Focus Wentworth: ‘Labor is in this race to win’

Savanna Peake knows she has a mighty battle on her hands. The 30-year-old former teacher was revealed as the Labor candidate for Wentworth only a matter of weeks before the election. She has had virtually no time to build a profile to match the two frontrunners in the seat – Allegra Spender, the small 'l' liberal independent, and Ro Knox, the Big 'L' Liberal from the party.

The conspicuous delay in her nomination fuelled speculation that the ALP has conceded the anti-conservative vote to Spender following her emphatic success in 2022, and that its goal is to draw progressive voters away from the Greens and channel Labor preferences to Spender to overcome the challenge from Knox. 

But Peake has other ideas, and insists she is not there just to make up the numbers. “I just want to be really clear that this is a serious contest,” she told The Jewish Independent.  

“Labor is in this race to win. Full stop. Wentworth deserves a strong progressive voice that delivers real change and not someone that just delivers words. I'm giving it everything I've got. We're in it to win it, and we're ready to deliver."

Peake may be a novice candidate but she knows a bit about campaigning, having helped run several campaigns for other candidates and issues – including Tanya Plibersek’s election campaign in 2022 and the Voice to Parliament in 2023.

“Our goal in Wentworth and across the country more broadly, is really clear. We're trying to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. We want to invest in public education. We want to strengthen Medicare. We want to fight for real climate action. Labor has a really proud track record of delivering, making life better for working people, standing up for equality, and making sure that no one's left behind.”

Peake is also crystal clear about her commitment to Wentworth’s Jewish community, which has been traumatised by a spate of physical attacks against Jewish institutions and property. “I want to make it very clear that any acts of violence and intimidation are completely unacceptable. These attacks have left members of the Jewish community feeling unsafe in their own neighbourhoods, and they need to be condemned in the strongest possible terms — I can't reinforce that more strongly.

“It's crucial that we don't only hold perpetrators accountable, but that we also strengthen our efforts to prevent these attacks from happening in future. So that means enhanced security for places of worship, community buildings, public spaces, as well as zero tolerance approaches to hate speech and the incitement of violence.”  

The root causes of violence and hate need to be addressed, she adds. “That comes down to education, both in schools and within our broader community.” She mentions initiatives such as Holocaust education and interfaith dialogue, which will “make sure that younger generations are equipped with the knowledge and empathy they need to combat hate”. 

While Jewish community leaders have swung behind Knox and the Coalition in response to the government’s foreign policy posture on Israel, Peake believes the issue goes beyond partisan politics. “It's really important that the Jewish community has allies across the political spectrum, regardless of the election outcome, so I'm committed to remaining connected to the community, both now and into the long-term future.” 

Although she has been shaped by the Labor political machine, Peake’s commitment to tolerance, equality and diversity comes from personal experience. “I grew up in a working-class family, coming from south-western Sydney, I attended my local public schools, both primary and high schools, before studying to become a teacher.

“I moved out of home at a young age, and that really shaped my passion for public education because of the support that I got, particularly from my teachers. So my career has always been dedicated to advocacy and to public service.” 

In addition, Peake is a lesbian and has long been involved in LGBTQ+ public advocacy, which will stand in her good stead in an electorate with a large constituency of queer and gender diverse voters. Her prospects have also been boosted by a redistribution of 25,000 voters from Plibersek’s inner-city seat into Wentworth.

For many of these new voters, and others in Wentworth’s diverse socio-economic mosaic, the environment and climate change are a major issue, and one which helped Spender get over the line in 2022. “Protecting the environment is one of my core priorities. Wentworth is a beautiful electorate, home to some of Sydney's most beautiful natural spaces, and it's really important and vital that we work to keep preserving them,” Peake said.  

Without going into specific policies for the electorate, she highlights the importance of renewable energy, making the future more sustainable and making energy cheaper for people. 

Peake has a more granular feel for the other big issue concerning progressive voters in Wentworth — affordable housing. “As a renter myself, I know the pressures that a lot of families and particularly young people are under when it comes to securing stable and affordable housing. We need a government that will invest in building more affordable homes, and protect renters from exploitation.

“I'm really proud that Labor is planning to build 55,000 new homes in New South Wales, and 1.2 million homes nationally under the homes for Australia scheme.” She also points out that the government has worked with major bank lenders to exclude HECS debt from mortgage applications by young people. 

Women’s health is another issue in which Peake has a personal stake: “This is particularly important to me. I've seen first-hand the impact that conditions like endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease have on women's lives, because I suffer with both conditions myself.  

“Recently, we've had some really fantastic wins – Labor has announced 22 pelvic pain clinics, with an extra 11 on the way across the country, and we've now had menopause treatments and the new endometriosis drug. Labor is putting people's lived experience front and centre, and consulting with the experts.”  

Peake’s political conviction has been forged through personal experience and her sincerity is compelling. But given the reality of the political landscape, what is her realistic expectation for election night? “Success will be a swing to Labor in Wentworth and an Albanese government re-elected,” she replies. 

And personally? “I will be giving it a red-hot go. People want to see more young women and progressive voices running for parliament. That reflects the concerns, particularly of young people. 

“So regardless of the outcome, I know that I will have given it absolutely everything that I've got.” 

Peake helped run Zann Maxwell's campaign for last year’s City of Sydney council elections and she has taken leave from her full-time job as his senior policy adviser to run for Wentworth. So if anyone wants to discuss the nitty gritty of Labor’s campaign after election night, they will know where to find her.