern I hear from voters. Over the past three years, Labor has eroded our living standards. Prime Minister Albanese has made life harder for our community – he’s out of his depth. We need strong leadership to get back on track. The Liberal team will tackle inflation, lower energy bills and make housing affordable again.
What is your top three wishlist for the Macarthur electorate?
- Get cost of living under control: A Dutton Liberal Government will cut wasteful spending, reduce inflation, and lower power bills by embracing a balanced energy mix, including renewables, gas and zero-emissions nuclear power.
- Restore the Australian dream of home ownership: The Liberal team will invest $5bn in infrastructure to deliver up to 500,000 new homes and allow first-time buyers to use their superannuation for a deposit.
- Support small businesses which have struggled under Labor by introducing a permanent $30,000 asset write-off for small businesses with a turnover of up to $10m.
Find out more about Liberal candidate Binod Paudel here.
Frankie Scott, the Greens
Frankie Scott has lived in the Macarthur region her entire life and has spent many years working in the mental health system, helping people navigate a healthcare system that too often fails them.
As a breast cancer survivor and a single mother of a child with chronic health needs, she said she has seen the cracks in the system first hand
“I know the strain of a healthcare system that doesn’t support families when they need it most,’’ she said.
“Every day, I meet people in Macarthur who are forced to skip doctor’s appointments, letting their health decline because they can’t afford the care they need. From skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs to long emergency room wait times, I’ve struggled to access affordable, timely care – just like so many others in our community.’’
What inspired you to run?
As a lifelong resident of Macarthur, I’ve witnessed first hand how the major parties continue to fail our community. I am not a career politician – I am a reflection of the
people I stand alongside every day. I’m a single mother, living week to week, trying to make ends meet – a reality faced by far too many across Macarthur and throughout Australia.
In 2022, I was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer – a life- altering moment that exposed deep cracks in our system. In my most vulnerable time, it wasn’t the government that stepped up, but not-for-profit organisations that carried me through. That experience opened my eyes and cemented a simple truth: if we want real change, we must be willing to fight for it ourselves.
I am stepping forward not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary. The people of Macarthur deserve more than broken promises – they deserve leadership that
understands their struggles and puts their needs first.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how do they apply to the Macarthur region?
The most pressing issues facing Macarthur – as with every region across Australia – are the cost of living, the housing crisis and the escalating climate emergency.
These challenges are deeply connected and cannot be addressed in isolation.
Southwest Sydney has long been neglected by the two major parties. Our infrastructure is underfunded and underdeveloped, and access to reliable, affordable public transport remains a daily struggle for far too many. Rents have skyrocketed beyond reach and the dream of home ownership in our suburbs has slipped away for countless families.
Meanwhile, the major parties continue to prioritise the interests of the coal and gas industry over the wellbeing of everyday Australians. Their ongoing dependence on
fossil fuels is accelerating the climate crisis – a reality we see unfold across NSW with increasingly severe floods, bushfires and cyclones.
These same corporations, which pollute our air, water and land, contribute little in tax, while working Australians shoulder the burden – environmentally, economically and socially. It’s time for leadership that puts people and our planet before profit.
What is your top three wishlist for the Macarthur electorate?
This election is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to elect more Greens to parliament – to keep Peter Dutton out of power and to push Labor to deliver on the urgent issues our community faces. The people of Macarthur need more than talk – we need action.
- Cost-of-living crisis – expanding Medicare to include dental care, making it free to see a GP and introducing 50c public transport fares for everyone. We also know families are being gouged at the checkout and while Labor has adopted our plan to rein in supermarket price manipulation, it’s the Greens leading the charge.
- Housing affordability – we have a clear achievable plan to make housing more affordable by capping rent increases and controlling mortgage rate hikes.
- Climate crisis – We can’t afford more delay. It’s time to stop opening new coal and gas projects and transition to clean, renewable energy. Other countries have made the shift — Australia must catch up before floods, heatwaves and bushfires become our new normal.
The Greens have a proven track record of delivering results: getting children’s dental care into Medicare, securing 50c fares in Queensland, forcing Labor to wipe 20 per cent of student debt, and putting mental health on the national agenda. But there’s so much more we can achieve – if we vote for it. If you want action on housing, healthcare, climate and cost of living, vote 1 Greens this election.
Find out more about Macarthur’s Greens candidate Frankie Scott here.
Graham Charlesworth, Family First party
Graham Charlesworth is a father-of-five and grandfather of 17. He has been happily married for 45 years to Emilie.
The 69 year old has been involved with pastoral Christian ministry for over 40 years.
“I believe that faith and family are the foundation of our society, and we should do all in our power to protect it,’’ he said.
“I am delighted to help out as a local candidate for Family First in the upcoming election.’’
What inspired you to run?
I was inspired to run for the Family First candidate for Macarthur because I am a father and grandfather, and I want a better future for our children and their offspring.
I have been disappointed with the major parties’ lack of concern for our freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and our freedom to raise our children in the ways of God.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how do they apply to the Macarthur region?
I am all for keeping biological males out of women’s sport, and defending the surgery and therapy that tries to transition a child’s gender.
Responsible parents need to be free to make decisions regarding their children without government overreach.
In order for cost of living to come down we need to exit the Paris agreement and scrap net zero goals.
I will also be an advocate for supporting pregnant women and encouraging them to nurture the life of that precious baby both in the womb and out.
Find out more about Macarthur’s Family First candidate Graham Charlesworth here.
Connie Harvey, Libertarian Party
Connie Harvey was one of Ruse’s first residents in 1973 and was educated in Macarthur.
“I have maintained strong friendships from as far back as infant school,’’ she said.
“My five children were all raised in nearby Camden.’’
She studied nursing and worked at Blacktown Hospital as an anaesthetic nurse for many years and then embarked on a series of entrepreneurial adventures in Macarthur and overseas.
“My businesses are current in Macarthur, to this very day,’’ she said.
Connie owns three small businesses within Macarthur, employing only locals which she said reflected her ongoing commitment to serving Macarthur and contributing to its economic growth.
What inspired you to run?
I value individual liberty and personal responsibility, and I’m passionate about steering our country – especially here in Macarthur – toward a future that respects those principles.
I see so much potential for us to improve by reducing overreach, empowering people, and fostering a system that rewards initiative and freedom. I’d love to see us chart a course that lifts up our community while keeping government in check.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how do they apply to the Macarthur region?
The broader Sydney region, including Macarthur, faces a housing affordability crisis. Young families and working-class residents – many of whom call Macarthur home – struggle with rising rents and home prices. From a libertarian lens, this is tied to government policies like excessive immigration (propping up the GDP) rather than allowing supply to meet demand naturally and at a manageable pace.
Historically, a “safe” population growth rate where infrastructure can catch up to immigration in Australia is 0.8 per cent to 1.5 per cent annually. Above 1.5 per cent infrastructure struggles to adapt, particularly in urban hubs like Macarthur, leading to congestion, housing shortages as mentioned and cost blowouts.
*ABS latest statistics found Australia’s annual population growth had averaged 1.4 per cent over the last three decades between 1994 and 2024.
What is your top three wish list for the Macarthur electorate?
When I have door knocked in recent weeks and I ask the residents of Macarthur what they wish for, the most common response is, “I need a pay rise”.
A reduction of tax is a pay rise … in terms of net pay. My plan, and that of the Libertarian Party, is to put thousands of dollars back into the hands of families of Macarthur.
1. Financial relief for the residents of Macarthur.
2. Families and friends to have more time to spend together instead of always working.
3. Less regulations to spur entrepreneurship, letting Macarthur’s economy thrive organically
Find out more about Libertarian party candidate Connie Harvey here.
Edward Palmer, FUSION party
Edward Palmer is running for the seat of Macarthur under the Fusion party. Mr Palmer did not respond to questions from this publication.
Gregory Gogan, One Nation party
Gregory Gogan is running for the seat of Macarthur under the One Nation party. Mr Gogan did not respond to questions from this publication.
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