Legislative Assembly · District of Macedon
Annette Death
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Macedon›
Macedon covers Gisborne, Kyneton, Woodend, Riddells Creek and the wider Macedon Ranges, and has been Labor-held since it was created in 2002 to replace Gisborne. Mary-Anne Thomas, member since 2014 and a senior minister, won it in 2022 with 41.4% of first preferences and 59.5% two-party-preferred against the Liberals' Dominic Bonanno, and has announced she will not recontest. The 2026 contest is open, and pits two former Macedon Ranges Shire mayors against each other: Labor's Annette Death and the Liberals' Kate Kendall. The other candidates found are the Greens' Marley McRae McLeod, the Victorian Socialists' Catherine Wilson and the Animal Justice Party's Natalie Korinfsky. No One Nation candidate had been named at the time of the latest local coverage.
Background
Was a Macedon Ranges Shire councillor from 2020 to 2024 and mayor in 2023-2024. RReported — MIDLAND-DEATHMidland Express, "Former Macedon Ranges mayor Annette Death announced as Labor candidate for Macedon" (19 June 2026)View source
Has been a Labor Party member for nearly 20 years. RReported — MIDLAND-DEATHMidland Express, "Former Macedon Ranges mayor Annette Death announced as Labor candidate for Macedon" (19 June 2026)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.
Education, healthcare, infrastructure, housing affordability and managing population growth, with a collaborative approach to planning and development.
Says she knows "the key issues facing people across the Macedon electorate" and feels ready.
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.
Crime and community safety
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes the 2025 bail law changes.
Housing affordability and supply
Names housing affordability among the key issues.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, is built around the Big Housing Build.
State government debt and fiscal management
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, projects operating surpluses of $700 million in 2025-26 and $1 billion in 2026-27.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Names infrastructure among the key issues.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $1.04 billion for roads.
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
Names education among the key issues facing people across the Macedon electorate.
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.
Health and healthcare access
Names healthcare among the key issues, and has a public-policy background at St Vincent's Health.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $3.9 billion of new health investment in 2026-27.
Urban planning and housing density
Names managing population growth and collaborative planning and development as key concerns.
Climate and energy transition
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, targets 65% renewables by 2030 and 95% by 2035.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, cites implementation of the Statewide Treaty Act 2025.
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.
Track record & prior candidacies
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.
Death has not previously contested a state election. Labor's 2022 Macedon candidate was elected with 41.4% of first preferences.