Advocacy organisation • Reviewed 24 September 2026
Turning Point Australia: election campaign and US branding link
Turning Point Australia announced its Victorian election campaign on 27 August 2026, describing a dedicated 15-person team. It said One Nation, Libertarian and Family First representatives were expected at its launch; Jess Wilson was invited. An invitation does not confirm attendance or cooperation.
The organisation states that it licenses TPUSA branding while operating independently in management and policy. Its website identifies Joel Jammal as national director and George Mamalis as coordinator for the Victorian election. Operations head Saraya Beric previously held One Nation federal and Queensland secretary roles.
Why it matters: this documents a third-party election campaign, a formal US branding relationship and personnel links. These sources do not establish US financing or direction of the Victorian campaign. The organisation’s independence and funding statements are its own account.
Public campaign support • Reviewed 24 September 2026
Liberal Friends of Israel promotes five Victorian candidates
Liberal Friends of Israel’s candidate directory promotes Rachel Westaway (Prahran), David Kitchen (Bayswater), Tynan Putt (Bentleigh), Amelia Hamer (Malvern) and Frank Schiefler (Hastings), and solicits contributions for their campaigns.
Its biographies identify Kitchen as a committee member and describe his 2025 Israel visit as an Israeli Embassy guest. Hamer’s biography records work with Israeli technology startups. Westaway’s records a parliamentary delegation to Poland and Israel.
Frank Schiefler: the directory identifies him as Assistant Director to Jillian Segal, Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, and describes his work on the envoy’s plan and advocacy for the IHRA definition.
Evidence status: these are the organisation’s published support and biographical claims. Listing does not establish membership for every candidate, donations received, or an IPA relationship. Schiefler’s employment does not establish endorsement by the envoy’s office.
Party change • Western Metropolitan • Reviewed 24 September 2026
Moira Deeming joins Family First
ABC reported on 10 September 2026 that Moira Deeming had joined Family First and would contest the Victorian election for that party after losing Liberal endorsement.
Why it matters: her current party label changes from independent to Family First. The earlier record of Roshena Campbell replacing her on the Liberal ticket remains part of the chronology. Formal ballot nomination is a separate step.
Victorian Liberals
Candidate and ticket change • Western Metropolitan Region
Roshena Campbell replaces Moira Deeming at number one
Campbell: lead Liberal candidate • Trung Luu: reported second position
On 6 August 2026, the Liberal Party’s state executive selected Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell for the number-one Western Metropolitan Region position. She replaced disendorsed sitting MLC Moira Deeming and defeated sitting Liberal MLC Trung Luu for the safer lead position. Reporting places Luu second on the ticket.
A later public campaign post documents Campbell appearing at Altona Gate with Williamstown candidate Paul Lindemann and campaign material promoting Luu. The Trung Luu bags are ordinary MP promotional material—not “number-two” bags—but the appearance connects the lead upper-house candidate, the reported second-position candidate and a lower-house Liberal campaign in Melbourne’s west.
Evidence status: Campbell’s endorsement and lead position are confirmed by the party and ABC. The photograph confirms joint public campaigning and Luu-branded material; it does not establish a factional agreement, shared donor, funding relationship or private endorsement. Final ballot status remains subject to formal VEC nomination.
Former Liberal
Party and status change • South Barwon
Ron Nelson announces independent bid
Prospective independent candidate
Geelong councillor Ron Nelson announced on 29 August that he intended to contest South Barwon as an independent after losing Liberal preselection to Libby Pettit and resigning his Liberal membership. Nelson previously contested Bellarine for the Liberals in 2014. The announced field also includes Labor candidate Rebecca Thistleton.
Evidence status: Nelson’s announcement, previous Liberal candidacy and change of party status are reported. He is not yet a formally nominated VEC candidate because nominations have not opened.
Announced candidates • Bendigo East and West • Reviewed 24 September 2026
Labor names candidates for both Bendigo seats
Timothy Rickwood is Labor’s candidate for Bendigo East and Brenton Baldwin its candidate for Bendigo West. ABC’s 21 September briefing reports their public launch the previous Friday, 18 September.
What changed: the previous entry said Labor’s Bendigo West replacement had not been announced. Both successors are now named, following the retirements of Jacinta Allan and Maree Edwards. This records announced candidacies, not final VEC nominations.
One Nation
Candidate funding and disclosure
Fundraisers advertised with Hanson and Victorian candidates
Scheduled events • Warren Pickering and Greg Hansford
One Nation’s official calendar advertised Pauline Hanson, Victorian leader and Pakenham candidate Warren Pickering, and Eastern Victoria candidate Greg Hansford for a $50 fundraiser in Sale on 31 August. Guardian Australia separately reported invitations to a $2,000-a-head private Melbourne lunch with Hanson expected to raise at least $36,000.
Evidence status: the advertised events, prices and candidate involvement are documented. Some One Nation invitations were amended to add state-party authorisation after Guardian inquiries. These records do not identify private attendees, prove how much was ultimately raised or establish influence by any donor.
One Nation
Party-announced candidates • Victoria
One Nation slate: 2 September snapshot
Formal VEC nominations remain pending
One Nation Victoria’s official directory listed 38 candidates when checked on 2 September 2026—15 more than on 30 August. The additions are Bianca Wilke (Gippsland South), Steve Goodman (Gippsland East), Tammy Lindrum (Albert Park), Nikole Schellekens (Bass), Cheryl Hawken (Bendigo East), Jamie Baker (Box Hill), Glenda Wright (Dandenong), Steve Campbell (Euroa), Harrison Rindfleish (Richmond), Alexander Lopez (Footscray), Guy Cooper (Mildura), Josh Geard (South Barwon), Phillip “Phil” Bryant (Shepparton), Sebastian Crutchfield (Narre Warren North) and Ashli Beards (Mornington).
Why it matters: the party is extending into metropolitan Labor and Greens territory as well as regional seats. Geard joins the already complicated South Barwon contest; Hawken enters the newly open Bendigo East contest. Evidence status: these are party-announced candidates, not the final ballot. This is a historical snapshot, not the current total. The directory is a living source and may add, remove or alter candidates; later additions await a complete reconciliation.
IPAPolitical mobilisation
Campaign connection • immigration, identity and free speech
IPA promotes the 30 August March for Australia
Confirmed public promotion • organising and funding not established
In August 2026 the IPA used its public Facebook platform to promote the nationwide March for Australia. Its posts and videos connected the 30 August event with the IPA’s polling and campaigning on free speech, Australian national identity and migration.
Evidence limit: this confirms public promotion and mobilisation. It does not establish that the IPA organised, funded or formally partnered with March for Australia, or that it endorses every participant or extremist ideology. ABC News Verify separately reported that some people involved behind the scenes of earlier marches had encouraged recruitment to the former White Australia Party, then the political arm of the National Socialist Network. That movement context is important, but it is not evidence of an IPA–NSN relationship.
Victorian Liberals
Corrected campaign-disclosure matter • Malvern
Amelia Hamer fundraiser invitation corrected
Liberal candidate for Malvern
Guardian Australia reported that an invitation to a cocktail fundraiser involving Amelia Hamer initially carried no formal authorisation message. The Liberal Party corrected the invitation after being contacted. The Liberal Party’s official records identify Hamer as its endorsed candidate for Malvern.
Evidence status: the reported omission and subsequent correction are recorded. The available evidence does not establish a donation breach or an adverse VEC finding. The Guardian article described Hamer as a Hawthorn candidate; the party’s current official profile says Malvern.