PUBLIC RECORDS · ELLIE’S RESEARCH ARCHIVE

Latest research

New records, campaign activity and research leads for the 2026 Victorian state election.

Research notebook · 2 October 2026

Method: Documented relationships are separated from claims, commentary and research leads. A shared event, donor, policy position or personnel overlap does not by itself establish organisational control or coordination.

ADVANCE · 2026 STATE ELECTION

Advance promotes Melbourne event around its Victorian-election plan

McKenzie and Schlicht advertised as speakers

On 2 October, The Klaxon reported that Advance was selling tickets to a Melbourne event described in its promotional material as the first stop in a national tour covering Advance’s “on-the-ground plan for the 2026 state election”. The advertised speakers included Bridget McKenzie, Leader of the Nationals in the Senate, and Mia Schlicht, executive director of the Samuel Griffith Society.

Evidence limit: Appearance at the same event establishes participation, not a formal alliance between the Nationals, Samuel Griffith Society and Advance.

Sources: The Klaxon · 2 Oct 2026 ↗

Media access

The Klaxon reported that it sought a media pass and Advance replied: “There are no media passes for this event as it is not open to the media.” McKenzie had not responded to the publication’s questions when the story was published.

Evidence limit: The archive attributes the report and does not infer the reasons for Advance’s media policy.

Sources: The Klaxon · report ↗

FUNDING CONTEXT

Advance funding belongs beside — not inside — the event record

Rinehart contribution reported for 2024–25

The Klaxon reports that Gina Rinehart gave Advance $895,000 in 2024–25. The figure is relevant to the project’s donor and advocacy-group map, but financial support is recorded separately from claims about control or direction of Victorian candidates.

Evidence limit: A donation does not establish that the donor determined the content of this event or the actions of a political party.

Sources: The Klaxon · 2 Oct 2026 ↗

VEC · OFFICIAL RECORD

Election administration continues to change ahead of November

Recent VEC notices

The Victorian Electoral Commission’s current media releases include the 30 September registration of The Republican Make Australia Great Again as a political party and a 30 September change to the registered name of the Libertarian Party. These are official registration records, separate from candidate nomination and final ballot status.

The VEC also notes that 2026 electoral-law amendments mean some information in older election webinars may no longer be current.

Evidence limit: Party registration does not establish which candidates will appear on the final ballot.

Sources: VEC · media releases ↗ · VEC · 2026 information sessions ↗

Archive action: This 2 October update should be read with the earlier 25 September research batch. Earlier evidence dates remain unchanged; this page adds newly checked material rather than rewriting the chronology.