Legislative Assembly · District of Werribee
Tushar Kumar
Last verified 30 Sept 2026
Seat context — Werribee›
Werribee is a Labor-held seat in Melbourne's outer south-west covering Werribee, Werribee South and Wyndham Vale. Tim Pallas held it and won it in 2022 with 45.4% of first preferences and 60.9% two-party-preferred against the Liberals' Mia Shaw. He resigned in January 2025, and at the 8 February 2025 by-election Labor's John Lister won by 693 votes: the Liberals' Steve Murphy led on first preferences (29.0% to 28.9%), with independent Paul Hopper third on 14.6%, and Lister won 50.8% to 49.2% in the two-candidate count. Lister is recontesting. The Tally Room says the by-election vote was fragmented by Hopper's candidacy. The 2026 field found is seven candidates: Lister, the Liberals' Reece Clark, the West Party's Paul Hopper, the Greens' Tushar Kumar, One Nation's Paul Pateras, Family First's Matthew Emerson, the Victorian Socialists' Sue Munro and the New Democrats' Prashant Tandon. An independent named Matthew De Angelis appears in an earlier audit note but not on The Tally Room's list.
Background
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
Strong public transport, affordable housing, climate-resilient infrastructure, school investment, anti-racism initiatives, community wellbeing and climate action.
"Let's build a movement that is empowering and listens to our community, where we can deliver fairness, dignity and a liveable future."
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
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make public transport permanently free and freeze rents for two years; nothing is attributed to Kumar personally.
Crime and community safety
Names anti-racism initiatives and community wellbeing as priorities.
Housing affordability and supply
Names affordable housing as a priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would build 88,000 public homes with $4 billion initial investment.
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 Kumar personally.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Names strong public transport as a priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make trains, trams and buses permanently free.
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
Names school investment as a priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reinstate $2.4 billion in delayed public-school funding.
Health and healthcare access
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would fund 500 more psychologists and psychiatrists; nothing is attributed to Kumar personally.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Names climate action and climate-resilient infrastructure as priorities.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and ban new coal and gas projects.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would back the Statewide Treaty Bill without amendment; nothing is attributed to Kumar personally.
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.
His stated priorities sit within the Victorian Greens' statewide platform. SSelf-stated — GREENS-KUMAR, ET-GREENS-POLICYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Tushar Kumar"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "Greens policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
His profile mentions no prior candidacy. SSelf-stated — GREENS-KUMARAustralian Greens Victoria, "Tushar Kumar"View source
He is not among the candidates in the 2022 general election or the 2025 by-election; the Greens' by-election candidate was Rifai A. Raheem (7.57%). VVerified — WIKI-WER-BYEWikipedia, "2025 Werribee state by-election"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.
Kumar has not previously contested an election. The Greens' 2025 Werribee by-election candidate polled 7.57%, above the 4% mark.