IT’S a little over three weeks until the state election, and official nominations for candidates open this Wednesday (4 November) and close next Monday (9 November). By that time we’ll have a final list of candidates running in the Mornington electorate.
Last week, Liberal member Chris Crewther announced $100,000 towards both the concept and detailed design of Mornington Civic Bowls and Social Club’s proposed Dome and Synthetic Green Project at Civic Reserve in Mornington.
Crewther said the commitment would take the project to the next critical stage and ensure the club was in the strongest possible position to get the project underway and secure additional funds for its full construction.
“Mornington Civic Bowls and Social Club is an important part of our local community, providing opportunities for people of all ages to stay active, socialise and enjoy the sport of bowls,” said Crewther.
Crewther said funds for the design phase and getting to the initial phase of construction would allow the club and project partners to pursue larger construction grants and contributions from government and the community.
“This is an important first step towards delivering a facility that can be used throughout the year, regardless of the weather,” said Crewther.
Labor’s Kerry Macdonald officially launched her campaign at the Mount Martha Bowls Club with guest Anthony Carbines MP, Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy, Major Events, Medical Research, Racing and Economic Development.
Macdonald was joined by an enthusiastic group local members and supporters from across the Mornington Peninsula “keen to tell the voters of Mornington about what Labor has delivered over the last 12 years and what will do to fight for working people”.
Macdonald said she is also pleased to see the Premier’s announcement that a re-elected Carroll Labor government will impose consequences on patients who abuse or threaten ambulance workers. Under Labor’s plan, violent and abusive patients will also be stripped of their Ambulance Victoria membership – so they lose cover for ambulance costs.
Macdonald said “no healthcare worker should face violent or abusive behaviour – people who choose to use violence will face consequences”.
One Nation’s Ashli Beards was in Mornington on Tuesday 27 October where, with One Nation’s Victorian leader Warren Pickering, they announced their party’s homelessness policy.
“One Nation’s homelessness policy is something that I have initiated, drafted and will continue to develop,” said Beards.
“If elected as MP for Mornington, the Mornington Peninsula will become the cornerstone for this policy and I will be looking to work with the local council and NGOs to ensure that we get the best possible funding and outcomes for the most vulnerable in our community.
“Given that the peninsula has the second highest rate of rough sleepers, I will push to get priority funding.
“Given the state’s enormous debt, fixing the essentials comes first, and homelessness is the essential where I intend to make real progress on for the Peninsula and work to get all rough sleepers into accommodation.
“The pool of revenue generated by the Short Stay Levy is estimated to be around $80m a year, with the Mornington Peninsula being a big contributor to the funds.
“In 2023, Labor had announced that this levy would be used to tackle housing supply and homelessness. Yet $0 is redirected back to our region from the Labor government and not even questioned by the Liberals.
“A One Nation government will redirect short-stay levy revenue into local homelessness programs across the state with full public reporting.”
Independent candidate Adrian Maher told The News, “Following the tragic deaths of four people sleeping rough on the Mornington Peninsula, I have been working on an immediate response to what is becoming an increasingly urgent community issue”.
“During the week, I met with Tilly O’Rourke from Safe and Equal to discuss the circumstances, the growing challenges facing people experiencing homelessness and what practical action could be taken locally.
“If elected, I will commit to an immediate response, with two key actions delivered within my first 30 days.”
Maher’s commitment would include ten additional homelessness outreach workers and temporary accommodation for everyone sleeping rough.
Maher also spoke of his different approach to funding.
“Every one of my policy proposals, including this one, is being developed around a combination of private investment, philanthropic generosity, and federal government funding,” said Maher.
“Victoria is facing an enormous debt-servicing burden, with interest payments forecast to approach $1b per month by 2029–30.
“I believe continuing to make promises that simply rely on additional state government expenditure and borrowing, without considering alternative funding models, is fiscally irresponsible.
“We need to find innovative ways to deliver essential community services without adding unnecessary pressure to Victorian taxpayers and the state’s finances.”
Independent for Mornington, Melissa Goffin was out in the community every day last week connecting and listening to what people need from their next state MP.
The highlight was her annual Halloween event, which was a fun celebration that also highlights how local connection goes hand-in-hand with regional safety and wellbeing.
“Halloween in Mt Eliza is all about community spirit, bringing families together, and ensuring our neighborhoods remain safe and vibrant places for young people to grow up,” said Goffin.
“Events like this highlight exactly why we are passionate about building stronger, safer, and better-resourced communities across the Mornington Peninsula.”
Highlighting community gatherings like Halloween, Goffin emphasises that true neighborhood resilience also relies on accessible, vital services located right where people live.
This is directly linked to her Strong Communities Policy that focuses on three core priorities:
Enhanced Police Presence: Extending Mornington’s police counter hours from 4:30 pm to 10:00 pm seven days a week, with 24-hour coverage on summer weekends, to ensure safer streets after meetings with the Peninsula’s Police Chief.
Local Crisis Accommodation: Securing dedicated State funding for safe, local accommodation (“Somewhere safe to go”) for women and children escaping family violence, directly tackling a critical regional shortage.
Youth & Family Mental Health Support: Establishing a free, walk-in youth and family mental health service on the Mornington Peninsula (“Close to home”) to fulfill unmet State commitments.
By pairing grassroots community engagement with clear, actionable policies, Melissa Goffin continues to advocate for long-term peace of mind and essential services for every neighborhood in the Mornington Electorate.
Greens candidate Kai Titcher told The News that he had signed the Victorian Cheaper Power Pledge.
The Pledge was put together as part of a collaboration of 19 Environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth and Environment Victoria. It calls for a promise from MPs and candidates that they will support voters by standing up for the cheapest form of energy (renewables) in order to put downward pressure on electricity bills.
It’s key asks are:
1. Give Victorians the cheapest, most reliable power
2. Ensure no Victorian worker, family, or community is left behind
3. Protect Victorians from price shocks
“I signed the Victorian Cheaper Power Pledge because all Victorians deserve a government that will fight for cheap, clean, and renewable energy,” said Titcher.
“I highly encourage my fellow candidates to sign the pledge and commit to shaping a more affordable and sustainable future for families in Mornington. The cheapest energy system is one built by and for all Victorians.”
Victorian Socialists candidate Gene Brownlie has also signalled his intention to run. In a bio on the Victorian Socialists website, he writes, “I’m running with the Socialists because politics is a game rigged for the super-rich. We need a political shift that puts working-class people first”.
“I moved here to help care for an elderly family member. Since then I’ve seen the beauty of this region. But I’ve also seen the deep wealth divide: seemingly always-empty mansions along the Esplanade in stark contrast to the eastern side of the Nepean Highway.
“I’ve been involved in community organising for more than a decade, and over that time the need for fundamental social change has only become more obvious. If elected I’ll fight for the working-class people in communities spread through our electorate, often in the far less photographed places, not the absentee owners of sea-view mansions.”
First published in the Mornington News – 3 November 2026
