The Victorian Greens have launched an ambitious campaign to capture the traditionally Liberal-held seat of Polwarth, announcing local teacher Rochelle Altmann as their candidate for the upcoming state election.
The party aims to make history by winning what has been a Liberal stronghold for decades, with the current MP Richard Riordan holding the seat since 2014 following former premier Ted Baillieu's tenure.
Meet the Greens Candidate
Rochelle Altmann brings both professional expertise and personal connection to the campaign. As a secondary school science and mathematics teacher at a local school, she understands the education challenges facing regional communities.
Altmann's background in environmental science and her role as a small business owner with her husband, who operates a local winery, provides her with diverse experience relevant to Polwarth constituents.
The candidate has lived in the Polwarth electorate for 15 years, raising her family in the region and developing deep roots in the community she now seeks to represent.
The Political Landscape
Polwarth represents one of the most intriguing electoral battles in the upcoming state election. The seat covers significant territory including the Surf Coast, Colac Otway, Golden Plains, and parts of Greater Geelong.
Richard Riordan currently holds the seat with a margin of 4.2 percent, a buffer that the Greens believe is vulnerable given changing voter demographics and increasing concern about environmental issues.
The Greens are banking on their strong performance in the recent federal election, where they received nearly 13 percent of the primary vote in the Corangamite electorate, which overlaps with Polwarth.
Key Campaign Issues
Altmann has identified several priority areas for her campaign that directly address local concerns while aligning with Greens policy positions.
Housing affordability emerges as a critical issue, with Altmann noting the struggle of essential workers and young people to find homes in the communities where they work.
The candidate also emphasized sustainable development, calling for better planning regulations to protect the character of towns like Torquay from overdevelopment while ensuring appropriate housing supply.
Environmental protection features prominently in her platform, particularly addressing pollution in the Barwon River and advocating for stronger climate action.
Improved public transport and healthcare access for regional areas round out the key issues Altmann plans to champion throughout the campaign.
The Greens candidate faces a significant challenge in converting the party's growing support into electoral victory in a seat that has remained firmly in Liberal hands despite previous challenges.
With the state election drawing closer, the battle for Polwarth represents a test case for whether the Greens can break through in traditional conservative strongholds by appealing to voters concerned about both environmental and community issues.
