Legislative Assembly · District of Melton
Matthew Katselis
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Melton›
Melton is a Labor-held outer-western-suburbs seat that becomes an open contest in 2026: sitting MP Steve McGhie, a former paramedic and ambulance union official who has held the seat since 2018, announced in September 2025 that he will not recontest. Labor has preselected local teacher Broden Borg, who grew up in Melton and attended Melton Secondary College. The Liberal candidate is Jarrod Bingham; the Greens' candidate is Veronika Levchenkova, a local mother of four and community organiser. The 2026 field is seven candidates: Labor's Broden Borg, the Liberals' Jarrod Bingham, the Greens' Veronika Levchenkova, Family First's Marlene West, One Nation's Matthew Katselis, the Animal Justice Party's Fiona Adin-Jones and the New Democrats' Jasleen Kaur. At the 2022 election McGhie won 37.7% of first preferences and 54.6% two-party-preferred.
Background
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
Crime prevention and community safety; roads, public transport and bus connections; protecting families and seniors; and a dignified retirement for seniors.
"People in Melton work hard and contribute to Victoria. They deserve a government that delivers."
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
Says people in Melton face rising costs and that housing affordability for young families matters.
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 Katselis personally.
Crime and community safety
Names crime prevention and community safety as his first priority and protecting families and seniors.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would tighten bail and sentencing for repeat youth offenders.
Housing affordability and supply
Names housing affordability for young families as a priority.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would ban foreign ownership of residential property; nothing is attributed to Katselis personally.
State government debt and fiscal management
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Names roads, public transport and bus connections as priorities, and cites congestion.
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
Wants to safeguard children from "harmful ideologies".
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would establish elected school boards with a parent majority; nothing is attributed to Katselis personally.
Health and healthcare access
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Urban planning and housing density
Cites planning issues among the pressures on working Victorians.
Climate and energy transition
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, opposes Net Zero by 2050; nothing is attributed to Katselis 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 Katselis 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.
His themes sit within One Nation's statewide platform. SSelf-stated — ON-MK, ET-ON-POLICYOne Nation Victoria, "Matthew Katselis for Melton"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "One Nation policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
His profile mentions no prior campaign. SSelf-stated — ON-MKOne Nation Victoria, "Matthew Katselis for Melton"View source
He is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Melton results. VVerified — WIKI-MELTON-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Melton"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.
Katselis has not previously contested an election, so he has no funding entitlement from an earlier contest. One Nation did not field a Melton candidate in 2018 or 2022.