Amelia Hamer: ‘Moral leadership’ needed
Hamer pledges to ease home ownership, cut living costs and deliver strong economic management.
Amelia Hamer would love to see more Australians travel to Israel.
The 32-year-old fintech executive, who grew up in Hawthorn, told The AJN she entered politics because she didn’t want to stand on the sidelines as Australian society deteriorated economically and socially.
Hamer is campaigning on making home ownership more achievable, reducing cost of living pressures and strong economic management.
She shared that former treasurer and member for Kooyong Josh Frydenberg has been a “great mentor” to her through the campaign, and she hopes to inspire other young women to run for Parliament.
Discussing rising antisemitism, Hamer expressed that there needs to be a federal government with “moral leadership”, the “right laws” to tackle violence and threats, as well as “enforcement of the laws”.
She said that the Coalition, if elected, would establish a dedicated antisemitism taskforce, and that Albanese government has been “incredibly weak” on this issue, trying “to play both sides”.
Commenting on her opponent, Hamer said many in her electorate have expressed concerns that while incumbent Dr Monique Ryan is an independent, she often votes with the Greens.
She also noted Ryan’s funding from Climate 200, which Hamer said “has links with the Greens” and would likely have “considerable influence” over the people it funds.
As an independent, Hamer added, Ryan “can’t form government and make the decisions we need”.
She also criticised Ryan for her “unwillingness to condemn antisemitism without ifs and buts”.
Hamer remarked that she has been to Israel twice, in 2019 and 2021, and loved it, and said, “Israel is a democratic nation … they have Western liberal democratic views, and as a country, we should always make sure that we stand with countries like that and offer our full support to them.” Regarding the October 7 Hamas attacks, Hamer said, “I don’t think people in Australia have really put themselves in those shoes and really gone, ‘What would it be like if we were sitting here in Australia and that happened here?’
“[They] think Israel is in the Middle East and it’s in a war zone, it’s nothing like Australia. But actually, Tel Aviv is very much like Australia … I’d love to see more Australians go to Israel and really understand what a wonderful place it is.”
Hamer studied at Oxford and was a director of strategy at Airwallex. She is also the grand-niece of former Victorian premier Sir Rupert Hamer.
comments