Banned from a business? The election scandal shaking up this key seat
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Political campaigns are often full of unexpected twists, but some controversies are more unusual than others.
A candidate in a key battleground seat has found herself at the centre of a debate that has sparked backlash, an apology, and even a business ban.
What began as a lighthearted remark has now turned into a full-blown political distraction.
An independent candidate running for the Sydney seat of Bradfield was banned from a local hair salon after making a joke comparing a hair wash to sex.
The controversy erupted in the North Shore electorate, where high-profile independent Nicolette Boele was campaigning to replace outgoing Liberal MP Paul Fletcher.
Boele, who also ran in the 2022 election, apologised for the remark, calling it ‘a poor attempt at humour’.
The issue was first reported by 2GB radio host Ben Fordham, who said he was initially sceptical about the claims.
‘We thought, “oh, this won’t be true”, but it turns out there’s some truth to it because she’s now apologised,’ he said.
A listener had emailed Fordham, claiming that Boele was banned from a local salon due to ‘sexual comments made to staff’.
The email stated that the salon owner had sent Boele a legal letter as they wanted to ‘protect the young, vulnerable staff’.
The alleged incident involved a 19-year-old employee washing Boele’s hair when she made the comment.
‘She allegedly said that was amazing and I didn’t even have sex with you,’ Fordham reported.
It was unclear whether Boele was referring to a head massage or simply the hair wash itself.
The teenage staff member was reportedly unsettled by the remark.
Fordham also read a listener’s comment that said: ‘If that was a man saying that there would and should be an investigation, so why should a woman get away with this?’.
The tip-off reportedly came from a man whose wife was a client at the salon.
Fordham denied any political motivation behind the report, stating: ‘I’m not a member of any political party, but I do live in the seat of Bradfield.’
Boele later issued a statement, acknowledging the backlash and pledging to ‘do better’.
‘Everyone deserves to feel respected in their workplace and I’ll do better,’ she shared.
The controversy unfolded at Envy Room, a salon in Gordon known for its artistic approach to hairstyling.
‘At Envy Room we don’t just cut and colour hair,’ its website stated.
‘We create architectural styles that reflect every individual’s unique personality.’
Boele, an executive with experience in climate finance, had previously worked with organisations such as the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
She had also been vocal about gender equality and violence against women, stating that ‘it’s systemic’.
Boele’s campaign has drawn attention for more than just this controversy, as she continues to make her case to voters.
Hear from her directly in the video below.
Source: Youtube/Nicolette Boele
With election campaigns full of unexpected twists, do you think this controversy will impact Boele’s chances at the polls? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
A candidate in a key battleground seat has found herself at the centre of a debate that has sparked backlash, an apology, and even a business ban.
What began as a lighthearted remark has now turned into a full-blown political distraction.
An independent candidate running for the Sydney seat of Bradfield was banned from a local hair salon after making a joke comparing a hair wash to sex.
The controversy erupted in the North Shore electorate, where high-profile independent Nicolette Boele was campaigning to replace outgoing Liberal MP Paul Fletcher.
Boele, who also ran in the 2022 election, apologised for the remark, calling it ‘a poor attempt at humour’.
Independent candidate banned after controversial hair salon remark. Image source: Nicolette Boele
The issue was first reported by 2GB radio host Ben Fordham, who said he was initially sceptical about the claims.
‘We thought, “oh, this won’t be true”, but it turns out there’s some truth to it because she’s now apologised,’ he said.
A listener had emailed Fordham, claiming that Boele was banned from a local salon due to ‘sexual comments made to staff’.
The email stated that the salon owner had sent Boele a legal letter as they wanted to ‘protect the young, vulnerable staff’.
The alleged incident involved a 19-year-old employee washing Boele’s hair when she made the comment.
‘She allegedly said that was amazing and I didn’t even have sex with you,’ Fordham reported.
It was unclear whether Boele was referring to a head massage or simply the hair wash itself.
The teenage staff member was reportedly unsettled by the remark.
Fordham also read a listener’s comment that said: ‘If that was a man saying that there would and should be an investigation, so why should a woman get away with this?’.
The tip-off reportedly came from a man whose wife was a client at the salon.
Fordham denied any political motivation behind the report, stating: ‘I’m not a member of any political party, but I do live in the seat of Bradfield.’
Boele later issued a statement, acknowledging the backlash and pledging to ‘do better’.
‘Everyone deserves to feel respected in their workplace and I’ll do better,’ she shared.
The controversy unfolded at Envy Room, a salon in Gordon known for its artistic approach to hairstyling.
‘At Envy Room we don’t just cut and colour hair,’ its website stated.
‘We create architectural styles that reflect every individual’s unique personality.’
Boele, an executive with experience in climate finance, had previously worked with organisations such as the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
She had also been vocal about gender equality and violence against women, stating that ‘it’s systemic’.
Boele’s campaign has drawn attention for more than just this controversy, as she continues to make her case to voters.
Hear from her directly in the video below.
Source: Youtube/Nicolette Boele
With election campaigns full of unexpected twists, do you think this controversy will impact Boele’s chances at the polls? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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