Legislative Assembly · District of Bendigo East
Michael Tolhurst
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Bendigo East›
Bendigo East covers the eastern part of the city of Bendigo (including East Bendigo, Epsom, Flora Hill and White Hills) plus surrounding rural areas such as Axedale and Huntly, spanning roughly 2,711 sq km. It has been held by Labor's Jacinta Allan since 1999, who won it again in 2022 with a two-candidate-preferred margin of about 20.5 points over the Liberal candidate. Allan — a former Premier of Victoria — announced on 14 August 2026 that she will not recontest the seat, opening what had been a very safe Labor electorate to a genuinely live contest; Labor announced Bendigo Senior Secondary College teacher Tim Rickwood as its replacement candidate on 18 September 2026. The Victorian Socialists' original candidate, sitting Greater Bendigo councillor Owen Cosgriff, withdrew 16 July 2026 citing family health issues; the party's own candidates page now lists Denali Norsen as his replacement.
Background
Describes himself as a local dad, civil engineer and member of the Australian Services Union, per his Victorian Greens profile. SSelf-stated — GREENS-TOLHURSTAustralian Greens Victoria, "Michael Tolhurst — Candidate for Bendigo East"View source
Bendigo Advertiser reported in 2022 that he moved to Bendigo in 2017 to take a job with Coliban Water, and described him as a civil engineer and water expert; this comes from a search summary of that article. RReported — BA-TOLHURST-2022Bendigo Advertiser, "New Greens candidate for Bendigo East"View source
The same 2022 report says he spent a year with a volunteer organisation responding to the 2015 Nepal earthquake and two months working on water and sanitation in a South Sudanese refugee camp. RReported — BA-TOLHURST-2022Bendigo Advertiser, "New Greens candidate for Bendigo East"View source
Volunteers at the Bendigo Toy Library, and takes part in his local parents group and the Bendigo Orienteering Club. SSelf-stated — GREENS-TOLHURSTAustralian Greens Victoria, "Michael Tolhurst — Candidate for Bendigo East"View source
Says he is raising two girls in Bendigo. SSelf-stated — GREENS-TOLHURSTAustralian Greens Victoria, "Michael Tolhurst — Candidate for Bendigo East"View source
Grew up in Creswick and moved to Bendigo in 2017 with his wife, Jacqui. RReported — BA-TOLHURST-2022Bendigo Advertiser, "New Greens candidate for Bendigo East"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.
Addressing the cost-of-living crisis, with "better healthcare, public housing and access to transport" so Bendigo residents thrive rather than merely survive.
Said in 2022 that he was running to "be a voice for people who don't see enough being done on climate change, and want to see real action there".
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 the cost-of-living crisis as his lead priority.
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 Tolhurst personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Names public housing as a priority.
Told the Bendigo Advertiser that many people are "stressed about paying rent" and "not feeling secure in their own homes".
Backs capping rent rises, an ultra-wealth tax on investors holding over $5 million of residential property, doubling public housing and abolishing stamp duty for homes under $1.1 million.
State government debt and fiscal management
Backs an ultra-wealth tax on property investors holding over $5 million of residential investment properties.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Names access to transport as a priority, and is a civil engineer.
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
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reinstate $2.4 billion in delayed public-school funding; nothing is attributed to Tolhurst personally.
Health and healthcare access
Names better healthcare as a priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would fund 500 more psychologists and psychiatrists.
Urban planning and housing density
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes 88,000 public homes; nothing on density or planning is attributed to Tolhurst personally.
Climate and energy transition
Says in 2022 he wanted "real action" on climate change, and believes government should invest far more in new energy technologies.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and ban all 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 Tolhurst personally.
Regional and rural Victoria
His career is in water: a civil engineer and water expert who moved to Bendigo to work for Coliban Water, which relates to regional water security.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would prohibit commercial logging on private land.
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.
Rental stress and housing security for Bendigo households. RReported — BA-TOLHURST-HOUSINGBendigo Advertiser, "How this Greens candidate plans to tackle the housing affordability crisis"View source
Water and sanitation expertise from his work with Coliban Water, relevant to the region's water supply. RReported — BA-TOLHURST-2022Bendigo Advertiser, "New Greens candidate for Bendigo East"View source
Tolhurst's priorities (cost of living, healthcare, public housing, transport, climate) sit within the Victorian Greens' statewide platform. SSelf-stated — GREENS-TOLHURST, ET-GREENS-POLICYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Michael Tolhurst — Candidate for Bendigo East"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "Greens policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
His housing plan, as reported, matches the Greens' rent cap, ultra-wealth tax, public housing and stamp duty policies. RReported — BA-TOLHURST-HOUSING, ET-GREENS-POLICYBendigo Advertiser, "How this Greens candidate plans to tackle the housing affordability crisis"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "Greens policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
Contested Bendigo East for the Greens at the 2022 state election, receiving 3,944 first-preference votes (8.7%), third behind Labor's Jacinta Allan and the Liberals' Darin Schade; not elected. VVerified — WIKI-BEAST-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Bendigo East"View source
His 2026 Victorian Greens profile does not mention the 2022 campaign; this is a repeat candidacy for the seat.
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.
His 2022 result of 8.7% cleared the 4% mark, so his 2022 Bendigo East campaign qualified for public funding.