Legislative Assembly · District of Frankston
Paul Stafford
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Frankston›
Frankston is a Labor-held but historically volatile seat on Melbourne's south-eastern/Mornington Peninsula fringe, having swung between Liberal, Labor and an independent (Geoff Shaw) multiple times since the 1960s. Paul Edbrooke has held it for Labor since 2014 and won a roughly 8.7-point two-candidate-preferred margin in 2022. He was promoted to cabinet in an April 2026 reshuffle (Minister for Consumer Affairs, Cost of Living, Renters, and the state's first-ever Minister for Men and Boys), then reassigned in a second reshuffle in early August 2026 — after Jacinta Allan resigned as Premier on 28 July 2026 and Ben Carroll succeeded her — to Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Crime Prevention, and Minister for Multicultural Affairs; the Men and Boys portfolio was abolished in that reshuffle. His continued cabinet role through two reshuffles is a strong signal he intends to recontest. Update (2026-09-23): Liberal candidate Bree Ambry and Greens candidate Katie Goulas have both since been confirmed for Frankston, alongside independent Chrysten Abraham and Animal Justice's Julie Harman, giving 2026 a six-candidate field matching or exceeding the 2022 contest.
Background
Is a business owner who has run his own business in Victoria for the past decade, managing teams and financial operations, per his One Nation profile. SSelf-stated — ON-STAFFORDOne Nation Victoria, "Paul Stafford — One Nation candidate for Frankston"View source
Says he has worked with major Australian hospitality and entertainment companies and recently completed accounting qualifications during COVID. SSelf-stated — ON-STAFFORDOne Nation Victoria, "Paul Stafford — One Nation candidate for Frankston"View source
His business and employers are not named, and his history was not independently confirmed.
Says he is involved with local charities, including the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride for Frankston and the Peninsula. SSelf-stated — ON-STAFFORDOne Nation Victoria, "Paul Stafford — One Nation candidate for Frankston"View source
No council term, party office or public appointment was found.
A father of three who arrived from the UK in the late 1980s after hospitality training and has lived in Victoria since the late 1990s. SSelf-stated — ON-STAFFORDOne Nation Victoria, "Paul Stafford — One Nation candidate for Frankston"View source
Bayside News says he had brewery experience before moving. RReported — BAYSIDE-STAFFORDBayside News, "One Nation enters Frankston contest"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.
"I want to restore Australia's 'can-do' spirit. One that rewards hard work, respects Australian culture and gives people the opportunity to build a better future."
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
The One Nation Victoria platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would remove insurance duty on premiums and end renewable subsidies; nothing is attributed to Stafford personally.
Crime and community safety
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would tighten bail and sentencing for repeat youth offenders and expand youth detention capacity; nothing is attributed to Stafford personally.
Housing affordability and supply
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would ban foreign ownership of residential property and speed land releases; nothing is attributed to Stafford personally.
State government debt and fiscal management
Has managed finances in his own business and completed accounting qualifications.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would run a comprehensive spending review and phase out payroll tax.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would cap spending on high-profile projects; nothing is attributed to Stafford 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
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would establish elected school boards with a parent majority; nothing is attributed to Stafford personally.
Health and healthcare access
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would offer GP incentives in shortage areas; nothing is attributed to Stafford personally.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, opposes Net Zero by 2050 and would end new renewable subsidies; nothing is attributed to Stafford personally.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would oppose and repeal Victoria's Statewide Treaty framework; nothing is attributed to Stafford 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.
Stafford's stated values (hard work, Australian culture, opportunity) sit within One Nation's statewide themes, but his profile contains almost no policy. SSelf-stated — ON-STAFFORD, ON-VIC-PLATFORMOne Nation Victoria, "Paul Stafford — One Nation candidate for Frankston"View sourceOne Nation Victoria, "Victoria, it's time to take our state back"View source
No point of divergence was found; nearly all positions above are the party's, not his.
Track record & prior candidacies
His profile mentions no prior campaign, and none was found.
He is not among the candidates in the 2022 Frankston result. VVerified — WIKI-FRANKSTON-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Frankston"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.
Stafford has not previously contested an election, so he has no funding entitlement from an earlier contest.