Election 2025: Wentworth candidates and what they stand for
As the election date inches closer, all eyes are on Sydney’s eastern suburbs to see if the former Liberal safe seat will remain teal, return to blue, or change tack entirely. Meet those eyeing the throne.
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As the countdown to election day inches closer and the hustings continue to heat up, all eyes are on Sydney’s east, as candidates battle it out for the coveted kingdom of Wentworth.
Despite being one of the smallest seats in the nation, Wentworth is home to some of Australia’s most expensive real estate and high-net-worth individuals.
It includes the suburbs of Bellevue Hill, Bondi, Bronte, Centennial Park, Darling Point, Double Bay, Dover Heights, Edgecliff, Paddington, Point Piper, Queens Park, Rose Bay, Vaucluse, Watsons Bay, Waverley and Woollahra.
Traditionally the seat has been a blue ribbon electorate before it was snatched by independent Allegra Spender, whose 2022 victory delivered a stunning shake up of the status-quo.
The coalition’s desire to claw back the throne, coupled with the electorate borders being expanded to include Potts Point and Woolloomooloo, has lent itself to much speculation about how Wentworth will turn out come May 3.
This masthead contacted every candidate running in the election with the same questions.
Allegra Spender (Incumbent) Independent
Allegra Spender is a business leader, clean energy advocate and the sitting Wentworth federal independent MP. She grew up in the electorate and is now raising her own children in the area, driven by a passion to secure the same quality of life and opportunities for future generations. As chair of the Sydney Renewable Power Company, she led the installation of Australia’s largest CBD solar array. She later served as chief executive of the Australian Business and Community Network, addressing educational disadvantage through partnerships with leading businesses.
What inspired you to run for the seat?
I stood for election in 2022 because I didn’t feel our community’s values were being represented.
Our leaders weren’t taking climate change seriously, weren’t addressing long-term economic challenges – like housing affordability and tax reform, and they weren’t standing up for integrity or gender equity.
I knew so many people in our area who felt frustrated and disillusioned, who cared deeply about the future but didn’t see that reflected in politics. I decided to run as an independent because I believe in doing politics differently – listening to the community, putting forward practical solutions and working across party lines to get things done. I ran because I love this community and I wanted to help build a future we can all be proud of.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how do they apply to the region?
Environment and climate have always been top priorities for me. I want an independent EPA, environmental laws that protect our beautiful natural world, prioritise climate and give business certainty.
Our economy is a priority. We’re stuck in a rut and the major parties are more focused on short-term politics than long-term reform.
Here in Wentworth, we’ve got incredible talent, innovation and entrepreneurship – but start-ups and small businesses are being held back by outdated systems, high costs and red tape.
I want to help build a smarter economy – one that supports new ideas and stops young people from falling behind.
That means lowering income taxes on working people, making Australia the best place to start and grow a business and building more homes so people can afford to live near where they work.
We also need to permanently lower the cost of essentials like child care, energy and health care with policies that are built for the long term, not just the next election.
What is your top three wish list for the electorate?
First: Tax reform that lowers income taxes, boosts productivity and growth, rebalances our tax settings in favour of home ownership and supports our energy transition. We can start by indexing tax brackets to inflation – to end bracket creep and lower income taxes for good.
Second: Implementing my permanent power bill relief plan, which would be a massive step forward for climate and the environment and help over 800,000 households – homeowners, renters and social house tenants – lower their power bills for good, through incentives for rooftop solar, home batteries and energy efficiency upgrades. We really need to prioritise helping renters and apartment dwellers in Wentworth who have often missed out on household electrification savings.
And finally: Passing federal hate speech laws to criminalise the promotion of hatred by neo-Nazis and hate preachers who target our LGBTIQA+ and Jewish communities.
Ro Knox, the Liberals
Ro Knox has lived in Wentworth for nearly two decades with her husband and two children, and has had a successful career as a management consultant working with some of the world’s biggest financial services firms and as a founding partner in an entrepreneurial incubator firm.
She also founded the Chasing Sunshine Sydney clothing brand for nine to 13 year-old girls. It manufactures sustainably in Sydney and highlights female trailblazers, to encourage girls to “think big” and inspire our next generation of leaders.
What inspired you to run for the seat?
I love Wentworth and I want to ensure we have real representation in Canberra. I have international and local big and small business experience, and I am passionate about bringing this experience to solve the big problems facing Australia and Wentworth. My family has always put a premium on service. My grandad was in the RAAF in World War II, my mum was a physio and campaigned for backpacks in schools and my dad built an engineering business and battled against the unions. In our community I am focused on the issues which matter the most: reducing cost of living (with a focus on child care and first home ownership), driving innovation for entrepreneurs, reducing red tape for our businesses and bringing Wentworth back to a safe and vibrant community. I’m running because Wentworth deserves someone who is committed to real action for our community.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how do they apply to the region?
It’s no surprise – the cost of living is crushing people. I’ve met young locals who’ve had to move back in with their parents, couples delaying having kids and businesses just barely hanging on. Prices are up, power bills are huge and people in Wentworth feel like they have no representation in Canberra. The second issue? Safety and unity. From anti-Semitism to rising crime, people are worried. They want a community that feels safe and actually looks out for each other. Thirdly, we need to support small businesses. Wentworth used to be a launch pad for Aussie innovation but red tape, high costs and anti-enterprise policies are choking that spirit. This election will decide if we keep drifting, or if we actually fix it. I say we fix it.
What is your top three wishlist for the electorate?
First up, let’s bring real cost of living relief. I’m backing fuel tax cuts, lower energy bills and smarter government spending. I also want to see HECS-HELP debt removed from mortgage assessments and let first-home buyers use some of their super to buy. Secondly, safety and unity. We need to take hate and crime seriously – and support the community groups already doing amazing work in domestic violence prevention, mental health and youth outreach. Thirdly, we’ve got to invest in Wentworth. I have already helped secure election commitments of $7.5m for our surf clubs, $1m for the Bondi to Bronte walk and more for local sport and community hubs. If you want big wins for Wentworth – you need someone who can pick up the phone and get it done.
Savanna Peak, the Australian Labor Party
Savanna Peak describes herself as a dedicated advocate, community organiser and proud lesbian woman who knows the power of progressive leadership. She’s worked across all levels of government and is ready to deliver real outcomes for the Wentworth community.
Savanna has benefited from public education and studied at the University of NSW. Through her time teaching in public high schools, she has seen first hand how education can change lives. Savanna said she has fought for fair wages and conditions for educators and will always stand up for working people.
What inspired you to run for the seat?
I’m running for Wentworth because it’s time for young voices to be heard in parliament. At 30, I’m living the challenges many of my generation face – renting, paying off HECS and working in our public schools. I’ve seen first hand the importance of investing in education, affordable health care and housing. We need a parliament that reflects all Australians, not just the privileged few. As a proud lesbian, I’m committed to ensuring more LGBTIQA+ voices are at the table. Voters want change and I’m here to deliver it. Let’s build a future that works for everyone, not just the few at the top.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election, and how do they apply to the region?
I’m out there every day, talking to voters and they want action on the cost of living – now. Under Labor, we’re driving down costs and making life more affordable. We’re making price gouging at the supermarket illegal because Australians deserve a fair deal. But we’re not stopping there. Labor is strengthening Medicare, delivering over 100 bulk-billed urgent care clinics and by 2030, Australians will see a doctor for free nine times out of 10. Housing is a top issue – young people want security, not just to survive. Labor’s 5 per cent deposit plan and affordable child care will change that. We’re delivering real change.
What is your top three wish list for the electorate?
I’m running for Wentworth to give a voice to the people – especially young voters, women and the LGBTIQA+ community. I’ll ensure their voices are heard and truly represented within my party’s caucus and the wider parliament. My top priority is tackling housing affordability, making homeownership a reality with policies like the $10,000 incentive to train apprentices in construction and revising foreign investment laws. But the cost of living is hitting families hard, and I’m committed to working towards bringing it down. Labor’s already taking action – like making price gouging at the supermarket illegal. We’ll continue delivering policies that put more money in your pocket and less stress on your future. I’m also focused on closing the gender pay gap and ensuring women get equal opportunities in work and homeownership. Women’s health is key – I’ll fight for affordable, greater accessible care for conditions like endometriosis. Real change, now.
Nick Ward, the Greens
Nick Ward has 30 years of experience across the travel, technology and education sectors, a career focused on driving positive change and delivering a progressive agenda. As a proud gay dad, he is keen to see his 10-year-old daughter have the opportunity to grow up in a healthy, thriving world. This personal drive fuels his commitment to social and environmental justice.
What inspired you to run for the seat?
Wentworth is my home, it’s where I live, it’s where I play and shop, it’s where I do my ocean swimming. We are lucky to have rich diversity in our people, green space in our suburbs and a vibrancy in our streets that others are envious of. I know how much Wentworth voters care about Greens issues, from climate and the environment to housing and social justice, and am loving the opportunity to work with them in charting a course in difficult times.
What do you see as the biggest issues for this election and how do they apply to the region?
Wentworth residents are impacted, as are all Australians, by the cost of living, and so we have given undertakings to make dental and mental care fully covered by Medicare, to ban price gouging by supermarkets and to cap rents. Housing is indeed a major concern, if not for the voter themselves then for their children, and so we will not only implement rent controls but also create a government-owned property developer focused on housing for people instead of profits, and put an end to the rampant de-densification changing the face of our suburbs. Wentworth, however, is clear on another big issue: climate change and protecting our environment. We understand the urgency of the climate crisis, and have a plan to get to net zero ahead of 2040. We can’t work to a timeline driven by fossil fuel interests, we need to transition much more quickly.
What is your top three wishlist for the electorate?
1. To see a commitment from all parties and independents to ban new coal and gas projects, put aside any nuclear fantasies, and drive a rapid roll out of transmission and storage solutions so that we can move to renewables before the harbour laps at our doorsteps.
2. To end the prioritisation of corporate profits over the welfare of the community, injecting the funding needed to provide everyone with world-leading education and health care irrespective of their wealth, and to recognise housing as a fundamental human right that government should provide to all those who need it.
3. To provide the opportunity and incentive for our diverse communities to get out and meet their neighbours, to leave hate and intolerance behind and to use our diversity to enrich our lives. The world is not in a good place at the moment, we have a choice as to whether we replicate that here. My wish is that we don’t.
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