Legislative Assembly · District of Bayswater
Jess Kennedy
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Bayswater›
Bayswater is a 38.76 km2 outer-eastern Melbourne district in the North-Eastern Metropolitan Region, covering Bayswater, Heathmont, Kilsyth South, The Basin, and parts of Bayswater North, Boronia, Ringwood and Wantirna. It is currently held by Labor's Jackson Taylor, who won it at the 2022 election on a two-candidate-preferred vote of 54.23% to 45.77% (an 8.46-point margin) over the Liberal candidate. Taylor announced his retirement from politics in September 2025, making Bayswater an open contest at the 2026 election.
Background
Describes herself as a mental health worker with more than six years of advocacy experience with LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse and multicultural communities, per her Victorian Greens profile. SSelf-stated — GREENS-KENNEDYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Jess Kennedy, Candidate for Bayswater"View source
Her employer is not named and her work was not independently confirmed.
Says she petitioned Parliament to change ADHD prescribing laws, sponsored by Greens MLC Sarah Mansfield, and that this "has resulted in real change". SSelf-stated — GREENS-KENNEDYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Jess Kennedy, Candidate for Bayswater"View source
The claimed legislative outcome was not independently checked in this pass.
Her profile mentions no council term, union role or party office. SSelf-stated — GREENS-KENNEDYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Jess Kennedy, Candidate for Bayswater"View source
Says she was born and raised in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and wants to be a positive voice in the community. SSelf-stated — GREENS-KENNEDYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Jess Kennedy, Candidate for Bayswater"View source
Her profile does not say where in Bayswater she lives or for how long.
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
Fair, inclusive policies to address housing unaffordability and cost of living.
Increasing access to community health options in the Bayswater area, earlier intervention on addiction and mental health, and autism and ADHD care, per Star Mail's report.
Higher taxes on the richest one per cent to help fund healthcare, education, childcare and other services.
What Victorians say matters most
5 poll-led issuesCost of living and crime have ranked 1st or 2nd in every Victorian poll since mid‑2025, with debt and housing close behind — see schema §3 for the polling this grouping is based on (DemosAU, Ipsos Issues Monitor, Roy Morgan). The 0-10 'priorityScore' on each candidate's issue entries is NOT a measure of true importance or an independent ranking of what a candidate actually cares about. It reflects how much detail and specificity exists in what that candidate has actually said publicly on that issue -- a named policy mechanism and a verified voting record score higher than a one-line stated priority, regardless of the issue's real-world weight. Render this distinction in the UI wherever the score appears; do not label it just 'Priority' without the qualifier.
Cost of living
Names cost-of-living relief as a core priority alongside housing.
Proposes taxing the richest one per cent more to fund services.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make public transport permanently free and freeze rents for two years.
Crime and community safety
Kennedy has made no personal statement on crime or policing.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 and favour community corrections over incarceration.
Housing affordability and supply
Names housing affordability and public housing expansion as priorities.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would build 88,000 public homes with $4 billion initial investment and freeze rents for two years, then cap increases at wage growth or inflation.
State government debt and fiscal management
Proposes higher taxes on the richest one per cent to help fund public services.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would raise land tax to 5.3% for investors with $5 million or more of residential property.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Names transport access as a priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make trains, trams and buses permanently free.
Also on the record
6 substance issuesThese don't top “biggest issue” polling, but carry real 2026 policy weight and genuine differences between parties.
Education and training
Wants higher taxes on the richest to help fund education and childcare; no specific schools measure is attributed to her.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reinstate $2.4 billion in delayed public-school funding.
Health and healthcare access
Names healthcare improvements for Bayswater as a priority, and her background is in mental health work.
Wants more community health options locally, earlier intervention in addiction and mental health, and better autism and ADHD care.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would fund 500 more psychologists and psychiatrists and add 200 drug and alcohol rehabilitation beds.
Urban planning and housing density
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes 88,000 public homes; nothing on density or planning is attributed to Kennedy personally.
Climate and energy transition
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and ban all new coal and gas projects; nothing is attributed to Kennedy personally.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would back the Statewide Treaty Bill without amendment; nothing is attributed to Kennedy personally.
Regional and rural Victoria
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Local & party context
2 fieldsNot scored the way the eleven issues above are — these are fixed facts about the seat and the party, not positions with more or less emphasis behind them.
Kennedy's priorities (housing, cost of living, public housing, transport, healthcare) sit within the Victorian Greens' statewide platform. SSelf-stated — GREENS-KENNEDY, ET-GREENS-POLICYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Jess Kennedy, Candidate for Bayswater"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "Greens policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found. Her personal distinctiveness is mental-health, autism and ADHD care, which reflects her own work.
Track record & prior candidacies
Her candidate profile mentions no prior campaign. SSelf-stated — GREENS-KENNEDYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Jess Kennedy, Candidate for Bayswater"View source
She is not among the candidates in the 2014, 2018 or 2022 Bayswater state elections; the Greens' 2022 candidate was Nadia Sirninger Rankin (7.4%). VVerified — WIKI-BAYS-RESULTS, VEC-BAYS-2022Wikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Bayswater"View sourceVictorian Electoral Commission, "Bayswater District results — 2022 state election"View source
Campaign, money & endorsements
Campaign logistics
Endorsements & Donations
Per the Victorian Electoral Commission's funding guidance (vec.vic.gov.au, accessed 2026-09-29 via search snippets of its independent-candidate and registered-party funding pages), a candidate is eligible for public election funding if they receive at least 4% of first-preference votes in their contest, or are elected. Funding is reimbursed against an audited statement of campaign expenditure, and advance funding must be repaid in full if the threshold is missed.
Kennedy has not previously contested an election, so she has no funding entitlement from an earlier contest. The Greens' 2022 Bayswater candidate finished on 7.4%, above the 4% mark.