Dave Sharma says he pushes hard for climate action, but talks tough on refugees

ANNE SUSSKIND: The member for Wentworth says he is not afraid to vote against the government tide, is proud of his efforts to help locals get through the pandemic, and his convictions on Israel

THE FEDERAL MEMBER for Wentworth, Dave Sharma, describes himself as a “Modern Liberal”, conservative economically but socially and environmentally relatively progressive, a rebranding which first surfaced in the 2019 election. He says he has played a significant role in delivering the Coalition’s net zero emissions target. He crossed the floor in support of LGBTQI students and supports more women entering parliament. He is also passionate about protecting Australia’s Jewish community from antisemitism.

It’s a suite of attitudes of which many of his constituents will approve. The only really jarring notes in a 45-minute interview were his hardline (and contested) assertions on the unfortunate people still detained in Melbourne’s Park Street Hotel and other places, and the reiteration of a stern reprimand for Mike Burgess after the ASIO chief publicly warned politicians about using the fear of foreign interference in the run-up to the election.  

Sharma says that since being elected to parliament three years ago, his biggest achievement has been getting the people and businesses of Wentworth, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, through the all-consuming pandemic “intact”, helping them navigate public health orders, getting access to vaccinations, and bringing travellers back from overseas.   

“Wentworth businesses are operating, people are still employed - it hasn’t been easy, people have had lots of difficulties, financial or employment, or isolation or loneliness or old age. As a community, we’ve pulled together and looked after our most vulnerable,” says Sharma.

Australia’s public health system, he says, has coped well and our economy is larger now than before the pandemic hit, with more people in jobs now.

“Our full-time score, when compared to other nations, is not too bad,” he says, citing Australia’s vaccination rate as one of the world’s highest, with very low case numbers and deaths by global standards.