Legislative Assembly · District of Bundoora
Melissa Murphy-Webster
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Bundoora›
Bundoora is a Legislative Assembly district of 35.32 km² in Melbourne's north-east, covering the suburbs of Bundoora, Kingsbury, Watsonia and Watsonia North plus parts of Greensborough, Macleod, Mill Park and Yallambie, and includes La Trobe University's main campus. It has been a safe Labor seat since its creation in 1976. At the 2022 election Colin Brooks was re-elected with a comfortable margin consistent with the seat's history.
Background
Describes herself as a small business owner, in her advocacy position on small business. SSelf-stated — MMW-ADVOCACYMelissa Murphy-Webster, "Advocacy"View source
Her business is not named and it was not independently confirmed.
Stood as an independent for Ibbott Ward at the 2024 Banyule City Council election. VVerified — WIKI-NORTHERN-LOCAL24Wikipedia, "Results of the 2024 Victorian local elections in Northern Melbourne"View source
She has held no elected office; her site lists advocacy campaigns instead.
Her campaign is titled "Local Voice for Bundoora District". SSelf-stated — MMW-SITEMelissa Murphy-Webster, "Melissa Murphy-Webster — Local Voice for Bundoora District"View source
Her authorised address is in Thomastown, outside the Bundoora district, per her site.
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
Standing up for small business against "excessive taxation, unnecessary red tape and government overreach", and fighting for safer communities.
Community concerns including homelessness, Watsonia Station's car park, the Civic roundabout, North East Link trucks and glass bins.
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 Victorian businesses are "doing it tough" and pledges to push back on excessive taxation and regulation.
Crime and community safety
Supports "Castle Law" protections, arguing residents "should not have to retreat in your own home".
Pledges to fight for safer communities.
Housing affordability and supply
Advocates using vacant government facilities and funding outreach services for homelessness, citing the Mickleham facility that closed after eight months with 1,000 unused beds.
Says housing homeless people could "save governments $13,000 annually" in hospital, crisis accommodation and imprisonment costs.
State government debt and fiscal management
Opposes excessive taxation, without a stated debt or budget position.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Wants Watsonia Station upgraded at the same time as a suitable car park is built, and opposes the six-storey car-park design.
Backs a feasibility study and upgrades for the "dangerous" Civic roundabout.
Supports permanent truck bans on local roads and measures ensuring the 15,000 daily trucks use the North East Link.
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
Backs a youth hub and spoke model for prevention and early intervention on isolation and mental health challenges among young people.
Urban planning and housing density
Opposes the six-storey Watsonia Station car park on grounds of scale, safety, accessibility and loss of "village feel".
Climate and energy transition
Opposes the state mandate for a separate glass bin and supports expanding the Container Deposit Scheme; she says 84% of survey respondents opposed the purple glass bin.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
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.
The six-storey Watsonia Station car park design. SSelf-stated — MMW-ADVOCACYMelissa Murphy-Webster, "Advocacy"View source
The Civic roundabout intersection. SSelf-stated — MMW-ADVOCACYMelissa Murphy-Webster, "Advocacy"View source
North East Link truck controls on local roads. SSelf-stated — MMW-ADVOCACYMelissa Murphy-Webster, "Advocacy"View source
A Whittlesea youth hub. SSelf-stated — MMW-ADVOCACYMelissa Murphy-Webster, "Advocacy"View source
Track record & prior candidacies
Stood as an independent for Ibbott Ward at the 2024 Banyule City Council election, receiving 1,660 first-preference votes (20.80%), third of five behind independent Alicia Curry (36.49%) and Greens' Nina Crawley (24.35%); not elected. VVerified — WIKI-NORTHERN-LOCAL24Wikipedia, "Results of the 2024 Victorian local elections in Northern Melbourne"View source
She is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Bundoora state results, so this is her first state contest. VVerified — WIKI-BUNDOORA-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Bundoora"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.
Murphy-Webster is an independent with no earlier state contest, so she would have to reach 4% herself. Her site invites donations; no disclosure was found. Her 2024 council result of 20.80% does not count towards state funding.