Legislative Assembly · District of Cranbourne
Reem Yunis
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Cranbourne›
The Legislative Assembly district of Cranbourne covers the suburbs of Cranbourne, Cranbourne East, Cranbourne West, Botanic Ridge and Junction Village, plus parts of Clyde, Clyde North, Cranbourne South and Devon Meadows, southeast of Melbourne. It has been held by Labor's Pauline Richards since the 2018 election. At the 2022 election Richards was re-elected with 53.72% of the two-candidate-preferred vote against the Liberal candidate — a margin of roughly 22 points.
Background
Her Victorian Socialists profile describes her as a high-school teacher of 26 years' experience. SSelf-stated — VS-RYVictorian Socialists, "Reem Yunis"View source
A search summary of party material says she has been a member of and activist in the Australian Education Union throughout her time in public schools, and began teaching in 2001. RReported — VS-DUNKLEYVictorian Socialists, "VS to run Palestinian-Australian activist Reem Yunis in Dunkley by-election"View source
Her profile says only that she is running in Cranbourne; no residence is stated.
Grew up in the Palestinian diaspora in Kuwait and Jordan and migrated to Australia with her family in 1992, per a search summary of party material. RReported — VS-DUNKLEYVictorian Socialists, "VS to run Palestinian-Australian activist Reem Yunis in Dunkley 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.
Cost-of-living relief (groceries and rent), more funding for schools, childcare and healthcare, and curbing corporate profiteering by banks and supermarkets.
Redirecting military spending to public services, returning public services to public management, fair pay for workers, and opposing Israel's military actions in Gaza.
"I'm sick of a political system that works for no one but the super-rich."
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 groceries and rent among her main cost-of-living concerns and wants to stop profiteering by banks and supermarkets.
Local coverage of 24 July 2026 reports her calling for cheaper groceries, free school lunches and cheaper public transport.
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
A summary of the party's policing policy says it would raise the age of criminal responsibility to 16; nothing is attributed to Yunis personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Names rent as a cost-of-living concern.
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.
State government debt and fiscal management
Wants military spending redirected to public services.
The party's fiscal policy centres on new revenue including a 10% annual billionaire wealth tax.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Called for cheaper public transport, per local coverage.
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 teacher of 26 years, she wants more funding for schools and childcare.
Calls for free school lunches, per local coverage.
A summary of the party's education policy says it would provide universal preschool and childcare and end NAPLAN testing.
Health and healthcare access
Wants more funding for healthcare and public services returned to public management.
A summary of the party's health policy says it would fully fund public healthcare and expand free community clinics.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Called for bringing the privatised electricity system back into public hands, per local coverage.
A summary of the party's energy policies says it would move to 100% publicly owned renewable energy.
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 Yunis 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.
Yunis runs on the Victorian Socialists' statewide platform, and her priorities match it. SSelf-stated — VS-RY, VS-POLICIESVictorian Socialists, "Reem Yunis"View sourceVictorian Socialists, "Policies"View source
No point of divergence was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
She stood for the Victorian Socialists at the 2024 Dunkley federal by-election, receiving 1,529 votes (1.68% of the primary vote). VVerified — WIKI-DUNKLEYWikipedia, "2024 Dunkley by-election"View source
Her 2026 candidate profile does not mention the Dunkley candidacy.
She is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Cranbourne results, where no Victorian Socialists candidate is listed. VVerified — WIKI-CRAN-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Cranbourne"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.
Yunis polled 1.68% at the 2024 Dunkley federal by-election, below the federal threshold, and has not contested a Victorian election before, so she has no state funding entitlement from an earlier contest.