Legislative Assembly · District of Rowville
Muhammad Shahbaz
Last verified 30 Sept 2026
Seat context — Rowville›
Rowville is a Liberal-held seat in Melbourne's outer east, covering Rowville, Rowville East, Knoxfield, Lysterfield, Lysterfield South, Scoresby and Wantirna South. Kim Wells, first elected to parliament in 1992 and member for this seat since 2014, won it in 2022 with 40.6% of first preferences and 53.7% two-party-preferred against Labor's Mannie Kaur Verma, with independent Nicole Seymour polling 12.1%. Wells announced on 14 September 2025 that he will not recontest, so 2026 is an open contest. The 2026 field found was four candidates: the Liberals' Max Williams, Labor's Muhammad Shahbaz (who also ran here in 2018), the Greens' Dave Massey and the Victorian Socialists' Lars Hiemstra. One Nation has since listed Bradley Watt as its candidate; no independent candidate has been found, and Wikipedia's 2026 table leaves Hiemstra's party blank.
Background
His Labor profile describes him as a bulk-billing GP and emergency department doctor. SSelf-stated — VICLABOR-SHAHBAZVictorian Labor Party, "Muhammad Shahbaz — Labor Candidate for Rowville"View source
A 2018 SBS Urdu profile describes him as an emergency department physician at a Melbourne metropolitan hospital who arrived in Australia about 13 years earlier. RReported — SBSURDU-SHAHBAZ-2018SBS Urdu, "The Labor candidate who believes in the Australian dream" (19 Nov 2018)View source
Was president of the Pakistan Australian Association of Melbourne and worked with the South Asian Public Affairs Council on issues affecting Indian, Sri Lankan, Afghan and Bangladeshi communities. RReported — SBSURDU-SHAHBAZ-2018SBS Urdu, "The Labor candidate who believes in the Australian dream" (19 Nov 2018)View source
Had lived in Gulf countries and done community work there before coming to Australia. RReported — SBSURDU-SHAHBAZ-2018SBS Urdu, "The Labor candidate who believes in the Australian dream" (19 Nov 2018)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.
Healthcare improvements including hospital upgrades, a free Virtual Emergency Department, ChemistCare Now and more nurses; work-from-home protections; and a 20% vehicle registration discount.
Says he is "a Wantirna South local father and a bulk-billing GP who knows what matters to families".
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
Advocates a 20% vehicle registration discount for all Victorians and work-from-home protections.
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
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
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
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
Advocates hospital upgrades, a free Virtual Emergency Department, ChemistCare Now and more nursing positions, drawing on his work as a GP and emergency doctor.
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.
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.
The Tally Room notes the seat's shift towards a more educated, diverse electorate; nothing is attributed to him. RReported — TALLYROOM-ROWVILLEThe Tally Room, "Rowville — Victoria 2026"View source
At his 26 July 2026 launch the coverage centred on defending multiculturalism and attacking One Nation and the Liberals; no local policy was announced. RReported — SOUTHASIATIMES-SHAHBAZSouth Asia Times, "Rowville campaign launch turns into sharp attack on One Nation and Liberals" (26 July 2026)View source
His stated positions follow Labor's statewide platform; no divergence was found.
The Tally Room and Wikipedia's 2026 candidates table list him as Labor's candidate. RReported — TALLYROOM-ROWVILLE, WIKI-2026CANDSThe Tally Room, "Rowville — Victoria 2026"View sourceWikipedia, "Candidates of the 2026 Victorian state election"View source
Track record & prior candidacies
Was Labor's candidate in Rowville in 2018, polling 34.28% of first preferences against the Liberals' Kim Wells, who won 55.69% to 44.31% two-party-preferred. VVerified — WIKI-ROW-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Rowville"View source
He is not among the candidates in the 2022 Rowville results; Labor's candidate was Mannie Kaur Verma (32.9%). VVerified — WIKI-ROW-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Rowville"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.
Shahbaz polled 34.28% in Rowville in 2018, well above the 4% mark, so his campaign qualified for public funding then.