Candidate list updated on September 14

Voters will head to the polls on Saturday November 28, 2026 to elect the next Parliament of Victoria.

To keep you up to date we’ve created a go-to-guide, collating everything you need to know about candidates running for lower house seats across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

We’ll keep updating this page as new candidates announce their campaigns or provide new policy details.

If we’ve missed something, please let us know! Or, get in touch at [email protected] to tell us about the issues that will be swaying your vote this year, and what you want us to ask local candidates.

On November 28, 2026 eligible voters can vote for one member of the Legislative Assembly (also known as the lower house) and five members of the Legislative Council (upper house).

To form a majority government, a party or coalition needs to win at least 45 seats out of the 88 total seats in the lower house.

A minority government can be formed with fewer than 45 seats if a party secures enough support from independent or minor party MPs on the crossbench to win votes on the floor of parliament.

Victoria uses the preferential voting system, meaning you choose candidates on a ballot paper in the order of your preference.

If your preferred candidate cannot get enough votes to win, your vote can count for your next preferred candidate.

Importantly, Victoria requires voters to number every box for a vote to be valid - you can't just number your top few and stop. A ballot with skipped or repeated numbers is informal and doesn't count at all.

Yes, you must enrol and vote in a state election if you:

The fine for not voting in Victoria is $105. 

You must be enrolled to vote by November 3. If you’re not sure, you can check if you’re enrolled at the Victorian Electoral Commission.

No, you don’t have to vote in person on election day. 

If you are a general poster voter, you can apply until 8pm on Tuesday November 3.

If you wish to submit a postal vote, you can apply to submit a postal vote through the Victorian Electoral Commission, but you must do this between November 4 and 25 November at 6pm.

If you are blind, vision or motor impaired you can cast your vote via telephone from November 18.

Yes, early voting opens on November 18 and closes at 6pm on Friday November 27.

Nominations for candidates open on November 4 and close on November 9.

Most seats, especially safe ones, will be called on election night. Close seats will get their preference distributions finalised and become official one to two weeks later.

By December 19, three weeks post-election, every single result (including the closest recuts) is legally required to be declared by the Victorian Electoral Commission.

Ashwood is one of the state’s newest electorates, created as part of the 2021 redistribution. The seat covers about 29.44 square kilometres and had 52,636 registered voters as of June.

Including parts of the now-abolished electorates of Burwood and Mount Waverley, the seat of Ashwood now includes Ashburton, Ashwood, Chadstone, Glen Iris, Mount Waverley and parts of Burwood, Burwood East, and Camberwell.

In the past, Burwood and Mount Waverley frequently changed hands between Labor and the Liberals, making the area a marginal battleground. Former Premier Jeff Kennett held the seat of Burwood from 1976 to 1999. However, Labor’s Matt Fregon currently holds the seat with a 6.15 percent majority.

Cost-of-living pressures, housing affordability, transport, planning and health services are likely to dominate the battle.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

Fregon grew up in Ferntree Gully and currently lives in Mount Waverley with his family. Before entering Parliament, he owned and managed a small IT firm in Glen Iris for two decades.

Fregon was first elected into Parliament as the MP for the former electorate of Mount Waverley in the 2018 election with a margin of 1.85 percent and then secured the new seat of Ashwood with a 6.15 percent margin.

He is the deputy speaker of the Lower House and has voted in line with Labor in the past, including on issues such as housing, health, education, transport and cost-of-living measures. He also supported reforms to Victoria's voluntary assisted dying laws in 2025, voting in favour of expanding patient access.

@mattfregonmp

From 2012 to 2024, Zographos served as a Monash councillor, with his achievements including introducing a project to curb hooning in the Monash area and advocating for the words “Merry Christmas” to replace “Season’s Greetings” on local decorations.

In terms of aims for Ashwood, Zographos is advocating for convenient parking and  investing in local infrastructure like Monash Medical Centre, Monash University and the Australian Synchrotron in Clayton.

@theozographosliberal

Randall ran for the federal seat of Chisholm in last year’s federal election, receiving 12.5 percent of the first preference votes.

Growing up in Tasmania, Randall has been living in Melbourne’s east for more than 15 years.

Working in architecture and specialising in accessible housing, Randall said he is working on the frontline of how the issues of climate change, cost of living and housing equity collide. The main issues he has pledged to tackle are cost of living, community safety and climate change.

@timrandallgreens

A Mount Waverley resident, van der Eynden is a digital media designer and student.

He has been the community organiser for the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism, and been involved in refugee and migrant rights activism and Palestine solidarity rallies.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No verified campaign account found

Joshi has called Mount Waverley home since 2017, when he and his family migrated to Australia. 

His professional experience includes more than 27 years in engineering and infrastructure leadership.

Endorsed by Voices of Ashwood, Joshi has no current or past party affiliations. He says early conversations with local residents have highlighted four key issues: cost of living, community safety, traffic and congestion, and protecting trees, parks and green space.

No official campaign account found

Covering the suburbs of Bayswater, Heathmont, Kilsyth South and The Basin, the seat of Bayswater covers about 39 square kilometres and had 51,051 registered voters as of June.

Labor MP Jackson Taylor has held the seat of Bayswater since 2018. However, Taylor has announced he will not be seeking re-election.

Created as part of a redistribution in 1992, the Liberals held the seat first with a 10-year stint from Gordon Ashley, followed by one term of service from Knox councillor Peter Lockwood from 2002 to 2006 and three terms under Liberal MP Heidi Victoria.

Taylor narrowly won back the seat for Labor in 2018, with a margin of 0.39 percent, which he pushed to 4.23 percent in the 2022 election.

Local issues set to be part of campaigns include planning restrictions, traffic congestion and health. The electorate is unique in that it is split between industrial and residential areas surrounding industrial zones and homes grappling with bushfire and landslide risk.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

Buxton has lived in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs for all of her life and works in the public sector in disaster recovery. She served as Jackson Taylor's first electorate office manager after his election in 2018.

Buxton previously owned and operated Paramount Business Services, a business that provided financial, bookkeeping, HR and strategic advice to small and medium-sized enterprises. She is now a small business owner in Boronia and a mother of two boys.

Buxton says her priorities include supporting local businesses and improving services. 

“I care deeply about the future we’re building - good schools, accessible services, secure jobs, and safe, connected neighbourhoods,” she said.

@juliebuxtonforbayswater

A former officer in the Royal Australian Air Force and an employee with Victoria Police, Kitchen has since worked as a public servant.

Since his announcement as a candidate, he has been vocal on social media on issues ranging from securing more protective services officers (PSOs) to patrol train stations, increasing the opening hours of local police stations towards reducing the rate of crime in the area.

@davidkitchenbayswater

A mental health worker, Kennedy describes herself as “a proud queer woman and a fierce advocate for systemic change” with more than six years of experience advocating for LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse and multicultural communities.

“I was born and raised in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and I want to be a positive voice in our community and deliver fair, inclusive policies to address housing unaffordability and cost of living,” she said.

@jess.kennedy_vicgreens

A local student studying Arabic language at Deakin University, Ferguson has been involved in the Socialists presence in the eastern suburbs since 2021.

His efforts have included helping organise the student movement for Palestine at Deakin University, including the Gaza Solidarity Encampment.

Other areas he hopes to focus on include refugee rights, the fight against racism and the far right and climate justice.

No verified campaign account found

No headshot available

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No official campaign account found

Box Hill covers about 29 square kilometres and had 51,893 registered voters as of June. 

The electorate includes Box Hill, Mont Albert, most of Blackburn and parts of Balwyn North, Burwood and Surrey Hills.

In terms of leadership, Box Hill has been a hot potato, with a mixture of Labor and Liberal MPs over the years. The Liberals previously held the seat for a total of 26 years before the current Labor MP, Paul Hamer, won in November 2018.

The district hosts one of Australia’s largest Chinese-Australian communities. Key issues include the Suburban Rail Loop East project, housing growth, transport congestion, healthcare and support for the area's multicultural business precincts.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

In the 2018 election, Hamer became the first Labor candidate to win the seat of Box Hill in 26 years, with a 2.1 percent margin. In the 2022 election, he successfully retained the seat with a lead of 7.23 percent after the distribution of preferences.

Hamer was a civil engineer and infrastructure project manager before entering politics, working across the public and private sectors on major transport and planning projects.

In October 2019, Hamer faced scrutiny for his decision to participate in a ceremony celebrating the 70th anniversary of communist rule in China and personally help raise the Chinese flag over the Box Hill police station.

He has served as the minister for local government, corrections and youth justice, with new Premier Ben Carroll naming him as his new minister for roads and road safety.

Hamer has consistently pushed for more investment into local infrastructure, education, community facilities and public transport networks.

@paulhamermp

Houguet previously ran as a Liberal candidate for the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region in the 2022 race, securing 0.06 percent of the first preference votes.

She has been a local resident of Box Hill for more than 16 years, with community expertise including as a local volunteer with Our Village, Scouts and on school councils. She is an engineer with experience in design and local manufacturing.

Houguet said her areas of advocacy would include providing practical solutions to the problems facing Box Hill and a commitment to green and open spaces and improving liveability.

@sallyhouguetboxhill

Qin has worked for more than eight years as a registered nurse and community healthcare founder, supporting more than 800 patients in hospitals, aged care, and disability services.

He also leads a multicultural not-for-profit called Australia Multicultural Care Support Association, which works with families, small businesses and community groups across Melbourne’s east.

His main aims include improving the safety of local streets, the protection of local green spaces and waterways, boosting the supply of affordable housing and support for small businesses.

@aaronqin.au

Afaj has listed her key areas of interest as economic justice, environmental sustainability, social equity and democratic participation.

She has also been involved in a number of campaigns against racism, homophobia and transphobia, as well as protests fighting for climate justice.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No official campaign account found

Cheung describes herself as a “business leader, AI entrepreneur and community advocate” who has supported people with disability, multicultural communities, families and small businesses for more than a decade.

Her main areas of focus include easing cost-of-living pressures, creating safer communities, advocating for practical climate action, improving local transport networks and protecting locals in planning decisions, including the future of the Box Hill Brickworks site.

@heena4boxhill

Fagg worked with the Forests Commission and related state government forest research and management bodies from 1970 until 2010. He has also volunteered with the inter-church organisation Love in the Name of Christ for more than 25 years.

Fagg said his areas of focus include supporting families to be a force for good by following Judeo-Christian values, affordable housing and reducing the cost of living. His other advocacy points will include re-opening state forests for controlled and sustainable timber harvesting, keeping coal-fired power stations going and pausing construction on the Suburban Rail Loop.

No verified campaign account found

After growing up in Burwood, Baker bought a house in Box Hill with his wife where they raised their three children. His work experience has included more than three decades in the building industry.

Baker said his areas of focus will include supporting small businesses, improving community safety and boosting educational opportunities.

No verified campaign account found

Created in 1985, the electorate of Bulleen covers about 39 square kilometres, hosts 50,801 voters as of July and includes the suburbs of Bulleen and Doncaster and parts of Templestowe.

Bulleen has been held by the Liberals since its inception, with a total of three MPs over the past 41 years, with current incumbent Matthew Guy taking over the seat in 2014.

With the ongoing works surrounding the North East Link project and upgrades to the Eastern Freeway, transport remains a constant bugbear for locals. Other significant issues include protecting the area’s suburban character and protection of green spaces.

Guy’s roles over the years have included director of research in the office of former Premier Jeff Kennett from 1997 to 1999, media adviser to Senator Rod Kemp and chief of staff to opposition leader Denis Napthine from 1999 to 2002.

His first tilt at a seat in state parliament came in 2002, when he stood as the Liberal candidate for Yan Yean, receiving 38.4 percent of the first-preference votes. In 2006, he won a seat in the Northern Metropolitan Region in the Upper House and served as a MLC until 2014, making the leap to Bulleen by receiving 56.2 percent of the first-preference votes.

In following elections, his first-preference approval rate has fallen, receiving 52.18 percent in 2018 and 48.1 percent in 2022. He also served as the Leader of the Opposition in Victoria and state leader of the Liberal Party from 2014 to 2018 and again from 2021 to 2022.

Guy led the Liberals during the 2018 and 2022 elections, both times failing to secure enough seats to secure a majority government.

@matthewguymp

Lightbody served as a Manningham councillor from November 2020 to late 2024, including a stint as deputy mayor from November 2022 to November 2023. He was the Greens candidate in the 2023 Warrandyte by-election and received 18.63 percent of the first-preference votes.

His professional experience includes work as a transport and land use planner.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@tomaslightbody

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@dimitri_taf_

Including the suburbs of Croydon, Mooroolbark, Kilsyth and Bayswater North, the electorate of Croydon covers about 42 square kilometres and has 54,919 registered voters.

Croydon has been held by the Liberals since it was created in 2014, with David Hodgett winning the seat with 59.29 percent of the two-candidate-preferred vote in 2014, with his margin falling to 51.37 per cent in 2022. He announced last August he would not seek re-election.

Issues coming to the fore include townhouse developments and the clash between old infrastructure and new construction in town centres like Croydon and Mooroolbark.

Similar to Bayswater, Croydon sits between the fully-urbanised Ringwood and the semi-rural Dandenong Ranges.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

Farr grew up in Croydon and continues to call it home with his wife. He draws his belief in the importance of government investment in people to his parents: his dad was a technician for the State Electricity Commission and his mum is still a worker within the disability sector.

Farr said his goals include protecting work from home, improving public transport and fixing roads.

@richardforcroydon

Hutchinson has lived in the Croydon district since he was young, as a student at Croydon Central Primary School and later Melba Secondary College – formerly known as Maroondah High.

He is the founder, managing partner and a senior lawyer at Ringwood’s Hutchinson Legal, with his areas of focus including commercial litigation, corporate governance and business law. He has also worked for the Federal Treasury while studying for an economics and law degree.

Hutchinson said his priorities include improved healthcare services, particularly at Maroondah Hospital, harsher penalties for recidivist criminal offenders and more opportunities for home ownership and expanded supply in areas where more density makes sense.

@granthutchinsoncroydon

Fernando characterises herself as a “local mum … migrant and woman of colour” living in Croydon. Born in Sri Lanka, she currently works as a lawyer, with her expertise centred around environmental, anti-corruption and human rights law.

She said she hopes to fight for improvements in affordable housing, lower living costs, more supportive public services and climate action.

@lini.fernando

Grimshaw is a mother to three children, a disability support worker and has only rented in Melbourne’s outer east. 

Campaigns she previously led included improved pedestrian crossings in the Yarra Valley and local conservation projects.

Grimshaw said she would advocate for a fairer taxation system to address the cost of living crisis and housing inequality, supporting the shift to renewable energy and increasing the access to affordable healthcare.

“I’ve personally been impacted by the rising cost of living, a lack of essential services and housing instability,” she said. “I would fight for genuinely affordable access to mental healthcare and other preventative healthcare.”

No verified campaign account found

A South Croydon resident, Vanderwolf has spent the past 14 years working as an economist in the public sector, focusing on the relations between state and federal governments.

He said he believed independent candidates can give communities a stronger voice amid growing frustration with major-party politics.

"We're frustrated and we want change, but we don't see that as the answer," he said. "My community is my party room.”

Vanderwolf said his main goals would be tackling the cost of living, protecting local green spaces and boosting funding for education.

Created in 1859, Evelyn is among the largest electorates in Melbourne’s east at 255 square kilometres. As of July, it included 52,768 registered voters.

As the eastern suburbs have extended, the electorate now covers the suburbs of Lilydale, Mount Evelyn, Wandin, Seville, while also reaching into areas like Coldstream, Gruyere and Wonga Park.

Encompassing both suburban and rural properties and agricultural businesses, voters tend to place a strong emphasis on practical infrastructure and preserving the Yarra Valley’s lifestyle. Recent local campaigns have highlighted dangerous intersections, quarry and industrial development and pressure on emergency services. Other concerns include roads and congestion, bushfire preparedness, community safety, healthcare and protecting the region’s semi-rural character.

Historically considered a safe seat for the Liberals, Labor won the seat back in the 1952, 1982 and 2002 elections, but struggled to retain it for longer than two terms. Liberal MP Christine Fyffe won the seat back for the Liberals in 2006 and retained it for 12 years before current incumbent Liberal MP Bridget Vallence kept it in Liberal hands in the 2018 election.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

In the 2018 race, Vallence secured 49.49 percent of the first preference votes, with her final lead extended to 52.65 percent following the distribution of preferences. In the 2022 election, her first preference vote fell to 46.68 percent, but successfully retained the seat for the Liberals with a 1.95 percent margin after the distribution of preferences.

Before her time in politics, Vallence worked for 16 years in both the manufacturing and retail automotive industries across  Australian, Asian and global markets.

In the past, she has criticised Labor’s infrastructure spending, debt and cost-of-living policies, while also campaigning on local schools, roads and emergency services.

@bridgetvallence

A Mooroolbark local of 14 years, a father and a healthcare worker, Henley said he has been volunteering with the Greens for more than 20 years.

“My passion is getting big money out of politics and returning integrity to Parliament,” he said.

His aims also include tackling the climate crisis, preventing donations from fossil fuel companies to political parties, addressing gambling addiction and targeting the “tobacco wars”.

@andrewhenleygreens

Heald’s professional experience includes 14 years as the secretary of the Australian Wildlife Protection Council and president of the Friends of the Mt Evelyn Aqueduct Trail.

She has been a member of the Animal Justice Party since 2009 and is concerned about the impacts of inappropriate development and suburban sprawl on native habitats and local biodiversity in the Evelyn district.

No official campaign account found

Sherlock has been employed as a media adviser within the Labor Party over the past year. She said her areas of focus would include supporting local sporting facilities, boosting education opportunities and making roads and streets safer.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@analiseforevelyn

Originally created for the 1985 Victorian state election and later abolished in 2002, the electorate of Glen Waverley was restored for the 2022 election following the removal of the Forest Hill and Mount Waverley seats. Covering about 36 square kilometres and with 50,506 voters as of June, the district houses the suburbs of Glen Waverley, Vermont South, most of Forest Hill and Vermont and parts of Blackburn South, Burwood East, and Wheelers Hill.

The Liberal party held the seat for the entirety of the first phase of its life under MP Ross Smith. However, John Mullahy won the seat for Labor in the 2022 election, securing a 3.3 percent lead past Liberal candidate Neil Angus, making the seat’s margin the smallest for Labor in Melbourne’s east.

The electorate includes a highly multicultural population, major shopping centres, established residential neighbourhoods and growing transport infrastructure.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

Before entering Parliament, Mullahy worked as a lawyer, diplomat and public servant, including with Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has also worked in policy and legal roles across government. Over the past four years, he has focused on improving transport, education, healthcare and community infrastructure for Melbourne's south-east.

@johnmullahymp

A qualified accountant with degrees in commerce and business law, Sun has served as president of the Chinese-Australian Multicultural Association and volunteered as a Monash University Career Mentor since 2015.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@jackysunglenwaverley

A Forest Hill local, White has been involved in local climate activist movements, including the successful 'Stop Woodside Monash' campaign.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@toyo.white

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No official campaign account found

Including Hawthorn, Hawthorn East, Camberwell, Glen Iris, Surrey Hills and parts of Canterbury, Hawthorn is about 21 square kilometres, but boasts 51,368 voters.

Hawthorn has mostly been a safe seat for the Liberals, with former Premier Ted Baillieu retaining the seat for the Coalition from 1999 to 2014. 

Points of contention for residents and community members have been overdevelopment, particularly around key retail centres like Glenferrie and Camberwell and the conflicts between efforts to protect heritage and boost access to sustainable initiatives.

The rise in the popularity of independents make Liberal MP John Pesutto’s hold on the seat not as assured as it once was, as voters weigh up inner-city concerns like climate action, planning reform and government accountability.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

An advisor to Ballieu, current MP John Pesutto won the seat in the 2014 election, but lost it to Labor’s John Kennedy in the 2018 race with a margin of 0.42 percent. Pesutto took it back in the 2022 election with a margin of 1.74 percent. A month later, he was appointed as the Victorian Liberal leader, a position he held for a little more than two years.

Before entering Parliament, Pesutto spent most of his childhood in Traralgo and then operated his own legal practice and corporate advisory firm. He was also a Senior Fellow at Melbourne University's School of Government while regularly appearing on TV and radio to discuss current affairs and writing a fortnightly column for The Age.

Pesutto lists his main passions and priorities as “good governance … multiculturalism and diversity”. His past votes have included pausing and reviewing the Suburban Rail Loop project, suspending and blocking former MP Moira Deeming and auditing state infrastructure funding.

@johnpesutto

Crosby previously stood as a candidate for Labor in the 2025 election in the seat of Kooyong, attempting to unseat the incumbent independent MP Dr Monique Ryan. He received the third highest proportion of first preference votes – at 11.9 percent. In terms of the two-party-preferred vote, he received 47.63 percent of the votes, bringing a 1.37 percent swing to Labor.

He also ran in the 2022 state election, competing for a seat in the Southern Metropolitan region in the Upper House, receiving 0.35 percent of first preference votes.

Before entering politics, he worked in hospitality and became active in local community advocacy.

Crosby has previously campaigned on a range of issues from road and pedestrian safety in Kew to cost of living. One of his main goals in this election is to advocate for half-price public transport and more train services for the Belgrave and Lilydale lines.

@cliveforhawthorn

Rocha previously contested the Southern Metropolitan Upper House seat in 2022, receiving 0.19 percent of first-preference votes.

Working as an engineer across energy and manufacturing, Rocha said she has been a local for the past 15 years and hopes to push for improvements to the rising cost of living, housing affordability and sustainability.

“We want action to protect our environment, real solutions to tackle affordability and housing stress, and investment in the public services that ensure everyone can live a dignified life,” she said.

@kylierochagreens

A Hawthorn local, McEnearny is working in medical research and completing a PhD in neurodegeneration.

She has been an socialist activist and organiser for the Victorian Socialists in the past, including movements for climate justice, against the genocide in Gaza and against cuts to community healthcare.

“I am willing to challenge the capitalist powers within society that dominate politics and wreck our lives,” McEnearny said.

No official campaign account found

A Surrey Hills resident for the last 17 years, Ibuki has served as a Boroondara councillor since elected in 2024 and became deputy mayor in November 2025.

Other roles she has held over the years include the centre manager at the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre and a project worker with the Department of Family, Fairness and Housing.

Ibuki said she hopes to serve Hawthorn as an independent that can remain accountable to the community and not filter their votes through the wishes of their party.

“Too often, decisions at the state level are shaped by party priorities and political games rather than what local communities actually need,” she said.

@shima4hawthorn

Covering suburbs like Kew, Kew East, Balwyn, Balwyn North and Deepdene, the seat encompasses about 31 square kilometres and 50,661 registered voters.

Historically, Kew has been a safe Liberal seat. Indeed, a Labor MP has never found success in the district, with current Victorian Liberals leader Jess Wilson the current MP.

Areas of friction for local community members are the need for denser housing, but also dissatisfaction with the State Government’s fast-track programs to approve denser housing projects with little to no chance for public consultation.

Sitting within the federal electorate of Kooyong, which Dr Monique Ryan won as an independent in 2022 and retained in 2025, Kew will be a focal point to see whether independent candidates can continue to attract votes in inner-city seats.

Indeed, Wilson’s own campaign and her response to issues as the state’s Liberal leader will draw more attention to her campaign than other incumbent Liberal MPs.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

Raised in Mont Albert, Wilson is the incumbent Kew MP and Victorian Liberal leader. She won the seat of Kew in the 2022 election with a margin of 3.98 percent. 

Wilson is the daughter Ron Wilson, the former MP for Bennettswood – an electorate in the Burwood area abolished in 2002. Before politics, she was the executive director of policy at the Business Council of Australia, advised businesses on regulatory policy at KPMG and later as an adviser to former Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

Her involvement in the local community includes playing at Kew Box Hill Hockey Club for more than two decades.

On the floor of Parliament, her voting behaviours have included opposing Labor's Statewide Treaty legislation, but supporting practical reconciliation. Notably, she was the only Victorian Liberal MP to back the 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.

Wilson has also advocated for lower taxes, action on reducing the rates of crime, economic reform, increased housing supply and greater accountability of governments. Since becoming the leader of the opposition, her advocacy efforts have shifted to tackling state debt, improving health services and investigating corruption.

@jesswilsonmp

A local father raising his family in Kew, Sun said he wants to be a strong local advocate, backing Labor’s investments in hospitals, schools, free kindergarten and free public transport for under-18s.

Sun is the founder and manager of the Cloud Concert Youth Orchestra, a youth musical organisation.

@davidforkew

After living in Perth, regional Western Australia and regional Victoria in the past, Carter has now called Kew home for more than 15 years. For more than 20 years, she has worked as an IT professional in the pharmaceutical sector.

Carter said she aims to advocate for movement in addressing the climate emergency, the housing and cost of living crises, wealth inequality and the erosion of trust in public services.

“I didn't come from a political family, but as I progressed through adulthood I realised that the state of the world was getting worse, our supposed leaders weren't acting, and no one was coming to save us,” she said.

@jackiecartergreens

Elected as a Boroondara councillor in 2024, Torney served as the mayor from November 2024 to late 2025.

A mother of three, Torney has a background in IT, business and entrepreneurship, including founding and leading technology companies after completing a Master of Business Administration at the University of Melbourne.

A Kew resident for more than 27 years, she has been involved in local schools, sporting clubs and community organisations, including as an executive member of Electrify Boroondara and as chair of the Accountability Round Table – an organisation advocating for more transparency in government.

During her time on council, Torney has backed expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure, increasing rooftop solar uptake and replacing gas with electric systems in council facilities.

@sophie__torney

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No official campaign account found

Malvern has historically been seen as the safest Liberal seat in Melbourne, with the Liberal Party holding power since the seat was created in 1945. Covering only about 20 square kilometres, it is one of the smallest electorates in Melbourne’s east and covers the suburbs of Malvern, Armadale, Kooyong, Malvern East, Toorak and parts of Glen Iris. As of July, there were a total of 48,607 registered voters.

The seat’s elected representatives have included former Premier Lindsay Thompson (1970-1982) and former Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle (1992-2006). Michael O’Brien has safely retained the seat for the Liberals since 2006 but has announced he will not contest the seat in 2026.

The main issues concerning voters in Malvern include planning and development, housing density, heritage protection and preserving neighbourhood character. In 2026, Labor’s policy for higher-density housing around train stations has become a powder keg issue, alongside concerns about community safety and cost of living.

Hamer recently made a bid to unseat Kooyong independent MP Dr Monique Ryan in the 2025 federal election, with a recount seeing Ryan edge out by only 0.67 percent after a recounting process. The race was ultimately decided on preference distributions, as Hamer received the highest proportion of first-preference votes – 43.13 percent.

For her run at Malvern, Hamer’s main areas of focus include tackling crime and cost-of-living pressures and improving the economic management of governments.

Hamer was criticised in the media for framing herself as a renter during the 2025 federal election campaign while owning an apartment in Sydney and a flat in London.

Hamer’s professional experience includes roles in politics, technology and finance, including as an adviser to senator for Victoria Jane Hume.

Hamer is the grandniece of former Victorian Premier Sir Rupert “Dick” Hamer.

@ameliahamer

Katsikis is a disability advocate and researcher into inclusion with the University of Melbourne.

Prior to acquiring a spinal injury, she worked as a psychologist.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@georgiakatsikisgreens

Leonard describes himself as a renter with professional experience across technical support, funeral services and transport.

He is also a delegate with the Australian Workers’ Union and the Renters & Housing Union.

His main areas of advocacy include secure housing, strong public schools and healthcare and better public transport.

No official campaign account found

Seeley first ran for a seat in the 2006 state election for the seat of Richmond, receiving 1.38 percent of the first-preference vote. She then ran as the candidate for Family First in the 2022 state election for Kew, receiving 1.72 percent of the first-preference vote. Her most recent tilt was for the 2025 federal election in the seat of Menzies, receiving 1.61 percent of the first-preference vote. She was one of the founding delegates of Family First.

Seeley’s professional experience includes 13 years at Channel 10 News and five years as a live-in manager and house parent at the Kew Baptist Youth Hostel.

No official campaign account found

Monbulk is the largest electorate across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs stretching across 459 square kilometres. As of July, there were a total of 49,694 voters across the suburbs of Monbulk, Olinda and Silvan, as well as outer suburbs like Belgrave and Tecoma.

Created in 1967, the Liberals first held the seat for 15 years under Bill Borthwick. The district changed hands between Labor and Liberal every 10 years following Borthwick, until James Merlino secured it for Labor for 20 years in 2002. 

For voters, issues like reliable power and telecommunications and resilience to events like bushfires or heavy storms have come to the fore, with past storms exposing vulnerabilities in communications and electricity. Environmental protection and development pressures are also prominent, including local opposition to projects such as the proposed Montrose quarry expansion.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

Following in the footsteps of long-time Labor MP and former Deputy Premier James Merlino, De Martino secured 36.06 percent of the first preference votes and secured a margin of 7.55 percent after the distribution of preferences in 2022.

Before entering politics, she owned an organic supermarket and was a secondary school teacher. 

Her priorities include education, healthcare, the environment and supporting small businesses. She has also been vocal in her opposition to Boral’s proposal to extend the Montrose quarry.

@danielademartinomp

Fitzmaurice’s professional experience includes as a physiotherapist and public policy professional, working in hospitals, primary health and national advocacy organisations.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@clarefitzmauricemonbulk

Previously running as the Greens candidate in the federal race for Casey in 2025, Blair secured 10.95 percent of the first preference votes.

Blair said if elected, her goals would include boosting the local community’s resilience in dealing with climate change.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@merranblairgreens

Wormald began her experience in advocating for animal protections when she joined the Coalition Against Duck Shooting and later founded the Australian Native Parrot Protection Association.

She is now the president of the Victorian Kangaroo Alliance and runs Heaven and Earth Eco Burial Products with her sister.

Wormald has also been a vocal local voice opposing the proposed expansion of the Montrose Quarry.

No official campaign account found

Manners has more than 40 years of experience across financial markets, the mining and exploration sector, charity management and church and community leadership. He currently serves as chief executive of Orbus Ministries Australia, a charity that partners with local communities in Malawi in Central Africa to support underprivileged children through education and skills development.

Manners said his priorities would include dramatically reducing taxes, encouraging responsible immigration, prosecuting graffiti vandals and deregulating the housing and land sectors. 

No official campaign account found

The seat of Mulgrave first existed from 1958 to 1967 as a safe Liberal Seat under MP Ray Wiltshire. In 2002, the electorate was resurrected to replace the former seat of Dandenong North. Former Premier Daniel Andrews won the seat in the 2002 election with 61.7 percent of first-preference votes and 66.2 percent in the two-party preferred vote. Andrews held the seat until his resignation from politics in September 2023. In the resulting by-election, Eden Foster retained the seat for Labor.

Covering about 36 square kilometres and including the suburbs of Dandenong North, Noble Park, Springvale and Wheelers Hill, the electorate has 47,653 registered voters as of July.

With a significant migrant population and a mix of established suburbs, industrial areas and major transport corridors, voters in Mulgrave are typically concerned with cost of living, public transport, roads and congestion, jobs, healthcare and local infrastructure.

Foster was elected as a Greater Dandenong councillor in 2020 and served one term as mayor from November 2022 to November 2023. In the Mulgrave by-election following Daniel Andrews’ resignation, she secured 40.18 percent of first-preference votes and ultimately won the race with a 6.49 percent margin – a significant drop from Andrews’ 10.2 percent margin in the 2022 vote.

Soon after her election success, Foster detected a lump on her neck and was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer. Before entering state politics, she was a clinical psychologist specialising in mental health and substance-abuse prevention. During her time representing Mulgrave, Foster has focused on advocating for action towards improvements in housing affordability, public transport, healthcare and local infrastructure.

@edenfostermulgrave

Tran’s many hats in the community include a school teacher, volunteer firefighter, Scout leader and Rotary member.

Tran says his focus for Mulgrave would be on health services, crime and safety on public transport.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@charlestranmulgrave

Schofield describes himself as a “lifelong social democrat and environmentalist” who has lived across 10 cities across the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.

Schofield said his areas of interest include community sports and fitness, public education, public health, all forms of transport, the performing and visual arts and live and electronic music.

@pauljschofieldgreens

A 27-year-old renter living in Mulgrave, Buchanan is employed as a maintenance fitter and is a member of the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No official campaign account found

The Oakleigh electorate includes the suburbs of Notting Hill and Oakleigh and parts of Chadstone, Glen Waverley, Mount Waverley and Mulgrave. It covers about 32 square kilometres and has 53,737 registered voters as of July.

While Labor has held the seat since 1999, the electorate has been a hot potato between the Labor and Liberal parties since its inception in 1927, including one five-year stint under the United Australia Party. 

Local issues include pedestrian and cycling safety, open space, school and healthcare capacity and the need to revitalise shopping precincts.

Dimopoulos’ political career began in 2003, when he was elected to serve as a Monash councillor. A year prior, he had opened his own cafe – Cosmic Bear – in Oakleigh, leaving the business in 2005 to shift his focus to council after being voted in as the mayor. He served for four consecutive terms with the council.

Dimopoulos retained the seat of Oakleigh for Labor in the 2014 election, receiving 45.75 percent of the first-preference votes and reaching a margin of 8.18 percent after the distribution of preferences.

Dimopoulos has served as the minister for a range of portfolios, including tourism, sport, major events, environment and equality. 

@steve_dimopoulos

Jung has experience as a youth ambassador with online mental health service ReachOut Australia and an executive committee member of the Waverley Hockey Club.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@martinjungoakleigh

Dr Han-Hsieh works as a psychiatrist in the Oakleigh district. He previously ran for the seat of Oakleigh in the 2022 election, securing 16.57 percent of the first-preference votes.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@hhhgreens

Bugter describes himself as a renter in the suburb of Murrumbeena, a carpenter in the commercial construction industry and a member of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU).

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No official campaign account found

The Ringwood electorate includes the suburbs of Heathmont, Mitcham, Forest Hill, Vermont, Nunawading, Ringwood East, most of Ringwood and parts of Blackburn. It covers about 35 square kilometres and has 54,315 registered voters.

Ringwood has been held by Labor since 2018. However, incumbent MP Will Fowles resigned from Labor in 2023 following allegations of sexual assault and now sits as an independent. Victoria Police arrested and interviewed Fowles, before releasing him without charges. Fowles has consistently denied the allegations.

With Fowles out of the race, Labor and the Liberals will now fight to reclaim the seat for their party.

Concerns for local voters include the controls of Labor’s “Activity Centres” planning initiative, high turnover along main shopping strips and shopping centres and healthcare, including planned upgrades and issues surrounding the Maroondah Hospital.

Ringwood has been a “swing” seat for the major parties to lose in the past. Now without an incumbent, both major parties and independent candidates have a shot to make their mark.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

A mother of two and a Mitcham local, Halse has been working as a nurse with Eastern Health for more than 14 years. She also served as the policy officer for the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation’s Victorian branch from March 2017 to September 2025.

Halse is married to former Ringwood Labor MP Dr Dustin Halse, who held the seat from 2018 to 2022.

Halse has already shared her local advocacy would centre around investing in healthcare and transport and easing the cost of living pressures.

@rachelforringwood

McGowan secured the fourth seat in the Upper House’s North-Eastern Metropolitan region in the 2022 election, despite receiving 0.32 percent of first preference votes.

McGowan said being raised by his single mother in Melbourne’s north-east shaped his views on being accountable as an individual.

Growing up in Ivanhoe and Eltham, McGowan became one of Victoria’s youngest local government candidates, running for election in Eltham Shire at the age of 18. As a university student, he worked for a number of MPs before becoming an adviser for former Premier Jeff Kennett.

McGowan’s other roles have included working for the Disability Rights Commission and National Consumer Council in the UK and volunteering with Australian Volunteers International in Thailand, before joining the United Nations in 2001 and undertaking humanitarian and peacekeeping roles across Africa and Asia.

McGowan has previously opposed a number of Labor projects, including the Suburban Rail Loop, while advocating for lower taxes and a boost to funding for emergency services. More locally, he has been vocal about pushing for action on upgrading Maroondah Hospital and improving security for shoppers parking at Forest Hill Chase.

@nickmcgowanmp

Amy Mills stood for the Greens in the seat of Deakin in the 2025 Federal election, obtaining 11.9 percent of first preference votes.

Mills is a dietitian, disability support worker and renter living with autism and ADHD who has been involved in climate animal rights activism. She was driven to run as a Greens candidate with the goal of building accessible and connected communities and tackling the climate and cost of living crises.

“From bushfire risk, to the loss of tree canopy and neglected public spaces, we need policy that addresses the issues of our community,” she said.

@amymillsgreens

A local bartender and a language student at Deakin University, Gardner said the key issues of his campaign are fighting what he dubbed the “far right” or “fascist politics”, justice for Palestine, economic equality and environmental sustainability.

Gardner said he had taken part in campaigns against racism, homophobia and transphobia and protests for climate justice and calling for the closure of weapons factories in Melbourne’s east that allegedly supply to Israel.

More locally, Gardner has helped in the Socialists’ backing of the Stop Montrose Quarry Expansion campaign.

No official campaign account found

Cutts has been a Whitehorse councillor since 2016, including two terms as deputy mayor.

She told the Eastern Melburnian she believed she offered voters a "genuine alternative" to the major parties at a time when many people felt "quite disaffected".

“I make my vote on the basis of what I believe is a good outcome,” she said.

Cutts said she would aim to deliver solutions to a broad range of challenges, including the cost of living, housing affordability, healthcare, education and community safety.

The Rowville seat came into effect in 2014 following the 2013 electoral boundary redistribution, with the Liberal Party’s Kim Wells the only MP to hold the seat. Wells has represented the general area for close to 34 years, previously holding the former seat of Wantirna from 1992 to 2002 and the abolished electorate of Scoresby from 2002 to 2014.

In Rowville, Wells’ first-preference results over the years have included taking the seat with 53.84 percent in 2014 to 40.58 percent in the 2022 election, only retaining the seat thanks to preference distribution. Wells has announced he would be retiring from Parliament in 2026.

As of this July, there were 50,269 registered voters across about 62 square kilometres, covering the suburbs of Rowville, Lysterfield, Ferntree Gully, Scoresby and Knoxfield. The long-promised Rowville rail link remains a major local issue, alongside roads and bus services.

Dr Shahbaz previously ran as the Labor candidate in 2018, receiving 34.28 percent of the first-preference votes and 44.31 percent of the votes in the two-candidate preferred vote.

Shahbaz migrated to Australia in 2005 and has since worked as a medical practitioner, with other roles including as the former president of the Pakistan Australian Association Melbourne.

@muhammadforrowille

Williams’ professional experience includes as a communications and strategy consultant at PR Majestas Advisory and as a policy and media electorate officer within the State Parliament. He is also a former vice president for the Victorian Liberals.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@maxwilliamsrowville

Hiemstra is a member of the Finance Sector Union and currently works in transactional banking. He said his main goals would be to advocate for large‑scale public housing, the creation of a publicly-owned state bank, a freeze on rents and filling empty investment properties.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No official campaign account found

The Warrandyte electoral district is one of the largest across Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs – covering about 107 square kilometres, with 51,594 registered voters as of July. Suburbs within the district include Warrandyte, Park Orchards, Ringwood North, Warranwood, Wonga Park, most of Donvale and parts of Chirnside Park, Doncaster East, and Ringwood.

Created as part of the 1976 race, the seat has largely been held by a Liberal MP – with Lou HIll the only Labor MP to lead in the district from 1982 to 1988. Phil Honeywood served there for 18 years until the mid 2000s, while successor Ryan Smith represented the seat for the following 17 years.

Smith resigned only six months after being re-elected in the 2022 race, with a by-election required to find his replacement. Labor decided not to put up a candidate, meaning Nicole Werner convincingly won back the seat for the Liberals, making it a safe seat.

Due to its limited connection to rail services, one of the main concerns for local voters is transport funding, including road congestion through Warrandyte and surrounding suburbs, road maintenance, dangerous intersections and bus service connections.

Labor is yet to announce if it will contest the seat in 2026.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

Werner joined the Liberal party in 2020 and attempted to topple Paul Hamer in Box Hill in the 2022 election, securing 35.15 percent of first-preference votes and 42.77 percent of the votes following the distribution of preferences.

Werner was the Liberal candidate in the 2023 Warrandyte by-election, receiving 57.27 percent of first-preference votes among a field of 12 nominees. She eventually walked away with 70.99 percent in the two candidate preferred vote when put up against the Greens candidate. However, this runaway victory has been attributed to Labor not naming a candidate in the race.

Werner has previously worked for a number of not-for-profit groups, including as a youth pastor at the Christian Pentecostal megachurch Planetshakers.

Werner said her priorities include fixing the “Five Ways” intersection (connecting Ringwood-Warrandyte Road, Croydon Road, Husseys Lane and Brumbys Road), protecting the community’s capacity to have a say on consultation planning decisions and protecting green spaces.

@nicolewerner.mp

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No official campaign account found

Including Lower House seats like Bayswater, Box Hill, Bulleen, Croydon, Ringwood and Warrandyte, the Upper House region extends from Melbourne's inner eastern suburbs of Bulleen and Doncaster across to areas further east such as Bayswater, Croydon and Ferntree Gully.

The current MLCs are Labor’s Shaun Leane – who won’t be contesting the seat – Labor’s Sonja Terpstra, Aiv Puglielli for the Greens, Liberal’s Richard Welch and Nick McGowan for the Liberals – who is having a shot at the lower house  for the Ringwood electorate.

Candidates listed in order of announcement

Terpstra secured the third seat in the Upper House’s North-Eastern Metropolitan region in the 2018 election, despite receiving 0.35 percent of first preference votes. In the 2022 election, she secured 0.25 percent of first preference votes.

Before becoming a MLC, she worked for the Victorian branch of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation.

In Parliament, her campaigns have focused on public education, healthcare, gender equality, multicultural communities, law reform and secure employment.

In 2021, Terpstra spoke in support of a bill to ban conversion methods aiming to try and change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity,  describing opposition to it as “ridiculous: and saying the bill was about “supporting people, not telling them they are wrong or broken”.

@terpsmlc

Welch first made a bid for a seat in Parliament as the Liberal candidate for the federal seat of Jagajaga at the 2019 election, followed by campaigns to win Yan Yean at the 2022 Victorian election and McEwen in the 2022 federal race.

In December 2023, Welch replaced the retiring Liberal MLC in the North-Eastern Metropolitan region, Matthew Bach, with the upcoming election set to be his first broader vote.

Before entering politics, Welch worked in the financial services sector in London before becoming the founding CEO of a sports technology business using AI motion tracking technology for cricket matches.

Issues of concern for Welch include energy, tax reform and local government reform. His voting record includes voting against the statewide treaty with First Peoples and supporting tougher law and order approaches.

@richardwelchmlc

Puglielli secured the final seat in the region in the 2022 vote count, after receiving 9.76 percent of the first preference votes. At 27 years-old when elected, he became the youngest member of the Victorian Parliament.

Before entering politics, Puglielli worked as an artist, composer and theatre producer after studying music and musical theatre.

His main aim as an MLC has been to improve the living conditions of transgender and non-binary individuals, through expanding Victoria's laws against hate speech. In 2026, Puglielli led the push to launch an inquiry into “manosphere” figures allegedly inciting gay bashing attacks in Victoria.

Other areas of interest include housing affordability, climate action, workers' rights, cost-of-living pressures and public transport.

@aivgoesgreen

Diamante became a Manningham councillor in October 2020, winning the vote to serve the Tullamore ward. She then served as the council’s mayor during the 2022-2023 term and was re-elected as a councillor in the October 2024 election.

Diamante is a local business owner, mother, a school council representative and is the board Director of the Manningham Bendigo Bank community branch.

She has previously been vocal on the impacts of the North East Link project, the transparency of local government and overall road safety advocacy.

@diamantedeirdre.liberal

This year will be the first bid for Pyrros, becoming the third candidate for the Liberals in the region.

He has held senior corporate affairs roles in the past and is a young parent.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No verified campaign account found

A community activist from Heidelberg, Deviesseux’s recent campaigns have included saving the Olympic Village swimming pool in West Heidelberg from closure.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

@lucas_d.vs

A renter in Box Hill and a secondary school maths tutor, Maltby’s policy platforms include doubling the pension, making childcare free, freezing rents and ensuring landlords are responsible for poor rental conditions. 

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No verified campaign account found

Nicolosi stood for the seat of McEwen in the 2025 federal election, receiving 2.01 percent of first preference votes.

An advocate for animal welfare from a young age, she was named as Zoos Victoria's Young Advocate of the Year in 2013 for her work on the “Don't Palm Us Off” campaign.

Working as a corporate analyst, Nicolosi has also been an advocate for affordable housing, with experience as a volunteer paralegal and in assisting tenants facing unfair treatment from landlords to navigate VCAT disputes.

@chloe.nicolosi.ajp

Pauline Hanson visited Hawthorn on Monday August 3 to officially announce seven One Nation candidates.

Among those bidding for a seat in the Legislative Council is Bulleen office manager Natalie Adams, who will be running as the party’s lead candidate in the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region.

No verified campaign account found

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

Corcoran was a Sustainable Australia Party candidate in the 2022 election’s race for the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region and received 0.37 percent of the first-preference votes. A year later, he was the Sustainable Australia Party’s candidate during the 2023 Warrandyte by-election and received 2.69 percent of the first-preference votes.

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No verified campaign account found

Clow was a candidate for the Sustainable Australia Party in the 2018 election for the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region, receiving 0.02 percent of the first-preference votes. He ran again in the 2022 race, again receiving 0.02 percent of the first-preference votes. 

No headshot found

More information on this candidate will be added as it emerges

No verified campaign account found

Thumbnail Image Credit: Nils Wedding