Legislative Assembly · District of Footscray
Jasmine Duff
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Footscray›
Footscray is a Labor-held seat in Melbourne's inner west (Footscray, Maidstone, Maribyrnong, Seddon, West Footscray and parts of Yarraville), held by Labor since the district was recreated in 1927. Katie Hall has held it since 2018. At the 2022 election she won 43.1% of first preferences and 54.2% to 45.8% against the Greens' Elena Pereyra after preferences, a margin of about 8.5 points, and The Tally Room calls Labor vulnerable to the Greens. The 2026 field is six candidates: Labor's Hall, the Greens' Pereyra (recontesting), the Victorian Socialists' Jasmine Duff, One Nation's Alexander Lopez, the West Party's Minh Quan Nguyen and independent Jess Marsh; no Liberal candidate is listed, although the Liberals stood in 2022.
Background
Is a former NSW State Emergency Service worker, including disaster response during floods. SSelf-stated — VS-DUFFVictorian Socialists, "Jasmine Duff"View source
Says she has fought to save Victorian public housing from privatisation and helped defend more than 80 Altona residents threatened with eviction by Hobsons Bay Council. SSelf-stated — VS-DUFFVictorian Socialists, "Jasmine Duff"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.
A mass increase in public homes, fare-free public transport, free childcare, and welfare above the poverty line.
"Real change always comes from the bottom up."
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
Wants welfare raised above the poverty line.
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 Duff personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Calls for a "mass increase of public homes and funding to housing organisations" and opposes public housing privatisation.
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
The party's fiscal policy centres on new revenue including a 10% annual billionaire wealth tax; nothing on debt levels is attributed to Duff.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Backs fare-free public transport and infrastructure for Melbourne's west including hospitals, schools, green spaces and public transport.
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
Backs unlimited access to free childcare.
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 hospitals built in Melbourne's west.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Names climate action as a priority.
A summary of the party's energy policies says it would move to 100% publicly owned renewable energy.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Names Indigenous justice as a priority.
A summary of the party's First Nations policy says it wants a treaty with material change beyond symbolic recognition.
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.
Duff runs on the Victorian Socialists' statewide platform, and her priorities match it. SSelf-stated — VS-DUFF, VS-POLICIESVictorian Socialists, "Jasmine Duff"View sourceVictorian Socialists, "Policies"View source
No point of divergence was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
Her profile mentions no prior candidacy. SSelf-stated — VS-DUFFVictorian Socialists, "Jasmine Duff"View source
She is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Footscray results; the Victorian Socialists' 2022 candidate was Jorge Jorquera (9.34%). VVerified — WIKI-FOOTSCRAY-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Footscray"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.
Duff has not previously contested an election, so she has no funding entitlement from an earlier contest. The Victorian Socialists' 2022 Footscray candidate polled 9.34%, above the 4% mark.