In short:
The West Party has officially registered with the Victorian Electoral Commission and will contest November’s state election. The party has endorsed candidates across Melbourne’s west as it seeks to challenge Labor and the Coalition.
New Party Will Run On Region-First Platform
What could prove to be the region’s biggest wildcard in November’s state election has officially cemented its spot on the ballot.
On 7 August, the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) announced that The West Party had successfully registered as a political party.
Running on a platform of being a grassroots alternative to Labor dominance and Liberal absence in Melbourne’s west, the fledgling party has already unveiled most of its candidates.
Former upper house MP and Liberal defector Andrew Elsbury will attempt to win Tarneit, while Elisabetta ‘Liz’ Celata is vying to unseat Premier Ben Carroll in Niddrie.
Gill Gannon (Williamstown), Luận Walker (St Albans), Minh Quan Nguyen (Footscray) and Bruce Lancashire (Sunbury) have also been nominated to contest the lower house.
Veteran candidate Joe Garra, former Wyndham councillor Sahana Ramesh and Brett Patrikeos are also set to contest the upper house.
Perhaps the most consequential candidate is party founder and local business magnate Paul Hopper.
Going Against The Political Grain
At the 2025 Werribee by-election, Hopper capitalised on the massive swing against Labor, winning more than 14 per cent of first-preference votes.
Current Werribee MP John Lister retained the seat for Labor after preferences were distributed, despite Liberal challenger Steve Murphy receiving slightly more first-preference votes.
Hopper notably refused to strike preference deals or direct his supporters on how to allocate their preferences, a move that attracted both praise and criticism.
With Werribee now a marginal seat, and One Nation widely expected to field a candidate, Hopper’s stance on preferences could again have significant ramifications.
The party’s platform focuses heavily on investment in Melbourne’s west, particularly transport.
Key commitments include implementing the Better Buses for Melbourne’s West plan, electrifying the Melton and Wyndham Vale rail lines, reopening Paisley Station, connecting Werribee to Geelong by rail, upgrading the Western Freeway and duplicating roads including Hopkins Road, Ballan Road and Point Cook Road.
Its policies also include expanding hospital services in the west, increasing mental health support, boosting the number of Protective Services Officers, investing in emergency services and creating more local jobs.
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