Legislative Assembly · District of Benambra
Lachie McKeeman
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Benambra›
Benambra covers about 10,037 sq km of north-eastern Victoria centred on Wodonga, taking in towns such as Beechworth, Corryong, Rutherglen and Tallangatta. The seat has been held continuously by conservative parties since its creation in 1877, most recently by Liberal MP Bill Tilley since 2006, who won it narrowly at the 2022 election with 50.9% to an independent's 49.1% two-candidate-preferred (a margin of 777 votes). Tilley announced in 2024 that he will retire at the 2026 election, following a cancer diagnosis. Steve Martin — a separate person from Tilley, previously mentored by him in an unsuccessful 2019 federal Indi campaign — is the Liberal Party's new candidate to succeed him.
Background
Is Practice Principal at Federation Clinic in Wodonga since 2020, working as a rural generalist doctor, per his campaign site. SSelf-stated — MCK-ABOUTDr Lachlan McKeeman, "About Dr Lachlan McKeeman — Independent Candidate for Benambra"View source
The Border Mail describes him as a Wodonga GP and secretary of the Border Medical Association. RReported — BM-MCK-NAMEDThe Border Mail, "Lachlan McKeeman named independent candidate for Benambra"View source
Is a volunteer with the Wooragee CFA brigade, co-president of the Yackandandah Football Netball Club, and secretary of the Border Medical Association. SSelf-stated — MCK-ABOUTDr Lachlan McKeeman, "About Dr Lachlan McKeeman — Independent Candidate for Benambra"View source
Decided to stand after serving on a CFA strike team in Corryong during the January bushfires. RReported — BM-MCK-NAMEDThe Border Mail, "Lachlan McKeeman named independent candidate for Benambra"View source
He drew media attention in March 2025 when he shouted from Parliament's public gallery over the health minister's stance on regional hospital funding, causing the chamber to be suspended. RReported — BM-MCK-NAMEDThe Border Mail, "Lachlan McKeeman named independent candidate for Benambra"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.
Health, housing, farming and the environment.
"The region has been taken for granted for too long."
Says "the attitude from the community is they've been forgotten and they've gone unheard for so long."
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
Says access to healthcare, workforce shortages and cost-of-living pressures in rural communities shaped his run; no specific measure is stated.
Crime and community safety
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Housing affordability and supply
Names affordable housing as a main focus, citing elderly patients losing their housing.
Lists housing among his four focus areas.
State government debt and fiscal management
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Argues the North East received 48% less per-capita infrastructure funding than comparable areas over the past decade, and that Benambra and Ovens Valley together received $512.267 million since 2016.
Cites the Sandy Creek Recreation Reserve, which needs $5 million for upgrades, including a mouldy pavilion and no changerooms for female umpires.
Raised poor public transport coordination as a concern.
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
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Health and healthcare access
Advocates a greenfield hospital for Albury-Wodonga and has campaigned publicly for it, as secretary of the Border Medical Association.
Practises as a rural GP, and names access to healthcare and workforce shortages as concerns.
The Border Mail reports he shouted from Parliament's gallery in 2025 over regional hospital funding.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Lists "our environment" among his focus areas; no specific energy or climate policy is stated, and his run followed the January bushfires.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Regional and rural Victoria
Lists farming among his four focus areas and says the region has been taken for granted.
Says Benambra sits "in the blind spot where the major parties have put us", and that a hung parliament would give independents leverage for regional investment.
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.
A new greenfield Albury-Wodonga hospital. RReported — BM-MCK-NAMEDThe Border Mail, "Lachlan McKeeman named independent candidate for Benambra"View source
Sandy Creek Recreation Reserve, which needs $5 million for facility upgrades. RReported — BM-BLINDSPOTThe Border Mail, "Dr Lachie McKeeman: North East funding 'blind spot' revealed"View source
North East infrastructure funding, which he says is 48% below comparable regions per capita. RReported — BM-BLINDSPOTThe Border Mail, "Dr Lachie McKeeman: North East funding 'blind spot' revealed"View source
Independent, backed by the non-partisan community group Community for Benambra, which says it does not align with any political party. SSelf-stated — C4B, MCK-ABOUTCommunity for Benambra, "Community for Benambra"View sourceDr Lachlan McKeeman, "About Dr Lachlan McKeeman — Independent Candidate for Benambra"View source
No party platform applies. Positions on crime, debt, education, planning and Treaty were not found.
Track record & prior candidacies
Shouted from Parliament's public gallery in March 2025 over regional hospital funding, suspending the chamber. RReported — BM-MCK-NAMEDThe Border Mail, "Lachlan McKeeman named independent candidate for Benambra"View source
Serves as secretary of the Border Medical Association, which has campaigned for a new Albury-Wodonga hospital. RReported — BM-MCK-NAMEDThe Border Mail, "Lachlan McKeeman named independent candidate for Benambra"View source
He is not among the candidates in earlier Benambra state elections; the 2022 independent was Jacqui Hawkins, who won 31.7% and is not recontesting. VVerified — WIKI-BENAMBRA-RESULTS, TALLY-BENAMBRA26Wikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Benambra"View sourceThe Tally Room, "Benambra – Victoria 2026"View source
No earlier campaign of his was found, so this appears to be his first.
Campaign, money & endorsements
Campaign logistics
Endorsements & Donations
Community for Benambra, a non-partisan community-run incorporated association, ran a public selection process (surveys, expressions of interest and assessment) and announced him as its community-backed independent on 17 June. SSelf-stated — C4BCommunity for Benambra, "Community for Benambra"View source
An independent panel that included Karen Keegan, former chief of staff to independent MP Cathy McGowan, selected him. RReported — BM-MCK-NAMEDThe Border Mail, "Lachlan McKeeman named independent candidate for Benambra"View source
Indi MP Helen Haines said she was "thrilled to see an absolutely proven local like Lachie McKeeman take that big step". RReported — BM-FUNDINGThe Border Mail, "Benambra: One Nation, independents and campaign funding scrutiny"View source
Former Benambra independent Jacqui Hawkins called it "refreshing to see an advocate that exists beyond the election cycles put their hand up". RReported — BM-FUNDINGThe Border Mail, "Benambra: One Nation, independents and campaign funding scrutiny"View source
Former Farrer independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe and Wodonga councillor Michelle Cowan attended his announcement. RReported — BM-MCK-NAMEDThe Border Mail, "Lachlan McKeeman named independent candidate for Benambra"View source
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.
McKeeman is an independent with no earlier contest, so he must reach 4% himself. Community for Benambra says its donations cover its own events and administration and "will not be directed to any candidates", but the Border Mail notes campaign-funding scrutiny facing community independents, and no disclosure for him was found.