Voters keep critical eye on Sharma’s election campaign commitments

Member-elect for Wentworth Sharma won the election with very few costed commitments to voters in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

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Dave Sharma paved his way to the 46th parliament with very few costed commitments to voters.

The centrepiece of his election platform came early in the campaign on April 23, with a promise that a reinstated coalition government would contribute $15 million to the construction of the Sydney Swans’ new headquarters and community centre.

Mr Sharma, who returned the seat to the Liberals just over a week ago, ran primarily on promises to deliver on local issues though offered no direct funds towards them.

Dave Sharma in the Joint Party Room meeting at Parliament House in Canberra this week. Picture Kym Smith

The only other direct funding commitment was $143,000 for more CCTV along the Bondi Beach promenade after a spate of anti-Semitic graffiti.

The local issues that struck a chord with voters included the need for a second public high school in the electorate, restoring cardiac services at Sydney Children’s Hospital and addressing over-development in Bondi Junction. Both he and front-runner Kerryn Phelps backed calls to address those issues.

On all three, Mr Sharma committed to working with colleagues in state and local government, though offered no direct funding for studies or investigation.

Mr Sharma returned former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s seat back to the liberals last week with a significant swing in his favour. Picture: John Appleyard

In contrast, Vaucluse MP Gabrielle Upton made ten costed commitments to voters over two weeks during the state election campaign in March, in what is considered a safe seat for the liberals. Instead, Mr Sharma has said he will hold meetings, and has already held, meetings with relevant ministers at the state level as opposed to funding reports into the viability of a second public high school in the east or directing federal funds to address concerns from top doctors at Sydney Children’s Hospital.

During the by-election campaign, Mr Sharma made a number of fully-funded pledges on key local issues including money to Bronte and North Bondi surf life saving clubs, $500,000 toward lighting from Gap Park to the Macquairie lighthouse and $2.2 million in security funding for jewish schools and institutions in the electorate.