Legislative Assembly · District of Polwarth
Anna Malcolm
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Polwarth›
Polwarth is a Liberal-held seat covering the Geelong hinterland, Surf Coast, Otways and Colac region, held by Richard Riordan since a 2015 by-election. In 2022 he won 42.5% of first preferences and 51.8% to 48.2% two-party-preferred against Labor's Hutch Hussein, a margin under two points; the seat has been held by conservative parties for more than a century. The 2026 field is four candidates: Riordan, Hussein (recontesting), the Greens' Jesse Holden and One Nation's Anna Malcolm. The Tally Room says Labor is unlikely to win but One Nation may have hopes.
Background
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
Restoring academic fundamentals in regional schools, cutting state taxes and red tape for business and agriculture, housing and planning reform, and regional roads and public transport.
Wants to bring "an energetic, common-sense voice to Parliament that puts local families, primary producers, and regional prosperity first".
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 to cut state taxes and ease energy and compliance burdens on business and agriculture.
The One Nation Victoria platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would remove insurance duty on premiums and end renewable subsidies.
Crime and community safety
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Housing affordability and supply
Names planning reform, infrastructure for land releases and lower tax hurdles as housing priorities.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would ban foreign ownership of residential property.
State government debt and fiscal management
Wants to cut state taxes and reduce red tape.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Wants funding for regional road repairs and reliable 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
Wants to restore academic fundamentals in regional schools and fix neglected school infrastructure.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would establish elected school boards with a parent majority.
Health and healthcare access
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Urban planning and housing density
Wants planning reform to support housing and land releases.
Climate and energy transition
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Regional and rural Victoria
Argues regional Victoria receives inadequate state funding compared with Melbourne and wants a voice for "local families, primary producers, and regional prosperity".
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 themes sit within One Nation's statewide platform. SSelf-stated — ON-AM, ET-ON-POLICYOne Nation Victoria, "Anna Malcolm for Polwarth"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "One Nation policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
Her profile mentions no prior campaign. SSelf-stated — ON-AMOne Nation Victoria, "Anna Malcolm for Polwarth"View source
She is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Polwarth results. VVerified — WIKI-POL-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Polwarth"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.
Malcolm has not previously contested an election, so she has no funding entitlement from an earlier contest. One Nation did not field a Polwarth candidate in 2018 or 2022.