Mundine sets sights on federal Liberal seat as Price and Abbott voice support

Giovanni Torre
Giovanni Torre Published January 10, 2025 at 12.00pm (AWST)

Federal Opposition spokesperson for Indigenous affairs Jacinta Price and former prime minister Tony Abbott have thrown their weight behind Nyunggai Warren Mundine's bid for the prized Liberal federal seat of Bradfield.

Mr Mundine told National Indigenous Times he is a nominee for pre-selection for the North Shore seat.

"That decision will be finalised on the 18th of January," he said.

The prominent Indigenous businessperson and No campaigner said he believes the Liberal-National coalition can "make history in 2025 by winning the Federal election and making the Albanese government a one-term government".

He told National Indigenous Times the 2025 federal poll is shaping up to be "the most important federal election since 1949".

Mr Mundine, a Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr, Yuin and Irish man, served as National President of the Labor Party in 2006-2007, but quit the party in 2012 because, in his words, "it abandoned its own economic reforms and the aspirations of workers and families".

Mr Mundine, who has lived in Bradfield for over a decade, has told Liberal members he has "demonstrated courage to fight for my convictions", and is "not beholden to factions or people behind the scenes".

"With me, what you see is what you get," he wrote in campaign material.

He said he is "uniquely positioned" to reach to voters who haven't voted Liberal before in the seat, which is expected to be a target of a "teal" candidate this year.

The teal independents won several traditionally strong Liberal seats at the 2022 poll running on a platform of socially liberal and environmentalist policies combined with pro-market, broadly conservative economic views.

In September 2023 Mr Mundine quit the race for the NSW Liberal senate position vacated by former foreign minister Marise Payne, weeks before the October 14 Voice referendum.

Mr Mundine referred to the 'No' campaign as "one of the most successful political campaigns in Australian history".

In material setting out his philosophy, Mr Mundine said he is proud to be Australian and proud of Australia.

"I don't judge a country by the worst of its history, but by how it overcomes the worst of its history and its vision for the future," he wrote.

"I believe in personal responsibility, the essence of self determination. The only person who can better your life is you, not the government.

"I support policies that foster independence and promote equality. People should be free from bureaucratic control and free to participate in all aspects of society.

"I believe the only pathway out of poverty is economic participation - education, jobs, business. The greatest thing you can do for another person is give them a job."

Senator Kerrynne Liddle and former Nationals leader John Anderson have also backed Mr Mundine's candidacy.

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National Indigenous Times

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.