Tight Races in Bennelong and Bradfield Highlight Tensions on Sydney’s North Shore
The contest in Bennelong is expected to go down to the wire.
This may be especially true for Labor MP Jerome Laxale, who is now fighting to retain a seat that, following a redistribution due to the removal of North Sydney, is technically held by his opposition.
Despite the pressure, Mr Laxale says he’s sleeping soundly.
“I sleep really well, which is nice,” he commented.
He’s been greeting early voters at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Chatswood, near the boundary between Bennelong and neighbouring Bradfield. Laxale faces off against Liberal candidate Scott Yung, with only a 0.04% margin currently in his favor.
Over in Bradfield, the Coalition is fighting hard to keep a seat they actually hold, facing renewed pressure from a teal independent who nearly won in 2022.
With margins this slim, the usually quiet and affluent North Shore is becoming one of the fiercest battlegrounds of the election.
Yung Defends Campaign Amid Scrutiny
While scrutiny is common during campaigns, it’s rare for it to come from within. Liberal candidate Scott Yung has faced criticism from fellow party members, with some describing him as inauthentic in media coverage.
Yung, 32, is not new to politics. He previously ran against NSW Premier Chris Minns in 2019, a campaign now raising questions about his adherence to donation disclosure rules. Allegations have surfaced over unpaid celebrity endorsements and misleading fundraising claims. He also faced criticism for distributing Easter eggs outside a primary school during the campaign.
Nevertheless, Yung insists his current campaign is fully compliant.
“Absolutely and undoubtedly,” he told the ABC at a Ryde pre-polling booth.
When asked if he paid for the 2019 endorsements, he replied, “Absolutely not.” On whether they constitute in-kind donations, he deferred to the Australian Electoral Commission.
At the polling site, Yung received a warm welcome, with corflutes displaying him alongside former PM John Howard — the former Bennelong MP — declaring “he is our future.” Their connection dates back to when Yung, then 20, helped Howard with translation on the campaign trail.
Though his volunteers appear enthusiastic, internal party support has been mixed. Still, Yung remains focused on constituent concerns, emphasizing housing affordability, retirement security, and economic growth.
Laxale Hopeful Demographics Will Tip Scale
Meanwhile, Laxale draws a distinction between today’s Liberals and those of John Howard’s era.
“Peter Dutton’s Liberals are not John Howard’s Liberals,” he says.
Laxale believes recent demographic shifts — including an influx of young professionals, renters, and health workers — may help him retain his seat. Bennelong encompasses areas like Ryde, Hunters Hill, and Lane Cove.
Despite a higher-than-average median income of $942 per week, cost-of-living pressures remain significant, he says. He also believes Labor’s diplomatic approach to China plays well in a seat where over 25% of voters are of Chinese heritage.
“A big part of why I was elected was the Morrison government’s megaphone diplomacy and politicization of foreign relations,” he says. “That’s at risk under Peter Dutton — he’s been in Parliament for 20 years; a leopard doesn’t change its spots.”
Liberal Optimism in Bradfield
In Bradfield, Labor isn’t seriously contending, as even their volunteers admit, but Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian is gaining attention.
Replacing veteran MP Paul Fletcher, Kapterian already cleared a major internal hurdle: beating prominent figure Warren Mundine for preselection — a contest Mundine attributed to gender bias.
Kapterian, a Cambridge-educated lawyer and former international advisor, rejects claims her selection was based on gender. She presents her legal and policy experience as key strengths.
Speaking at a pre-polling booth, she emphasized her party’s effectiveness.
“Politics is a numbers game — to make change, you need the numbers,” she said. “Our party is a broad church. Unless you’re in cabinet, you’re free to disagree.”
Independent Boele Eyes Second Chance
Teal independent Nicolette Boele, who came within reach of victory in 2022 after a significant 12.3% swing, is back with hopes of finishing the job. The Liberal margin has since narrowed to just 4.2%.
This time, however, Boele can’t rely on anti-Morrison sentiment and has faced some controversy of her own. Early in the campaign, she apologized for an inappropriate joke made to a 19-year-old hairdresser.
Despite this, Boele, a former finance and energy executive, is campaigning hard and handing out detailed 24-page policy booklets.
She says voters are increasingly aware of long-standing issues around cost of living, energy bills, and housing, which she blames on decades of inaction by major parties.
Boele, however, won’t commit to supporting any party in a potential minority government, stating she’ll judge legislation on its merits and community input. But she outlined two key factors for deciding who should govern: a stable parliament acting in the national interest and who holds the majority.
