MEMBER for Mornington, Chris Crewther MP, has announced a $7m funding commitment from an elected Liberal government towards the completion of the full Emil Madsen Reserve Master Plan. The commitment was announced at the Mount Eliza Football Netball Club Awards Night on Saturday 3 October. It is the final major funding contribution needed to complete the project, bringing together funding from the federal government, Mornington Peninsula Shire, and the clubs. “This is fantastic news for Mount Eliza and for sporting families across the Mornington Peninsula,” said Crewther. “I have been fighting for this funding because our local sporting clubs deserve…
Browsing: State Election 2026
AT just 33-years-old, Liberal candidate for Hastings Frank Schiefler would, if he wins in November, become one of the state’s youngest MPs. Schiefler thinks youth and enthusiasm are exactly what the seat needs to make a difference. Schiefler was born in South Africa, and his family emigrated to Australia when he was young. He graduated from secondary school at just 16, and joined the army at 17. Schiefler worked with the 1st Intelligence Battalion before stepping back into a Reservist role and returning to university where he completed a Bachelor of Economics. More recently, Schiefler had been working for the…
IT is less than two months until the state election on 28 November, and state parliament has wrapped up. The change frees up, to an extent, the incumbents of Hastings, Mornington and Nepean to get back to their electorates and put more time into campaigning. In Hastings, Paul Mercurio faces an up-hill battle against Liberal candidate Frank Schiefler and One Nation’s Peter Angelico. In a social media post on Thursday, Mercurio said: “I’ve got to say it’s been a real privilege and honour to have been a part of the 60th Parliament of Victoria”. “I never really thought I’d be…
WITH less than 70 days until the state election, candidates have begun campaigning for the seat of Mornington. There are currently four candidates that have indicated they will contest the poll, with Labor planning to contest, but not having announced a candidate yet. Incumbent Liberal Chris Crewther won the seat in 2022 with only a 0.7% margin, just 590 votes, against independent candidate Kate Lardner in the two-candidate-preferred race. Crewther was well ahead on first preferences in the 2022 poll with 17,910 votes (42.58%) with Lardner coming is second with 9432 votes (22.42%) and Labor’s Georgia Fowler coming in third…
MORE than 100 people gathered at Commonfolk in Mornington on Sunday (13 September) for the campaign launch of independent candidate Melissa Goffin. Goffin is running as a “community independent”, endorsed by the grassroots group Independents for Mornington Peninsula, with a campaign focused on putting the community ahead of party politics. “From Labor’s corruption to the Liberal Party’s in-fighting, Mornington has been left behind by party politics,” said Goffin. “Everyone I talk to tells me they’re either treading water or feeling completely crushed by the rising cost of living – it’s the government’s job to address our material conditions, and they’re…
MORNINGTON Peninsula businessman Adrian Maher has launched his campaign to contest the seat of Mornington as an independent at the upcoming state election. Maher, who grew up and lives on the Mornington Peninsula with his wife and two children, is running a “people powered” campaign where he is calling on voters to submit their priority issues to help shape his “10 Peninsula Promises”. “If elected to the crossbench, I pledge to maximise my vote by refusing to pass any government legislation, supply, or budgets until those 10 community-driven priorities are fully funded,” said Maher. Maher’s business past has spanned film…
THE Greens have launched their campaigns for the 2026 state election, announcing candidates for the seats of Hastings and Nepean. Mornington Peninsula mum Sianan Healy is stepping up to the plate again for the Nepean ward, after contesting the seat in the 2026 Nepean by-election in May. Healy, who works for a non-profit in women’s health, vowed to be a true community representative in parliament if elected, stating that locals deserved “a progressive, fairer alternative to the major parties that are beholden to billionaires, that try to turn people against each other and sell off our precious environment to the…
Mornington Peninsula businesswoman Melissa Goffin has been endorsed by Independents for Mornington Peninsula to be their candidate for the seat of Mornington in the upcoming state election. “Melissa was selected following a rigorous application and selection process by a five-member panel appointed by the I4MP committee earlier this year,” said an email to I4MP members this afternoon. “We were looking for someone with the experience, independence, energy and community commitment to represent Mornington at the November state election, someone who lives in the electorate — and we believe we have found exactly that person.” Goffin is the founder and owner…
ONE Nation has announced lawyer Ashli Beards as their Mornington electorate candidate for the November state election. Beards, who has been a member of One Nation since December 2025, was selected from “quite a few” potential candidates according to One Nation’s campaign coordinator for the Eastern Region, Harry Mulry. “For me, becoming involved with One Nation was a very organic experience,” said Beards. “I had become fed up with the majors and the mismanagement of the state. I was sick of seeing what was happening day to day and thought the community needed a real advocate.” Before being pre-selected, Beards…
THE state election race for Nepean has a new entrant, with Safety Beach resident Kim Robbins throwing her hat into the ring as an independent candidate. Robbins decision to run comes despite the organisation she is a member of, Independents for Mornington Peninsula, electing to concentrate their resources in the Mornington electorate, and not run a I4MP endorsed candidate in Nepean and Hastings. “I live in Nepean, I vote in Nepean, and Nepean is my focus. I’m a member of I4MP and strongly support the community independent movement,” said Robbins. “As it stands, I’m not an I4MP-endorsed candidate. With I4MP…
TWO candidates have nominated for the Briars Ward postal by-election following Anthony Marsh’s resignation after he was elected as Member for Nepean. Mt Martha-based Christine Leahy and Sue Ellison-Whyte will both be running as independent candidates. Leahy is currently an executive director who has leadership experience across family businesses, charities, and health services. She has lived in Mt Martha for nearly ten years alongside her husband and their two daughters. Leahy said she is incredibly grateful to be raising her family on the peninsula. “I decided to run for council as I love our community and I want to ensure…
With only 100 days until the state election, things are off to a slow start in the three electorates on the Mornington Peninsula, with only a handful of candidates expressing their intention to challenge. In Nepean, incumbent Anthony Marsh heads into his second election campaign in six months with a handy 13.24% margin, after his by-election win in May. There will be at least one familiar face on the hustings, with his by-election opponent Darren Hercus contesting the seat again for One Nation. Hercus told The News “I am both honoured and humbled to have been re-endorsed by One Nation…