Legislative Assembly · District of Ripon
Martha Haylett
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
Spent her working life in housing and community development, leading grassroots campaigns for more social and affordable housing that culminated in the $5.3 billion Big Housing Build, and delivering employment support. VVerified — PARL-HAYLETTParliament of Victoria, "Martha Haylett — Member profile"View source
Wikipedia says she worked as an adviser to Premier Daniel Andrews. RReported — WIKI-HAYLETTWikipedia, "Martha Haylett"View source
Describes herself as a proud country Victorian; her electorate office is at 177 High Street, Maryborough. VVerified — PARL-HAYLETTParliament of Victoria, "Martha Haylett — Member profile"View source
Calls herself "a proud mum and country Victorian". SSelf-stated — HAYLETT-CONTACTMartha Haylett MP, "Contact — marthahaylett.com.au"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.
Cost-of-living support, affordable housing, quality education and accessible healthcare in regional areas.
"I am here to help and will always fight to deliver the things that matter."
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
Her site lists cost-of-living support and a cost-of-living assistance program for constituents.
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; nothing is attributed to Haylett personally.
Crime and community safety
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes the 2025 bail law changes; nothing is attributed to Haylett personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Led campaigns for more social and affordable housing that culminated in the Big Housing Build.
Wikipedia identifies her as an advocate for affordable housing.
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; nothing is attributed to Haylett personally.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Her background includes improving transport infrastructure for rural and regional communities.
Cites pedestrian safety improvements in Miners Rest.
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
Says she understands the importance of quality education in regional areas.
Health and healthcare access
Says universal healthcare should be available regardless of location.
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
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, targets 65% renewables by 2030 and 95% by 2035; nothing is attributed to Haylett personally.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, cites implementation of the Statewide Treaty Act 2025; nothing is attributed to Haylett personally.
Regional and rural Victoria
Lists drought support and community grants among her constituent services, and represents more than 100 rural and regional communities.
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.
As the sitting member, Haylett met the "elected" limb of the test at the 2022 election, so her Ripon campaign qualified for public funding.