Federal Election: Kooyong Candidates
Updated: Apr 28, 2022
At the federal election on Saturday 21 May 2022, approximately 110,00 enrolled electors of Kooyong will decide who will represent them in the Australian Parliament, House of Representatives.
Glenferrie Hawthorn is part of the Kooyong division and among 151 divisions across the country that will each elect a member of parliament (MP). Kooyong has been in existence since Australia’s first parliament in 1901. The word “‘Kooyong’ is believed to be an Aboriginal word for camp or resting place or possibly derived from the word ‘guyun’ meaning fighting spear” (aec.gov.au).
The incumbent MP, The Hon. Josh Frydenberg is the seventh male representative for Kooyong over 121 years. Former Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Robert Menzies (1939–41 and 1949–66), was the MP for Kooyong 1934–66. Following the founding of the Liberal Party of Australia in 1944, Menzies was the first Kooyong MP from the party. Since then, every Kooyong MP has been a member of the Liberal Party of Australia: Andrew Peacock (1966–94), Petro Georgiou (1994–2010) and The Hon. Josh Frydenberg (2010-present).
Prior to 1944, Menzies was a member of the United Australia Party (1934-44). Earlier Kooyong MPs were members of a range of political parties: Free Trade (William Knox 1901-06), Anti-Socialist Party (William Knox 1906-10), Commonwealth Liberal Party (William Knox 1910, Sir Robert Best 1910-17), Nationalist Party (Sir Robert Best 1917-22; Sir John Latham 1925-31), Liberal Union (Sir John Latham 1922-25), and the United Australia Party (Sir John Latham 1931-34).
The Glenferrie Times interviewed five Kooyong candidates for the 2022 federal election, who had begun their election campaigning at the time of publication (11 April). UPDATE: On 22 May the full list of candidates was published to include six further candidates which The Glenferrie Times is currently seeking interviews with. More information to come.
Early voting in the federal election commences on Monday 9 May, postal voting applications close on Wednesday 18 May, and election day polling is on Saturday 21 May, 8am - 6pm. For more information about the federal election go to the Victorian Electoral Commission website aec.gov.au
FRYDENBERG, JOSH
Liberal
The Hon. Josh Frydenberg is the current Kooyong MP, Treasurer of Australia, and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. Josh was initially elected to the Kooyong seat in 2010 and is running for re-election for a fifth term. He is a local resident, having grown up in Kew and now living in Hawthorn. “Since I was first elected in 2010, my focus has always been on listening to our community and delivering with a practical plan for Kooyong.”
Josh has been a member of the Liberal Party since 1999 and in a 2019 interview with The Glenferrie Times, expressed that his decision to represent the party is due to his attraction to “their values and their philosophy - I found they aligned with my personal values”.
Josh graduated from Monash University with Honours in Law and Economics. Following an article clerkship, he completed a Master of Philosophy in International Relations at Oxford University. Josh then was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Following a number of assistant and advisor roles to an Attorney General, Foreign Minister, and the Prime Minister, Josh completed a Masters of Public Administration at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He then worked as a Director from 2005-09 and then as a Consultant at Deutsche Bank AG until his election in 2010.
Josh’s education in law and economics provide a background to help support his current election plan for “a strong economy and stronger future”. His long standing history in politics means that Josh is able to have a unique knowledge of the internal workings of federal politics and decision making. Josh wants “Kooyong to continue to be the best place to live, work and raise a family, and for all Australians to be able to plan for their futures with confidence”.
Photo: Provided by Liberal Party Australia. Candidate was unavailable for an interview.
HARDIMAN, Scott
United Australia Party
Scott Hardiman is representing the United Australia Party (UAP) in this year’s Kooyong election because the UAP needed someone “with a background like mine”. Scott believes that the people of Kooyong need a “strong candidate that goes to Canberra”, one that is able to speak up and express the opinions of the local people.
Although Scott lives in Clarkfield, outside the Kooyong area, he can “bring an outside view of things” and whether he is a UAP candidate “here or there, I represent the people”. With over 20 years of experience in the Department of Justice and the last six years in a senior position, Scott believes he can be this person. He has a grasp on how state and federal politics operate, how public service works, and how public servants think, as well as experience managing projects and teams.
Scott has chosen to run as a UAP candidate because “the UAP policies align with what I think”. He believes that small businesses are the “backbone of our economy” but unfortunately have suffered most during the COVID-19 pandemic and are the hardest hit with taxes, similar to middle income earners, which is why, “tax reform is key for me” including reducing income tax. Other policies Scott and the UAP will work towards is the creation of jobs, done through initiatives such as manufacturing and processing products like ore in Australia instead of overseas. The UAP has no policy on emissions targets but Scott believes there are “other alternatives out there” outside of solar and wind, “rare earth minerals” could power the country. He believes that locally more needs to be done for the environment, through small community changes such as banning plastic bags and introducing a recycling return scheme.
Scott is “very community focused” and “business oriented”. Since making the decision to run as a Kooyong candidate, he has been in the area frequently and more regularly, recently meeting with Balwyn residents and action group in regards to the North-East link. Scott is “always open to listening, that’s who I am”.
Photo: The Glenferrie Times. Candidate interviewed on 24 March 2022.
LYNCH, Peter
Australian Labor Party
Dr Peter Lynch is running on a platform of “transparency and integrity”. Peter is a Kooyong resident and has lived in Hawthorn since 1994 and in Kew previously. He hopes to “give Kooyong the highest standard of representation on local, national, and international issues”. This is Peter’s second time running as a federal candidate, during the 2004 elections he was a federal candidate for Deakin.
Peter has been a member of the Labor party for over 40 years. When he first joined in the early 1980s, he was motivated by his concerns and opposition to issues such as capital punishment, which was abolished in Australia in 1985. As a Labor candidate now, he believes that the parties’ policies address his current concerns including those on leadership, climate, defence, ministerial standards, and COVID-19.
Peter has 48 years of experience, predominantly in the public hospital system, as a physician, clinician, public health official, and health services board director, as well as being in management and research positions. He has experience working in health across Victoria, overseas, and the Northern Territory including working as Medical Director of Alice Springs Hospital. He believes that through his career experience he can “bring professionalism into being MP”.
Among the many topics relevant to Australians and Kooyong residents, there are numerous that are of particular interest to Peter. Those of most concern to him are climate change, the economy and economic justice and fairness, the gig economy, unfair working conditions, cost of living, aged care, health services, child care, international relations, and appropriate recommendations for Australian Aboriginals. Peter is aware that “climate change is number one in this electorate” and is “happy to campaign Labor’s stance on climate”. He is also in favour of a “strategy that minimises car use, not encourages it”.
Aware of the significance of the federal level of government, Peter wants to work towards policies that are not just attuned to Kooyong. “The challenge is to bring these huge issues to a local level, that’s what I am trying to do.”
Photo: The Glenferrie Times. Candidate interviewed on 30 March 2022.
MITCHEM, Piers The Greens
Piers Mitchem has a “deep faith and belief in the power of politics...to bring about meaningful and genuine change”. Growing up in Surrey Hills and having recently moved to Kew, Piers is “deeply familiar” with the Kooyong area. Prior to his move to Kew, Piers spent the last 10 years living in surrounding Melbourne suburbs and some time overseas.
Having studied Arts and Law at Melbourne University, for the 12 years since graduating, Piers has been working as a lawyer in employment and workplace law. He decided to run as a Kooyong candidate after having “reached a point in my career where my set of skills could be of use”. Through his law experience, Piers has an understanding of how businesses work and the parliamentary process.
Three years ago, after reading Doomsday Machine by Daniel Ellsberg, Piers became very interested in nuclear disarming and in 2019 moved to London to obtain a master’s degree on non-proliferation and disarmament of nuclear weapons technology. “The decisions we’re making now will determine whether life on earth continues in any recognisable way in 50 years time”. Piers believes that “Greens align with science” and are the only party that is accepting the world as it is and choosing policy accordingly. He has been a member of The Greens for five years and has always voted for The Greens.
Piers’ campaign platform targets specific issues of climate, corruption, gender and equality, age care, and health. If elected, Piers and The Greens will approach tackling these issues through certain initiatives such as: bringing an end to all new gas and and coal construction projects and phase out existing ones to introduce renewables; conduct a National Integrity Commission; reduce cost of education; increase affordable housing; funding for informed consent education; funding for domestic violence victims and family services; funding dental and mental health as part of medicare; and more.
Amongst Piers’ core values are honesty, empathy, and ambition, and he “enjoys dealing with people, which is critical”. His campaign platform is “people powered, grassroots, and community led”. As a Greens candidate he sees that “politics was my way of seeing how I could make positive change”.
Photo: The Glenferrie Times. Candidate interviewed on 31 March 2022.
RYAN, Monique Independent
Dr Monique Ryan understands that the Kooyong citizens want “someone who represents them” and, as a Kooyong resident for over 15 years, she believes that she can be the person to speak for this electorate.
Monique “left a job I loved to do something that took me completely out of my comfort zone” and decided to move into politics because of “an anxiety about a number of areas where the government is not delivering”. She has chosen to run as an independent candidate because she “couldn’t cope within a party system” which is “not conducive to free expression” and “representing your community”. Monique knew that if she was associated with a party, “I would have to make compromises I would find difficult”.
Until the end of 2021, Monique was working as a neurologist at the Royal Children’s Hospital as well as a researcher and head of department. With over 30 years of “lived experience” in health, she believes that she understands families and the people of Kooyong - how they think, feel, and work. She aims to “respect the individual and the work they do” and ensure “everyone in society is looked after, however they need it”.
Monique is aware that the people in Kooyong are worried about the climate but they do not know what to do about it as a local or a business owner, people “need to understand how to kickstart the process”. Over the last nine years, Australians have been told that action in relation to climate will come at an economic cost but we “can make economic gains”. If elected, Monique promises to “work as efficiently and as hard as I can, immediately”, incorporating climate action laws within six months and an independent commission into corruption. Monique would also work to assist refugees and asylum seekers, engage with First Nations, and instigate a political donation reform.
Monique is not running for her own ambitions but because she feels she can represent the people. This is a grassroots and community campaign “looking to restore integrity and honesty”.
Photo: The Glenferrie Times. Candidate interviewed on 24 March 2022.
UPDATE:
Each of the following candidates have yet to be reached for an interview with the Glenferrie Times. We are currently awaiting their replies and will update you as soon as new information comes to hand.
ANDERSON, Will Independent
No contact information for Mr Anderson has yet been found. If any readers know how he can be contacted, or indeed, Mr Anderson reads this himself, please drop us a message so we can set up an interview.
CONNOLLY, David Australian Values Party
You can read a bio of Mr Connolly and find out about his policies on the Australian Values website here.
COYNE, Josh One Nation Party
Information on the One Nation Party can be found here.
DALE, Michele Derryn Hinch Justice Party
Read the Justice Party's policy break-down on their official website here.
NEHMER, Racheal Animal Justice Party
Ms Nehmer's bio and policies can be read on the Animal Justice Party's website here.
THOM, Alexandra Liberal Democratic Party
Ms Thom's bio and policies can be read on the Liberal Democrats website here.
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