Legislative Assembly · District of Bundoora
Colin Brooks
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Bundoora›
Bundoora is a Legislative Assembly district of 35.32 km² in Melbourne's north-east, covering the suburbs of Bundoora, Kingsbury, Watsonia and Watsonia North plus parts of Greensborough, Macleod, Mill Park and Yallambie, and includes La Trobe University's main campus. It has been a safe Labor seat since its creation in 1976. At the 2022 election Colin Brooks was re-elected with a comfortable margin consistent with the seat's history.
Background
Member for Bundoora and, per his parliamentary profile, Treasurer and Minister for Industrial Relations. VVerified — PARL-BROOKSParliament of Victoria, "Colin Brooks - Member profile"View source
Before parliament he worked as an electrician on railways and building sites and as a service technician, then as an electorate officer and adviser. VVerified — PARL-BROOKSParliament of Victoria, "Colin Brooks - Member profile"View source
Wikipedia dates his electrical work to 1990-96 and his electorate officer role from 1996. RReported — WIKI-BROOKSWikipedia, "Colin Brooks"View source
Served on Banyule City Council from 1997 to 2005, and was Mayor in 1998-99 and 2001-02. RReported — WIKI-BROOKSWikipedia, "Colin Brooks"View source
Was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 2017 to 2022, resigning the role on his first ministerial appointment. RReported — WIKI-BROOKS, PARL-BROOKSWikipedia, "Colin Brooks"View sourceParliament of Victoria, "Colin Brooks - Member profile"View source
Wikipedia lists membership of the Australian Workers Union and alignment with Labor's Right faction. RReported — WIKI-BROOKSWikipedia, "Colin Brooks"View source
Has represented Bundoora since November 2006, with an electorate office at 1320 Plenty Road, Bundoora. VVerified — PARL-BROOKSParliament of Victoria, "Colin Brooks - Member profile"View source
Born in Sydney in 1970, and educated at De La Salle College Ashfield and Petersham TAFE. RReported — WIKI-BROOKSWikipedia, "Colin Brooks"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.
"Education is the key to our future, providing opportunity for every single Victorian from their first day at preschool, through our schools to an apprenticeship at TAFE or degree at university."
Job creation in renewable energy, and ensuring all Victorians share in the state's prosperity.
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
Labor's 2026 platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes a vehicle registration rebate of up to $186, half-price public transport fares from June to December 2026 and free midday electricity from October 2026; nothing is attributed to Brooks personally on it.
Crime and community safety
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes a tougher bail regime from 31 March 2026; nothing is attributed to Brooks personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Was Minister for Housing and Multicultural Affairs from December 2022 to October 2023.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes an $860 million Social Housing Growth Fund.
State government debt and fiscal management
As Treasurer since 4 August 2026 he holds responsibility for the state budget and its debt.
The May 2026 budget delivered by his predecessor projects net debt rising to $199.3 billion by mid-2030, per press coverage.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, projects operating surpluses of $700 million in 2025-26 and $1 billion in 2026-27, with debt declining as a share of state product from 2026-27.
No personal statement by Brooks on debt was found beyond his role.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $1.04 billion for roads, 70% regional; nothing is attributed to Brooks 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
Says "education is the key to our future", from preschool through schools to TAFE and university.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $5.5 billion of new education investment in 2026-27, continued Free Kinder and the Free TAFE guarantee.
Health and healthcare access
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $3.9 billion of new health investment in 2026-27; nothing is attributed to Brooks personally.
Urban planning and housing density
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, favours housing near transport corridors; nothing is attributed to Brooks personally.
Climate and energy transition
Names job creation in renewable energy as part of his vision.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, targets 65% renewables by 2030 and 95% by 2035.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, cites implementation of the Statewide Treaty Act 2025 and the Gellung Warl body; nothing is attributed to Brooks 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.
On 2 April 2026 he recognised the Mill Park Tamil Seniors Social Club in a members' statement, a local community group in Melbourne's northern suburbs. VVerified — HANSARD-BROOKS-020426Parliament of Victoria, "Hansard, Legislative Assembly — Thursday 2 April 2026"View source
On 30 July 2026 he paid tribute to local manufacturer Michael Bourchier, co-founder of Amiga Engineering, in a members' statement. VVerified — HANSARD-BROOKS-300726Parliament of Victoria, "Hansard, Legislative Assembly — Thursday 30 July 2026"View source
Brooks is a senior minister campaigning on Labor's record and platform, with education and renewable-energy jobs as his own stated themes. SSelf-stated — PARL-BROOKSParliament of Victoria, "Colin Brooks - Member profile"View source
No point of divergence from the party was found. The sources reviewed hold no specific Hansard speeches on debt or industrial relations from him since his August appointment.
Track record & prior candidacies
Member for Bundoora since 25 November 2006, re-elected in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022. VVerified — PARL-BROOKS, WIKI-BUNDOORA-RESULTSParliament of Victoria, "Colin Brooks - Member profile"View sourceWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Bundoora"View source
Banyule City Council, 1997-2005, including two terms as Mayor. RReported — WIKI-BROOKSWikipedia, "Colin Brooks"View source
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, 2017-2022. RReported — WIKI-BROOKSWikipedia, "Colin Brooks"View source
Minister for Child Protection and Family Services, and Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, June-December 2022; Minister for Housing and Multicultural Affairs, December 2022-October 2023. RReported — WIKI-BROOKSWikipedia, "Colin Brooks"View source
Treasurer and Minister for Industrial Relations from 4 August 2026. VVerified — PARL-BROOKS, MANDURA-RESHUFFLEParliament of Victoria, "Colin Brooks - Member profile"View sourceAustralian Associated Press via Mandurah Mail, "Treasurer swap as Victorian premier reshuffles cabinet"View source
Delivered members' statements in 2026 on local groups and manufacturers, including the Mill Park Tamil Seniors Social Club (2 April) and Michael Bourchier (30 July). VVerified — HANSARD-BROOKS-020426, HANSARD-BROOKS-300726Parliament of Victoria, "Hansard, Legislative Assembly — Thursday 2 April 2026"View sourceParliament of Victoria, "Hansard, Legislative Assembly — Thursday 30 July 2026"View source
A search summary of Hansard also describes him as Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing and Creative Industries before the August reshuffle; this was not cross-checked. RReported — HANSARD-BROOKS-300726Parliament of Victoria, "Hansard, Legislative Assembly — Thursday 30 July 2026"View source
Won Bundoora at the 2022 election with 47.8% of first preferences and 62.7% two-candidate-preferred against the Liberals' Sahil Tomar; he also won in 2018 with 56.2%. VVerified — WIKI-BUNDOORA-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Bundoora"View source
No unsuccessful candidacy was found.
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.
As the sitting member, Brooks met the "elected" limb of the test at the 2022 election, so his Bundoora campaign qualified for public funding.