Some may think it’s a big leap from mixed martial arts (MMA) to politics, but for federal election candidate Elvis Sinosic, the two arts have more in common than some may think.
Running as a candidate in the southern Sydney electorate of Hughes—containing the beachside Sutherland Shire—Sinosic is no stranger to a challenge.
The long-time businessman and father of two is Australia’s first heavyweight MMA champion, its first UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter and UFC World Title contender, and is now throwing his hat in the ring again in the field of politics.
Jenny Ware is the current incumbent of the safe Liberal Party seat that was lost by Craig Kelly after he withdrew from the party.
“I’ve made many leaps in my life that many would consider extreme,” Sinosic told The Epoch Times.
“I studied information technology at university attaining a Bachelor in IT.
“I worked in the IT industry for 10 years working in both the public and private sectors. I have been a small business owner in Western Sydney for 23 years.”
Sinosic was also a professional beach volleyball player before becoming a professional fighter.
“As a martial artist I’ve built the traits of tenacity, drive, and dedication which I’ve applied to my political journey,” he said.
Pandemic ‘Overreach’ An Assault on Personal Liberties
Sinosic says one of the driving forces behind deciding to run was the way the government managed the COVID pandemic.“I felt the government made many mistakes and those mistakes were forced on citizens without any due recourse,” he said.
“They massively overreached into people’s lives, assailing personal liberty and property rights.
Sinosic also believes in less reliance on government so that the individual can be more empowered.
Slash Taxes, Red Tape to Beat Down Inflation
The elephant in the room is not so much a “cost of living” crisis, but a “cost of government” crisis driven by policy and legislation.“We could very quickly and easily deal with this by fixing three simple things—taxation, fuel, and energy,” he said.
“Simply raising the tax-free threshold to $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for families would deliver instant relief.
“With fuel, even though it’s a form of taxation, all we need to do is permanently remove the fuel excise.”
The outcome, Sinosic says, would be cheaper transport which would lead to cheaper goods.
He also wants to see subsidies removed from the energy sector, as well as limits due to net zero and the Paris Agreement.
“With housing, once again it’s a cost of government issue. First there is government overregulation in the housing market which not only delays the building of houses but also dramatically increases the cost,” Sinosic said.
“By slashing the over-regulation you’d get the new housing market moving again.
“The second issue is under supply and over demand which is driven by excessive immigration.
Minor Parties Trying to Ride Ongoing Wave of Discontent
“I think smaller parties will see greater support at this upcoming election,” Sinosic predicts.“The difficulty is ensuring that the voters are aware of what these parties they’re voting for really represent.
While polls suggest Labor has gained ground in the weeks leading up to the election date, support is still at historic lows for both parties.
In a April 20 Newspoll, Labor’s primary vote had risen to 34 percent—the highest since January 2024—but still low by historic standards.
However, polling also revealed Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was the preferred candidate when it came to defence and economic growth.
“Labor and the Liberals have both moved towards the political centre in recent years, blurring the ideological and class lines that had defined their agendas and loosening the loyalty of voters,” said Giles Alston, deputy director at the group.
“Frustrations over weak leadership have driven many to minor parties.”
The federal election will be held on May 3.
