South-West Coast — Victoria 2026: who holds it, who is announced, where they stand

Sitting member

Roma BritnellLiberal · sitting member

Announced candidates · 5

Tamhas BuchanOther / minor party · candidate
Andrew GovanstoneLabor · candidate
Richard HughesOne Nation · candidate
Silver RoseGreens · candidate
Hera SheppardOther / minor party · candidate

A sitting member is shown here whether or not they are recontesting: this page records who holds the seat and who has been announced, not the ballot. Candidates are listed alphabetically, not in ballot order.

Key dates · Victoria 2026 · from the Victorian Electoral Commission

Tue 3 Nov, 8 pmEnrolment closesYou need to be correctly enrolled by 8 pm on Tuesday 3 November to vote.2026 state election ↗
Wed 4 Nov, 9 am – Mon 9 Nov, 12 noonCandidate nominationsNominations open at 9 am on Wednesday 4 November and close at 12 noon on Monday 9 November.2026 state election ↗
Wed 4 Nov – Wed 25 Nov, 6 pmPostal vote applicationsAnyone can apply to vote by post. Applications open on Wednesday 4 November and close at 6 pm on Wednesday 25 November.Voting options ↗
Tue 17 Nov, 10 am to 4 pmLow-sensory votingA quieter voting session in each district, for neurodivergent voters and voters with sensory needs.Voting options ↗
Wed 18 Nov – Fri 27 NovEarly voting9 am to 6 pm every day except Sunday 22 November. You don't need a reason to vote early.Voting options ↗
Sat 28 NovElection dayVote at any voting centre in Victoria.Voting options ↗

The candidates on this site are those announced so far. The commission confirms the ballot after nominations close.

How to vote here · from the Victorian Electoral Commission

When you go to vote, you'll be given ballot papers for the district and region you're enrolled in. 2026 state election ↗
On the smaller lower house ballot paper, number every box in the order of your choice. How to fill out state ballot papers ↗

Last election · 2022 State election

Elected: BRITNELL, Roma (Liberal).

First preferences
Candidate	Party	Votes	%
BRITNELL, Roma	Liberal	19,517	42.90%
GASTON, Kylie	Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch	9,640	21.19%
ALTMANN, Carol	—	6,564	14.43%
PURCELL, James	—	2,737	6.02%
CAMPBELL, Thomas	Australian Greens	2,457	5.40%
DOUKAS, Jim	—	1,865	4.10%
BRUNT, Chris	Family First Victoria	924	2.03%
ANDERSON, Jacinta	Animal Justice Party	688	1.51%
McCLUSKEY, Michael	—	616	1.35%
GRIMLEY, James Brash	Derryn Hinch's Justice Party	488	1.07%

After the distribution of preferences
Candidate	Party	Votes	%
BRITNELL, Roma	Liberal	26,410	58.05%
GASTON, Kylie	Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch	19,086	41.95%

Enrolment 53,099 · formal 45,496 · informal 2,723 · total 48,219

As the Victorian Electoral Commission published it (VEC results ↗). Parties are those the candidates stood for then; a member may have changed party since. The 2021 redivision of Victoria's State electoral boundaries came into effect on 1 November 2022 and will remain in place until the writ for the 2030 State election is issued, unless triggered sooner. Electoral Boundaries Commission ↗

Where they stand, issue by issue

Each entry is that person's own stated view, with its sources. The badge says what kind of source backs it — official record, own statement, news report or encyclopedia — which describes the evidence, not how much we believe it. Nothing is totalled or ranked; recorded votes are counted only to point to the member's record, where each is listed. See methodology.

Voluntary assisted dying

Roma BritnellLiberal · sitting news report

Voted on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017 in the Victorian Legislative Assembly (conscience vote; the bill passed the Assembly 47-37 on 20 October 2017). Roma Britnell voted YES (in favour).

2 recorded votes on this issue on their record

No sourced position on record: Tamhas Buchan, Andrew Govanstone, Richard Hughes, Silver Rose, Hera Sheppard.

Gender & LGBTQ+ policy

Roma BritnellLiberal · sitting

No statement on file.

1 recorded vote on this issue on their record

Silver RoseGreens own statement

Silver Rose says there are "real concerns about the safety of LGBTIQA+ people in our region due to the lack of healthcare access, public transport and affordable housing", and "it’s time our policies do too".

Silver Rose on Instagram, 15 August 2026

No sourced position on record: Tamhas Buchan, Andrew Govanstone, Richard Hughes, Hera Sheppard.

Sex work decriminalisation

Roma BritnellLiberal · sitting official record

As Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs, opposed Victoria's Sex Work Decriminalisation Bill 2021; moved a reasoned amendment against the bill in the Legislative Assembly (defeated 28 October 2021), arguing sex work is often 'the result of limited choice' and that the bill lacked support (drug treatment, housing, training) for people exiting the industry.

No sourced position on record: Tamhas Buchan, Andrew Govanstone, Richard Hughes, Silver Rose, Hera Sheppard.

Native forest logging

Roma BritnellLiberal · sitting official record

Voted no on 30 May 2024 on an amendment moved during the Legislative Assembly's consideration of the Sustainable Forests (Timber) Repeal Bill 2024, which repealed the Sustainable Forests (Timber) Act 2004 following the cessation of native forest logging on 1 January 2024. The question was 'That the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question' (Legislative Assembly, 30 May 2024; Ayes 53, Noes 24; agreed to): a no vote favoured omitting them. It was a vote on the amendment, not on the bill.

Hansard, Legislative Assembly, 2024-05-30

No sourced position on record: Tamhas Buchan, Andrew Govanstone, Richard Hughes, Silver Rose, Hera Sheppard.

Housing & planning

Roma BritnellLiberal · sitting

No statement on file.

9 recorded votes on this issue on their record

Silver RoseGreens own statement

Silver Rose says "Building housing takes a long time, and people are being priced out of their homes", and calls to "freeze rents now" until "long-term solutions are available".

Silver Rose on Instagram, 10 September 2026

Hera SheppardOther / minor party own statement

Opposes the state selling off public housing 'house after house ... to the private system' while remaining homes sit empty.

Hera Sheppard - Victorian Socialists candidate

No sourced position on record: Tamhas Buchan, Andrew Govanstone, Richard Hughes.

Education

Roma BritnellLiberal · sitting

No statement on file.

1 recorded vote on this issue on their record

Hera SheppardOther / minor party own statement

Says she led a local student campaign supporting striking teachers.

Hera Sheppard - Victorian Socialists candidate

No sourced position on record: Tamhas Buchan, Andrew Govanstone, Richard Hughes, Silver Rose.

Transport & infrastructure

Roma BritnellLiberal · sitting

No statement on file.

3 recorded votes on this issue on their record

Hera SheppardOther / minor party own statement

Says only Victorian Socialists has a plan 'to work towards upgrading our line to 160km/h' on the Warrnambool rail line, to cut travel times and increase safety.

Hera Sheppard - Victorian Socialists candidate

No sourced position on record: Tamhas Buchan, Andrew Govanstone, Richard Hughes, Silver Rose, Hera Sheppard.

Environment & water

Roma BritnellLiberal · sitting

No statement on file.

2 recorded votes on this issue on their record

No sourced position on record: Tamhas Buchan, Andrew Govanstone, Richard Hughes, Silver Rose, Hera Sheppard.

No one here has a sourced position on record on: welfare & social services, abortion & reproductive policy, nuclear & uranium, animal welfare.

Open South-West Coast in the interactive database · All electorates