Legislative Assembly · District of Ripon
Jo Armstrong
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Ripon›
Ripon is a Labor-held marginal seat in western Victoria, and a genuine three-cornered Coalition contest in 2026. Labor's Martha Haylett won it in 2022 with 38.5% of first preferences and 53.0% two-party-preferred against the Liberals' Louise Staley, and is recontesting against the Nationals' Jo Armstrong and the Liberals' Megan Read (who replaced Andrew Kilmartin after his Huntington's-disease-related withdrawal). The Greens' Tim Drylie, One Nation's Donna Buxton and the Victorian Socialists' Taylah Brennan-Jones are also standing, and The Tally Room says Labor's hold is far from solid and could fall to either the Nationals or One Nation.
Background
Served a decade on Ararat Rural City Council as Councillor, Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and was to step down as Victorian Nationals President in May. SSelf-stated — NATS-ARMSTRONGThe Nationals Victoria, "Jo Armstrong — Candidate for Ripon"View source
The party says she "delivered real outcomes for her community" through her mayoral work. SSelf-stated — NATS-ARMSTRONGThe Nationals Victoria, "Jo Armstrong — Candidate for Ripon"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.
"The rising cost of living, increasing crime, roads riddled with potholes, and a worsening housing shortage."
Wants to be "a strong local leader who will stand up for our communities".
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 the rising cost of living as a priority and cites the Nationals' commitment to tax cuts and cost-of-living relief.
Crime and community safety
Names increasing crime as a priority and cites the Nationals' commitment to reducing it.
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 a worsening housing shortage as a priority and cites the Nationals' commitment to housing development.
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
Cites the Nationals' commitment to tax cuts.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Names "roads riddled with potholes" as a priority and cites the Nationals' commitment to road improvements.
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
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Health and healthcare access
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Regional and rural Victoria
Is a farmer and former Nationals president who argues local voters want change from the Labor government.
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' stated commitments on tax cuts, crime, roads and housing. SSelf-stated — NATS-ARMSTRONGThe Nationals Victoria, "Jo Armstrong — Candidate for Ripon"View source
Ripon is a three-cornered Coalition contest, and no statement on how she differs from the Liberal candidate was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
No earlier state candidacy was found; council elections are not covered in the sources reviewed.
She is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Ripon results, where the Nationals did not field a candidate. VVerified — WIKI-RIPON-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Ripon"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.
Armstrong has not previously contested a state election, and the Nationals did not stand in Ripon in 2022. She would qualify if she reaches 4% of first preferences.