Nicolette Boele (born 10 November 1970) is an Australian independent Member of Parliament representing the federal seat of Bradfield in Sydney’s north since May 2025. The daughter of Dutch migrants who settled in Australia in the 1960s, she belongs to a new generation of Dutch-Australian leaders active in public life. Her surname, Boele, is of Dutch origin, and her family background reflects the strong postwar migration links between the Netherlands and Australia.
Her parents migrated from the Netherlands to Australia during the wave of Dutch postwar migration and settled on Sydney’s North Shore, where they still live today. Like many Dutch families who came to Australia at the time, they faced the challenge of building new lives from scratch while maintaining a sense of their cultural identity. Boele has spoken about the values they passed on to her—socially progressive ideals from her mother and practical determination from her father, who worked as a biomedical engineer. In her early years, the family placed a strong emphasis on education and public service, themes that would later shape her professional and political life.
Before entering politics, Boele worked for more than two decades in sustainable finance, clean energy, and environmental policy, serving with organisations such as the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the Responsible Investment Association Australasia, and the Climate Institute.
In the 2025 federal election, Boele achieved one of the year’s most notable upsets by narrowly winning Bradfield—one of Australia’s safest Liberal seats for decades—by just 26 votes after preferences. She defeated the Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian, who was standing to replace outgoing MP Paul Fletcher. Following a recount and short legal challenge, Boele was confirmed as the new representative, marking a symbolic moment in the rise of community-backed independents.
Her approach to politics, centred on transparency, environmental responsibility, and local engagement, echoes values often associated with the Dutch poldermodel: consensus-building, cooperation, and practical problem-solving. Boele’s success underscores how Dutch-Australian heritage continues to influence Australia’s evolving democratic landscape.
As per October 2025
Source: About Nicolette
