Legislative Assembly · District of Clarinda
Meng Heang Tak
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Clarinda›
Clarinda is a Legislative Assembly district in Melbourne's south-east, covering all or part of Clarinda, Clayton, Springvale, Heatherton, Mentone, Dingley Village and Cheltenham, spanning about 45 km² within the South-Eastern Metropolitan Region. The district was created for the 2014 state election, and Labor has held it continuously since. Sitting member Meng Heang Tak retained the seat at the 2022 election with a two-party-preferred margin of 10.2% (60.2% to 39.8%), down from 14.9% in 2018.
Background
Before parliament he worked as a suburban legal practitioner for more than a decade and as an SBS broadcaster on Khmer-language programs. VVerified — PARLParliament of Victoria, "Meng Heang Tak - Parliament of Victoria"View source
Wikipedia records that he worked as a lawyer in Melbourne's south-east and as a broadcaster for SBS Radio. RReported — WIKI-TAKWikipedia, "Meng Heang Tak"View source
Served on the City of Greater Dandenong council from 2012 to 2018, and was Mayor of Greater Dandenong in 2015-2016. VVerified — PARLParliament of Victoria, "Meng Heang Tak - Parliament of Victoria"View source
Wikipedia dates his council term to October 2012-November 2018 (Paperbark Ward) and his mayoralty to November 2015-November 2016. RReported — WIKI-TAKWikipedia, "Meng Heang Tak"View source
Reported as an advocate for human rights in Cambodia who attended pro-democracy protests against Hun Sen, and who received an anonymous threat letter before the 2023 Cambodian elections that Victoria Police investigated. RReported — WIKI-TAKWikipedia, "Meng Heang Tak"View source
Lives in Springvale with his wife and children; his electorate office is at Level 1, 1312 Centre Road, Clayton South. VVerified — PARLParliament of Victoria, "Meng Heang Tak - Parliament of Victoria"View source
Says he is proud to represent one of Victoria's most culturally and linguistically diverse communities. SSelf-stated — TAK-SITEMeng Heang Tak MP, "About Meng Heang Tak"View source
Completed a double degree in Arts and Laws, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and a Graduate Certificate in Migration Law. VVerified — PARLParliament of Victoria, "Meng Heang Tak - Parliament of Victoria"View source
Migrated from Cambodia at 16 and attended the English Language School at Westall Secondary and Heatherhill Secondary College. VVerified — PARLParliament of Victoria, "Meng Heang Tak - Parliament of Victoria"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.
His own site emphasises representing Clarinda's multicultural community, which spans Clarinda, Clayton South, Dingley, Heatherton and parts of Cheltenham, Keysborough, Mentone, Noble Park, Oakleigh South and Springvale South.
No personal policy priority list was found on his site or parliamentary profile.
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 Tak personally.
Crime and community safety
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes the 2025 bail law changes; nothing is attributed to Tak personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, is built around the Big Housing Build; nothing is attributed to Tak personally.
State government debt and fiscal management
On 4 June 2026 he moved by leave that the House note that the Coalition's national plan for regional funding would cut funding to Victorian public services, per a search summary of that day's Hansard.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $1.04 billion for roads; nothing is attributed to Tak 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
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $5.5 billion of new education investment in 2026-27 and the Free TAFE guarantee; nothing is attributed to Tak personally.
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 Tak personally.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, targets 65% renewables by 2030 and 95% by 2035; nothing is attributed to Tak personally.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, cites implementation of the Statewide Treaty Act 2025; nothing is attributed to Tak 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.
Multiculturalism is his most visible local theme: a search summary of the 18 February 2026 Hansard has him wishing Lunar New Year celebrants well. RReported — HANSARD-TAK-180226Parliament of Victoria, "Hansard, Legislative Assembly — Wednesday 18 February 2026"View source
On 26 August 2026 he told the House he had joined the Premier at a multicultural gala dinner and was proud to represent one of Victoria's most diverse communities. RReported — HANSARD-TAK-260826Parliament of Victoria, "Hansard, Legislative Assembly — Wednesday 26 August 2026"View source
As a backbench member Tak's recorded Hansard contributions are mostly members' statements and one motion, so few positions on individual issues could be found beyond Labor's platform.
Wikipedia reports that he moved from Labor Right to Labor Left shortly after the 2022 election, together with six colleagues. RReported — WIKI-TAKWikipedia, "Meng Heang Tak"View source
Track record & prior candidacies
Member for Clarinda since his election on 24 November 2018, re-elected in 2022. VVerified — PARL, WIKI-CLARINDA-RESULTSParliament of Victoria, "Meng Heang Tak - Parliament of Victoria"View sourceWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Clarinda"View source
Greater Dandenong councillor 2012-2018 and mayor 2015-2016. VVerified — PARLParliament of Victoria, "Meng Heang Tak - Parliament of Victoria"View source
Moved by leave on 4 June 2026 that the House note the national plan for regional funding would cut funding to Victorian public services. RReported — HANSARD-TAK-040626Parliament of Victoria, "Hansard, Legislative Assembly — Thursday 4 June 2026"View source
Reported as a Cambodia human-rights advocate who received an anonymous threat letter before the 2023 Cambodian elections. RReported — WIKI-TAKWikipedia, "Meng Heang Tak"View source
Won Clarinda in 2018 with 55.55% of first preferences and 67.43% two-party-preferred over the Liberals' Gandhi Bevinakoppa. VVerified — WIKI-CLARINDA-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Clarinda"View source
Won again in 2022 with 45.5% of first preferences and 60.2% two-party-preferred over the Liberals' Anthony Richardson. VVerified — WIKI-CLARINDA-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Clarinda"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.
As the sitting member, Tak met the "elected" limb of the test at the 2022 election, so his Clarinda campaign qualified for public funding.