for Melbourne.

The social and business cases to demolish these towers have not been made. Not publicly and not logically. Even if both cases can be made, no towers should be demolished until new housing has been built and tenanted.

I oppose private sector - non government ownership of new social and affordable housing in Victoria. This most fundamental of services must be owned by the State Government which answers to the people of Victoria, not shareholders.

There are 20,000 - 30,000 short stay/Airbnb listings across Melbourne[3]. Anyone trying to rent an apartment in Melbourne knows what it's like to line up outside an apartment block of 14 flats and see 12 key lock boxes attached to the fence. Cities around the world are suffering a housing crisis and are responding by phasing out all Airbnb/short term listings.[4] Melbourne should phase out all Airbnb/Short Term listings by 2028.

Commercial tenants get something residential renters don't: real security. Typical commercial leases run five years with options to renew for further five-year periods[5]. Residential leases should offer the same structural security with 5 year leases and options to renew. Long term homes you can build a life around.

Rent increases should be capped at a new, published Victorian Landlord Cost Index based on the real costs of holding a rental property — land tax, insurance, council rates. Not a landlord's discretion. Not what "the market can bear".

Reasonable returns for the owners of the rental stock we need, rent increases that reflect real costs and long term security for renters.

It's popular but it's $13 billion[6]. Money we don't have for a project we don't need. For context, a fleet of free luxury buses, departing every 10 minutes, running for a decade — would cost a fraction of that. This $13 billion would fund 20,000 new two bedroom apartments[7].

The whole project needs to be re-assessed. Billions already spent, eight boring machines on order at $25 million each and contracts worth $5.3 billion signed[8] - commercial in confidence i.e. secret to the people of Melbourne. This will be complicated and take time to unravel. The solution must be transparent, affordable and benefit Melburnians.

Melbourne hospitality venues' liability insurance costs have inexplicably increased by eye watering amounts in recent years. An average of 50% since Covid - in one case up 2,500% with no claims[9]. Maybe it's gouging. Maybe our venues are subsidising insurance companies' international climate disaster claims.

The State should provide the necessary support to give these venues properly priced, risk based insurance.

Commercial rent increases are also driving our live music and entertainment venues out of business.

Victoria already gives full land tax exemptions to landholders who protect land with ecological cultural value[10]. Our 2,441 live music venues[11] need to be recognised for their cultural value with similar concessions.

This will cost an estimated $35 million which can be fully funded by a 25% cut in the State's current spend on consultants like KPMG, PwC, Deloitte and EY[12].

That's value for money.

Most pubs are doing it tough. Every historic pub in Melbourne was built with accommodation upstairs. Modest upstairs rooms with shared facilities and a common lounge. I support a review with owners and publicans on the costs, benefits and practicality of providing financial support to re-instate this accommodation. Pubs are an important part of Melbourne's social fabric and our history - let's make sure they are part of our future.

It costs $2.6 million a year to keep one young person in detention in Victoria (double the national average)[13] and Victoria's re-offending rate has been higher than NSW's for the past 10 years[14]. Let that sink in. $2.6 million.

More alarming is that in 2018, the Auditor-General found that half of the young people in youth detention weren't even properly assessed for their risk of re-offending, and that detention "has not been effectively promoting reduced re-offending."[15]

It gets worse. The Auditor-General's 2025–26 work plan admits nobody's gone back to check whether that's changed.[16]

I will ensure that this work is done, independently verified, made public and action a cost effective plan to measurably reduce re-offending.

This isn't a soft-on-crime/tough-on-crime argument. It's an accountability and value-for-money argument.

Everyone knows there used to be more Police on the streets and on the road. Billions in additional funding has been provided to VicPol but nobody, not the Auditor-General and not the government, can tell us how many Police officers are on the frontline - on our streets.

I will fight for the transparent, accurate, timely reporting of VicPol members who are actually on the frontline, and action a plan to identify and get the right number of our Police onto our streets.

I am also deeply concerned about the 538 mental health injuries reported in Victoria Police's own 2024–25 Annual Report[19] — the first year this was even tracked. No job should be causing this much harm and no workplace can afford it.

The deadline to enrol or update your enrolment for the 2026 Victorian state election is 8pm, Tuesday 3 November 2026. You can check or update your enrolment directly with the Victorian Electoral Commission.

vec.vic.gov.au

Consumer Affairs Victoria provides free information on leases, bonds, repairs and rental disputes (1300 55 81 81, consumer.vic.gov.au/renting). Tenants Victoria offers free advice and advocacy for renters (9416 2577, tenantsvic.org.au).

Tenants in public and community housing can access Tenancy Plus support through Homes Victoria for help staying in their home and connecting to local services.