Legislative Assembly · District of Bellarine
Mitch Pope
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Bellarine›
The Legislative Assembly district of Bellarine stretches from the Bellarine Peninsula to the outer eastern suburbs of Geelong, covering Barwon Heads, Clifton Springs, Drysdale, Ocean Grove, Point Lonsdale, Portarlington, Queenscliff and the Geelong suburb of Leopold. It has traditionally been a marginal seat that has changed hands between Labor and Liberal since being recreated in 1985. Labor's Alison Marchant won the seat at the 2022 election, defeating the Liberal candidate on a two-candidate-preferred vote of 58.46% to 41.54% — a margin of roughly 17 points.
Background
Describes himself as a local community organiser and environment and social justice advocate, per his Victorian Greens profile. SSelf-stated — GREENS-POPEAustralian Greens Victoria, "Mitch Pope, Candidate for Bellarine"View source
In 2025 Geelong Times reported him as an environmental campaigner and eco-tour guide; a search summary of the Greens' announcement says he works in ecotourism, taking people snorkelling in Port Phillip Bay. RReported — GEELONGTIMES-2025, BAY939-2025Geelong Times, "Meet your Corangamite candidates"View sourceBay 93.9, "Greens announce local candidates"View source
Geelong Times reported in 2025 that he was president of the 13th Beach Board Riders Club in 2020-21. RReported — GEELONGTIMES-2025Geelong Times, "Meet your Corangamite candidates"View source
It also reported he was a community campaigner against seismic blasting to protect the ocean and coastline, and played football for the Collendina Cobras. RReported — GEELONGTIMES-2025Geelong Times, "Meet your Corangamite candidates"View source
He has held no elected or party office that was found.
Geelong Times reported him as living in Ocean Grove for 12 years, since his early teens. RReported — GEELONGTIMES-2025Geelong Times, "Meet your Corangamite candidates"View source
Bay 93.9 described him as a Bellarine local in January 2025. RReported — BAY939-2025Bay 93.9, "Greens announce local candidates"View source
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
"Fighting for climate protection, affordable housing and real cost of living measures."
Taxing large corporations to fund public services, and banning corporate political donations.
In 2025, as the Greens' federal candidate for Corangamite, he said climate action was his main motivation: "Corangamite being a marginal electorate will hopefully push what I'm pushing for on climate into the conversation."
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 "real cost of living measures" as a priority, and taxing large corporations to fund public 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
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14; nothing is attributed to Pope personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Names affordable housing as a core priority.
In 2025 he listed the housing crisis and rising cost of living among his three key issues, backing more public and affordable housing paid for by taxing billionaires and corporations.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would build 88,000 public homes with $4 billion initial investment.
State government debt and fiscal management
Wants large corporations taxed to fund public services and corporate political donations banned.
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
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make trains, trams and buses permanently free; nothing is attributed to Pope personally.
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
In 2025 he backed free childcare and public schooling as part of the Greens' platform.
Health and healthcare access
In 2025 he backed adding dental care to Medicare as part of the Greens' platform.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would fund 500 more psychologists and psychiatrists.
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 Pope personally.
Climate and energy transition
Names climate protection as a core priority.
A search summary of a Bay 93.9 report says he has been a key figure in the fight against seismic blasting and offshore gas drilling along the Victorian coast.
In 2025 he listed the climate and environmental crisis first among his three key issues, and backed stopping new coal and gas and home electrification.
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.
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 Pope personally.
Regional and rural Victoria
In 2025 he backed ending native forest logging as part of the Greens' platform.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would prohibit commercial logging on private land.
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.
Offshore gas exploration and seismic blasting along the Bellarine and Victorian coastline, which he has campaigned against. RReported — GEELONGTIMES-2025, BAY939-2025Geelong Times, "Meet your Corangamite candidates"View sourceBay 93.9, "Greens announce local candidates"View source
Climate impacts and housing affordability on the Bellarine Peninsula. RReported — GREENS-POPEAustralian Greens Victoria, "Mitch Pope, Candidate for Bellarine"View source
Pope's stated priorities (climate, housing, cost of living, taxing corporations) sit within the Victorian Greens' statewide platform. SSelf-stated — GREENS-POPE, ET-GREENS-POLICYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Mitch Pope, Candidate for Bellarine"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "Greens policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found. His distinctive content is local: the coastal seismic-blasting campaign and Bellarine ties.
Track record & prior candidacies
Stood for the Greens in the federal seat of Corangamite at the 2025 election, receiving 14,925 first-preference votes (14.35%), third behind Labor's Libby Coker and the Liberals' Darcy Dunstan; not elected. VVerified — WIKI-CORANGAMITEWikipedia, "Division of Corangamite"View source
He is not among the candidates in the 2022 Bellarine state election, where the Greens' candidate was Rachel Semmens (11.74%), so this is his first state contest. VVerified — WIKI-BELL-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Bellarine"View source
His Victorian Greens profile does not mention the 2025 campaign.
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.
Pope has not previously contested a state election. His 2025 federal result of 14.35% cleared the federal 4% mark, but that is a federal entitlement and does not carry over to this state contest; the Greens' 2022 Bellarine candidate also cleared 4% with 11.74%.