Legislative Assembly · District of Bendigo West
Tayne Shalevski
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Bendigo West›
Bendigo West covers about 1,524 km² centred on the city of Bendigo, including Castlemaine, Maldon, Eaglehawk, Golden Square and Kangaroo Flat. It has been a safe Labor seat almost continuously since 1924, apart from a single Liberal term from 1992 to 1996. At the 2022 election, sitting Labor MP Maree Edwards won re-election with a two-party-preferred margin of 14.6% (64.6% to 35.4%) over the Liberal candidate. Edwards announced on 27–28 August 2026 that she will not recontest the seat in 2026, and Labor announced health policy professional Brenton Baldwin as its replacement candidate on 18 September 2026.
Background
Works as a foreman for a building company, and has worked in construction across regional Victoria, per his Victorian Socialists profile. SSelf-stated — VS-SHALEVSKIVictorian Socialists, "Tayne Shalevski"View source
The employer is not named, and no union membership is stated.
Says he has campaigned against racism at events, organised and spoke at Palestine solidarity protests, and ran for a council seat in a by-election. SSelf-stated — VS-SHALEVSKIVictorian Socialists, "Tayne Shalevski"View source
He was one of eight candidates in the March 2026 Lockwood Ward by-election for City of Greater Bendigo. VVerified — BA-LOCKWOOD, VEC-GBENDIGO-BYELECTIONBendigo Advertiser, "Find out which candidate is leading in the Lockwood Ward by-election"View sourceVictorian Electoral Commission, "Candidates announced for Greater Bendigo City Council postal by-election"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.
Addressing inequality that affects workers, and holding major developers, property investors, banks and supermarket chains to account.
Offering "a radical voice, fighting for the demands of working-class people".
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 banks and supermarket chains among the groups he wants held to account.
The party's fiscal policy would fund services with a 10% annual wealth tax on billionaires, a 20% bank profits tax and a 20% super-profits tax on retailers earning over $100 million.
Crime and community safety
Says he has campaigned against racism.
The party's policing policy would raise the age of criminal responsibility to 16, presume bail for all offences and hold a Royal Commission into policing and corruption.
Housing affordability and supply
Names major developers and property investors as targets for accountability.
The party's housing policy would cut all residential rents 25% then freeze them for five years, and build at least 15,000 public housing units a year for ten years.
It would also tax vacant residential land at 30% of value and ban owning more than five properties.
State government debt and fiscal management
The party's fiscal policy focuses on new revenue, including a 10% annual billionaire wealth tax and doubled payroll tax on firms with wages over $5 million.
No position on state debt levels was found, and nothing on it is attributed to Shalevski.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
A summary of the party's transport policy says it would make public transport free and upgrade regional rail; nothing is attributed to Shalevski 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
A summary of the party's education policy says it would provide universal preschool and childcare and end NAPLAN testing; nothing is attributed to Shalevski personally.
Health and healthcare access
A summary of the party's health policy says it would fully fund public healthcare and expand free community clinics; nothing is attributed to Shalevski personally.
Urban planning and housing density
A summary of the party's planning policy says it would end public land sales and require developers to fund community amenities, echoing his call to hold developers to account.
Climate and energy transition
The party's energy policy would move to a 100% renewable grid through public investment and cap household bills; nothing is attributed to Shalevski personally.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
A summary of the party's First Nations policy says it wants a treaty with material change beyond symbolic recognition; nothing is attributed to Shalevski personally.
Regional and rural Victoria
As a construction worker across regional Victoria, his profile frames his politics around workers outside the city.
A summary of the party's rural policy says it would rebuild regional transport, secure jobs and end rural worker exploitation.
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.
Shalevski runs on the Victorian Socialists' statewide platform, and his priorities (workers, developers, banks, supermarkets) match it. SSelf-stated — VS-SHALEVSKI, VS-POLICIESVictorian Socialists, "Tayne Shalevski"View sourceVictorian Socialists, "Policies"View source
No point of divergence was found. His personal statements are brief, so most positions above are the party's, not his.
Track record & prior candidacies
Stood in the March 2026 Lockwood Ward by-election for City of Greater Bendigo, receiving 422 first preferences (5.10%) in the count reported on 8 April 2026, well behind leader Donna Nicholas on 22.7%; not elected. RReported — BA-LOCKWOOD, VEC-GBENDIGO-BYELECTIONBendigo Advertiser, "Find out which candidate is leading in the Lockwood Ward by-election"View sourceVictorian Electoral Commission, "Candidates announced for Greater Bendigo City Council postal by-election"View source
He is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Bendigo West state results. VVerified — WIKI-BWEST-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Bendigo West"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.
Shalevski has not previously contested a state election, so he has no state funding entitlement from an earlier contest. His 2026 council by-election run does not count towards state funding.