Legislative Assembly · District of Shepparton
Grace Verney
Last verified 30 Sept 2026
Seat context — Shepparton›
Shepparton is a regional Goulburn Valley seat covering Shepparton, Mooroopna, Nathalia and Numurkah. The Nationals' Kim O'Keeffe, a former Greater Shepparton mayor, won it in 2022 from long-time independent Suzanna Sheed, taking 32.1% of first preferences to Sheed's 29.4% and winning 56.8% to 43.2% in the two-candidate count. O'Keeffe announced on 21 July 2026 that she will not recontest, so 2026 is an open contest. The Nationals preselected Greater Shepparton mayor Shane Sali on 5 September 2026, beating prosecutor Alexander Lew. The Tally Room lists the controversial Greater Shepparton Secondary College 'super school' and the 2022 floods among local issues. The 2026 field found is five candidates: Sali, Labor's Cayla Fin, the Greens' Grace Verney, One Nation's Phillip Bryant and the Victorian Socialists' Karen Hocking. No Liberal or independent candidate has been found, and Wikipedia's 2026 table shifts the party labels for Verney, Bryant and Hocking.
Background
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
Healthcare system reform, action on the cost-of-living crisis, gender equality and First Nations justice.
"Everyone should have access to the essentials they need to live a safe, healthy and dignified life, no matter where they live."
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 action on the cost-of-living crisis as a priority, drawing on firsthand experience in Shepparton.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make public transport permanently free and freeze rents for two years.
Crime and community safety
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14; nothing is attributed to Verney personally.
Housing affordability and supply
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would build 88,000 public homes with $4 billion initial investment; nothing is attributed to Verney personally.
State government debt and fiscal management
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would raise land tax to 5.3% for investors with $5 million or more of residential property; nothing is attributed to Verney personally.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make trains, trams and buses permanently free; nothing is attributed to Verney personally.
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
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reinstate $2.4 billion in delayed public-school funding; nothing is attributed to Verney personally.
Health and healthcare access
Wants healthcare system reform for growing, diverse populations, drawing on her work in the sector.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would fund 500 more psychologists and psychiatrists.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and ban new coal and gas projects; nothing is attributed to Verney personally.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Names First Nations justice as a priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would back the Statewide Treaty Bill without amendment.
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.
Her stated priorities sit within the Victorian Greens' statewide platform. SSelf-stated — GREENS-GV, ET-GREENS-POLICY, GREENS-STATEVictorian Greens, "Grace Verney"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "Greens policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View sourceAustralian Greens Victoria, "State candidates"View source
No point of divergence was found.
The Tally Room lists her as the Greens' Shepparton candidate. RReported — TALLYROOM-SHEPThe Tally Room, "Shepparton — Victoria 2026"View source
Track record & prior candidacies
Her profile mentions no prior candidacy. SSelf-stated — GREENS-GVVictorian Greens, "Grace Verney"View source
She is not among the candidates in the 2022 Shepparton results; the Greens' candidate was Ian Christoe (2.56%). VVerified — WIKI-SHEP-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Shepparton"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.
Verney has not previously contested an election. The Greens' 2022 Shepparton candidate polled 2.56%, below the 4% mark.