In one of the biggest political upsets of the election, Labor’s Sarah Witty is projected to have defeated the Greens leader,Adam Bandt, in the seat of Melbourne.
Bandt made history as the first Greens MP to be elected into the House of Representatives in 2010, when he won the inner-city seat off Labor and turned it into a stronghold for the minor party.
Now that era looks to be at an end, with the ABC calling the seat for Witty – a result not even Labor insiders were expecting at the start of the campaign.
So who is the woman behind the shock swing?
Witty is a Richmond local of two decades, a foster carer and the chief of the Nappy Collective – a charity that distributes nappies to families experiencing disadvantage across Australia.
Her path to politics is not typical. In a post on herInstagram account, she shared she had also run a ballet studio, owned a Subway franchise and worked as both a small business lender and insurer.
In 2017, she began working with Homes for Homes – a social enterprise that raises funds for community housing by encouraging property owners to donate 0.1% of their sale price to charity. During her time there, Witty said she helped raise $110m in donations.
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She has said her experience as a foster carer has also shaped her worldview.
Witty and her partner began fostering after 13 unsuccessful rounds of IVF, and receiving some advice from her mum.
“At the time, I must admit it was hard to hear, but she said, ‘Maybe you need to be a mum for all children,’” Witty said in avideo posted on social media.
“I thought she was ridiculous, first of all, and then I thought, ‘Hang on a minute, maybe foster care might be the right place for me to be.’”
Witty said she had lost count of how many children she’s fostered but the first child, a boy, “taught us how to be carers”. There was also another girl who came to them at four months and stayed until she was four, who remained in contact with them today.
“She’s now seven, nearly eight, and she’s in our life and mum and dad keep her connected with us,” Witty said.
Witty ran for Yarra city council in 2020 and 2024. Last year, she finished third with just over 20% of the vote in a tight three-way contest with the Greens and an independent.
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“My absolute favourite place inMelbourneis Richmond. It is my home. It’s where I love to spend my time,” she said in another social media video.
She said her favourite thing to do is walk the Yarra Trail, with the city in view, particularly at twilight.
Her campaign for federal parliament was launched by Penny Wong, who is also in Labor’s left faction.
Witty said she wanted to enter politics because she wanted to do more to address “disadvantage in the world”.
“I’ve seen lots of disadvantage through my time in many different roles, and I really want to make sure that every person gets the best chance for the best life that they deserve,” she said.
Witty isnot the only female Labor candidate to knock out a Greens MP thiselection, with two Queensland women winning seats from the minor party in Brisbane’s inner north and south: Madonna Jarrett unseating Stephen Bates in Brisbane and Renee Coffey defeating Max Chandler-Mather in Griffith.
Witty is also the second Labor candidate to defeat a party leader this election, after Ali Francemade historyunseating the Liberal leader, Peter Dutton, in her third attempt at Dickson in Brisbane’s west.