Special Report: Meet the Warringah candidates vying for your vote in the 2025 Federal Election.

By ANNA USHER

The seat of Warringah is named after the area in which the electoral division is located.

‘Warringah’ is believed to be an Aboriginal word meaning ‘sign of rain’, ‘across the waves’ or ‘sea’.

With an area of 51 square kilometres, it covers an area including Mosman Municipal Council, parts of North Sydney Council and parts of the Northern Beach Council.

Warringah was considered a strong and safe Liberal territory until 2019, when Independent MP Zali Steggall ousted former Prime Minister Tony Abbott to take the seat.

Mosman Collective contacted every candidate running for Warringah and asked for a 250 word pitch on what they stand for and why they are running.

Responses have been placed in order of the ballot draw.

ZALI STEGGALL – INDEPENDENT

As a local, Olympic medallist and former barrister I’ve worked passionately since 2019 to represent the views and values of Warringah in Parliament, and have a positive impact by delivering smart, practical solutions to key challenges faced by our community — from cost of living and housing pressures to climate risks and small business support.

As an Independent MP, I’m focussed on hearing from and serving our community on issues from NDIS, Centrelink to immigration and aged care, always focussing on people and good policy. This includes helping to secure more than $300 million in local grants, responding to over 41,000 inquiries, stopping oil and gas exploration off our coast and improving legislation with amendments, including on scams, job security and affordable education. I’m committed to achieving results for our community.

Now more than ever, it is essential that we have housing opportunities and transport solutions that meet our needs, support for small businesses and households feeling the pressure of increasing costs and strong policies to transition to a low cost, low emissions, innovation driven economy.

With climate risks and insurance costs escalating I’m pushing for an emissions reduction target of 75% by 2035, and for the government to implement my Climate Resilience Plan.

I’m committed to accountability and integrity, will champion support to keep business strong and communities safe – and I will always make sure Warringah’s views and values are heard loud and clear in Canberra.

WEBSITE: https://www.zalisteggall.com.au/

CELINE VARGHESE FELL – LABOR

I was inspired to run for this seat as I want to see a better, fairer society and to ensure that Labor has a presence in our electorate.

I have always been involved in grassroots politics at the community level. This election is a very important one for our Labor government to win. The incumbent Labor government is a good government with progressive and proactive policies moving our nation to a better future.

My top priorities for the community are:

• Reducing costs in the family budget
• Ensuring bulk billing is back and keep the Urgent Medicare Clinics funded well (like the one in Dee Why)
• Ongoing investment in our public school

I have lived on the Northern Beaches for over 20 years with my husband David. I am a qualified primary school teacher and childcare educator. I am the centre director of an Out of School Hours (OOSH) service in Manly and I am also a board member for the NSW peak body for OOSH.

I have worked in the education and care services for more than three decades in Australia and overseas and am involved in various local organisations including the local branch of Amnesty International and have been involved in organising market stalls and events in support of human rights matters amongst other voluntary tasks.

I am very passionate and proactive when it comes to supporting our education and care sector and have been involved in various professional forums and committees to achieve best outcomes for the sector.

Education and learning are some of my top priorities in this election. The values of hard work and duty run deep in my community involvement, and I am dedicated to building a better future for Warringah.

WEBSITE: https://www.alp.org.au/our-people/our-people/celine-varghese-fell/

ANTHONY ROSE – TRUMPET OF PATRIOTS

I decided to nominate as candidate for Warringah with the Trumpet of Patriots party because I love my country and I am willing to do all I can to help – because that’s what I think it means to be a “Patriot “.

Although I do not have political experience, I certainly represent the average Australian.

I have been a business owner since 2008 and I drive a taxi just to be able to stay afloat and pay the rent on my home as I struggle with the cost-of-living week to week, month to month, year in and year out, under this current Government.

I certainly cannot afford a deposit on a house and cannot meet the “Big Banks” criteria that needs to be met to obtain a home loan.

Being a single man over 50 years of age, working 100 hours a week to stay in business, and paying rent I feel enough is enough.

I will ask the people of my electorate to vote for me, to vote for change, and make Australia great again because I know what it’s like to bear the cost of living.

I feel it’s time for a change and I feel that I can make a difference by contributing my time and effort for the people of Warringah.

“Vote for change, vote one and make Australia great again”.

WEBSITE: https://trumpetofpatriots.org/candidates/anthony-rose/

DAVID SPRATT – INDEPENDENT

The cost of living crisis – due to the high cost of energy – is resulting in small to medium businesses and households ‘withering on the vine’. I will advocate for an immediate reconfiguration of our national energy market (dispatch targets) such that all existing power stations operate 24/7 as in the past, when our energy costs were affordable, reliable and the driver of our once high living standards and national security.

Further, I would advocate for the lifting/removal of the current nuclear energy ban and allow international energy markets to determine options and costs for an Australian domestic nuclear energy industry.

All options would be assessed and presented in open public forums/debates. Other policies (detailed on my website) for which I would advocate are:

• A Warringah mass transit system (Metro) from North Sydney into the dormitory suburbs (not beaches) of Warringah.
• First home affordability, deductibility provisions
• Indigenous youth education – boarding schools near remote communities
• Immigration to be in balance with the provision of infrastructure and housing.

WEBSITE: https://davidspratt.com/

SEAN McLEOD – LIBERTARIAN

Did not respond to our request.

GAVIN WRIGHT – ONE NATION

G’day Warringah I am Gavin Wright and I’m running to represent you.  The job description is the House of Representatives – and representation is my one and only priority.

Putting all Australians and all constituents first is my only concern.

If you are sick of being taken for a ride and having your liberty taken away, then you know what to do.

If you are sick of being taken for granted and having your free will eroded away then, you know what to do.

If you are sick of being overtaxed and having your self-determination taken away, then you know what to do.

If you want your lifestyle and prospects to improve, then you know what to do.

If you want the government to go back to being in the background and stop interfering, then you know what to do.

If you want clarification of our constitutional monarchy that is indissoluble, then you know what to do.

Once elected I will work hard at your goals and stop the diseconomy of scale that is rampant in our institutions.

Good luck to the other candidates, the One Nation Army Band I’m sure will make themselves available to play at your next function for a small fee, plus tax, excise, GST, this & that levy, parking, production and band rider with 1000 orange M&M’s.

JAIMEE ROGERS – LIBERAL

I love our community in Warringah. I feel privileged to be raising my two boys locally with my husband.

Before entering politics, I enjoyed a successful career as a broadcast journalist.

I understand the pressures on local families. Sky high living costs are putting a tremendous burden on so many. For example, Warringah has some of the highest daycare fees in the country.

Australia’s current problems are down to Anthony Albanese. He’s been an ineffective and weak Prime Minister – he’s out of his depth. Warringah can’t afford another three years of Albanese.

Voting for a Teal ‘independent’ would deliver a minority Labor government, propped up by the Greens. It’s a nightmare scenario that would lead to continued uncontrolled migration and a further decline in living standards.

If elected, I’ll work hard to raise the issues facing our community in our party room. I want to get the Beaches Link Tunnel back on the agenda to help ease congestion on Military Road and the Spit Bridge. We can only do this with a Liberal MP in a Liberal Government.

The Liberals have a plan to deliver low inflation, affordable homes and cheaper energy, fuel, and medicines. I want to be part of the Liberal team in our Federal Parliament that gets Warringah and Australia back on track.

WEBSITE: https://nswliberal.org.au/jaimee-rogers

BONNIE HARVEY – THE GREENS

We are all feeling the stresses of modern life: more frequent natural disasters, more political division and the rising cost of living.

The major parties treat these issues as separate crises and
continually fail to address the elephant in the room: rampant inequality and greed. I know first-hand how this impacts young people, we feel stressed and disheartened at the state of the
world and wonder if we’ll ever even be able to afford a home.

That is why I am running for this election. To offer Warringah a candidate who is committed to proactively treating the disease,
rather than toying with isolated symptoms.

I see it as a politician’s role to speak radical truth, unite community and re-invigorate hope. I am an artist, student, small business owner and the youngest woman to ever be elected to the Northern Beaches Council.

Because I am passionate about social change and have a knack for engaging the next generation, I am uniquely positioned to represent Warringah. A vote for the Greens is a vote for energetic leadership in areas that matter; climate justice, housing
affordability and making billionaires pay their fair share.

The top three things I’d like to see happen here are a cap on rental price increases, ending supermarket price gouging and the subsidisation of solar & batteries for homes and businesses.

Warringah is ready for climate-forward representation that recognises that people over profit is not only possible but necessary.

WEBSITE: https://greens.org.au/nsw/person/bonnie-harvey