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A member of parliament from a prominent Australian district has faced criticism for voicing concerns over exorbitant housing prices while opposing a plan to build affordable housing units in her constituency.
Nicolette Boele, who narrowly secured the Bradfield seat with a 26-vote lead over Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian, took to social media to highlight the area’s declining birth rates.
Boele shared statistics indicating Bradfield’s notably low birth rates compared to the rest of Sydney, remarking on social media that it highlights the area’s unsustainable affordability for younger generations.
She noted, ‘Bradfield is officially the priciest location in the nation for home buyers, with typical property prices exceeding 16 times the median income.’
According to CoreLogic data from March, the median house price in Bradfield surpasses $2.7 million, requiring prospective buyers to amass over $540,000 for a 20 percent down payment.
Boele further commented, ‘When housing costs consume your entire income, it’s no surprise that people postpone starting families or feel unable to afford raising children in this area.’
‘If housing is only accessible to the very wealthy, we lose the mix of young families, kids in local schools, and new generations that keep Bradfield vibrant.’
To address the issue, Boele has called for a rent-to-own scheme that would let buyers lease a property with a fixed purchase price for a set period, giving them ‘time to save without the market pushing the prices up’.
Boele’s (pictured) seat of Bradfield has a median home price of over $2.7million
But just two days earlier, the MP came out against an 11-storey apartment development in Castlecrag that would add 150 new homes and offer an affordable option for homebuyers wanting to move into the area.
It would also include a mixed-use development called Queensbridge, which would offer retail and dining, being built on the site of the Quadrangle Shopping Centre.
A previous plan for the area proposed a five-storey development, but was scrapped after the land was sold to a new developer, and Boele is understood to have been supportive of that plan.
In Castlecrag, the median house price is an eye-watering $4.5 million.
‘This isn’t about saying “no” to homes. It’s about saying “yes” to responsible planning,’ Boele said.
‘Castlecrag has always embraced that approach. An 11-storey tower dropped in without adequate consultation is exactly the kind of planning that creates obstacles instead of solutions.’
Her stance drew swift backlash, with many pointing out that only 33 new homes have been built in Castlecrag since 1991.
‘And here I was thinking electing a teal in the north shore would change things for young people around here. Just another entitled homeowner who wants young people priced out of where they live,’ one person wrote.
Concept art of the original plan, which was scrapped after being sold to a new developer
The Castlecrag Progress Association held a protest against the development last Tuesday
‘This shows how out of touch you are with how bad the housing crisis really is,’ another said.
‘You ran on building affordable housing. If you don’t support high-density housing when it’s unpopular with NIMBYs, then you don’t support affordable housing,’ a third said.
Some did agree with her, however, arguing the suburb lacks infrastructure.
‘I’m no NIMBY, but this is the right call for now. Castlecrag isn’t well connected by public transport and the roads aren’t wide enough to accommodate more people.’
A protest at the proposed building site was held by the Castlecrag Progress Association last Tuesday, who oppose the development.
Justin Simon, from housing advocacy group Sydney YIMBY, said Boele’s position was part of a broader problem.
‘It’s unfortunately a common pattern that politicians support new housing in the abstract, but will find fault with any concrete proposal,’ he said.
‘Being pro-housing means backing actual buildings, and actively bringing your constituents on that journey to support them.’
He argued that decades of resistance to development is exactly why Bradfield has become so unaffordable.
Castlecrag, on Sydney’s north shore, has only had 33 new homes built since 1991 (pictured)
‘Bradfield is one of the most expensive electorates in the country because they have fought tooth and nail against densification for decades,’ Simon said.
‘Housing affects how people have families, how many kids they have, how much time they’re able to spend with them. We should make it easier for young families to get set up on the North Shore.’
Daily Mail contacted Boele for comment.
