Legislative Assembly · District of Gippsland East
Gemma Rendell
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Gippsland East›
Gippsland East is Victoria's third-largest electorate by area (about 27,544 sq km), covering all of East Gippsland Shire and the northern part of Wellington Shire, including Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance, Orbost, Omeo, Maffra, Heyfield, Bruthen, Buchan, Cann River and Mallacoota. It sits in the Eastern Victoria Legislative Council region. The Country/National Party held it from 1920 to 1999, independent Craig Ingram from 1999 to 2010, and the Nationals' Tim Bull from 2010; in 2022 Bull won 63.3% of first preferences and 74.6% to 25.4% two-party-preferred over Labor. Bull announced in May 2026 that he will not recontest, so the seat is open. The 2026 field is five candidates: the Nationals' Gemma Rendell, Labor's Sonny Stephens, the Greens' Ash Munro, One Nation's Steve Goodman and the Victorian Socialists' Amy Espeseth. The Tally Room says One Nation will be hoping to win the seat.
Background
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
Lower inflation and a stronger economy, cheaper energy, affordable housing, safer communities, better regional healthcare and fair funding for regional Victoria.
Wants better roads, hospitals, emergency services and local infrastructure.
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 lower inflation, a stronger economy and cheaper energy as priorities.
Crime and community safety
Names safer communities as a priority.
The Coalition's bail and sentencing policy, per the ABC, would automatically deny bail to reoffenders under a one-strike rule.
Housing affordability and supply
Names affordable housing as a priority.
The Coalition would lift the first-home buyer threshold to remove stamp duty on homes up to $1 million, per a housing-policy comparison.
State government debt and fiscal management
Wants lower inflation and a stronger economy, and fair funding distribution for regional Victoria.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Wants better roads and local infrastructure.
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
Is a teacher who wants young people in the region to develop skills for success.
Health and healthcare access
Names better regional healthcare and hospitals as priorities.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Names cheaper energy as a priority.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Regional and rural Victoria
Wants fair funding for regional Victoria and says "it feels like we are banging our heads against a wall and no-one is listening to us in the State Government".
Is a farmer who shows that prosperity is achievable through regional living and work.
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.
Her priorities match the Nationals' regional-funding messaging. SSelf-stated — NAT-RENDELL-PAGEThe Nationals Victoria, "Candidates - Gemma Rendell"View source
Coalition costings on other issues could not be retrieved.
Track record & prior candidacies
No earlier election candidacy was found, so this appears to be her first.
She is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Gippsland East results; the Nationals' candidate at both was Tim Bull (56.7% in 2018, 63.3% in 2022). VVerified — WIKI-GE-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Gippsland East"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.
Rendell has not previously contested an election. The Nationals' 2022 Gippsland East candidate polled 63.3% and won the seat.