Kapterian ordered to pay Boele's costs after failed challenge to Bradfield election result

For failed Liberal political candidate Gisele Kapterian, 2025 just got a little worse.

On Thursday, a Federal Court judge directed Kapterian - who stood for the seat of Bradfield at the 2025 election - to pay the court costs of Nicolette Boele, the Independent candidate who won the seat.

After an incredibly tight race, Kapterian lost, but petitioned the Court of Disputed Returns to overturn the result. 

What happened: A month after the seat of Bradfield was called for Independent candidate Nicolette Boele, Kapterian announced her intention to challenge the results in the Court of Disputed Returns.

A result for that petition was never handed down: instead, Kapterian abandoned the challenge in late September, stating she was “satisfied that, overall, the correct outcome has been declared”. 

Judge not happy: Judge Sarah Derrington questioned whether Kapterian’s decision to try and change the result, only to bail out midway through the process, “strengthened faith in our democracy”.

The judge said “little or no public benefit arose from the proceeding”.

“Merely because Ms Kapterian has satisfied herself of the correctness of the re-count outcome … does not mean that the public has enjoyed all the benefits of a final judgment,” she said.

Kapterian won’t have to pay the costs from her own assets as she is indemnified by the Liberal Party.

The Lorikeet has contacted Kapterian and Boele for comment.

Image: Wesley Tingey via Unsplash