Legislative Assembly · District of Eildon
Talia Gulpilil
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Eildon›
Eildon is a Legislative Assembly district covering about 10,061 km² of central and north-eastern Victoria, roughly one to two hours' drive from Melbourne. It takes in the Shire of Mansfield and Murrindindi Shire in full, plus parts of the Yarra Ranges and Nillumbik council areas, with major towns including Alexandra, Eildon, Healesville, Kinglake, Mansfield, Marysville, Warburton, Yarra Glen and Yea. The seat was created in the 2013 electoral redistribution, effective at the 2014 state election, from the former districts of Seymour and Benalla, and has been held continuously since then by Liberal MP Cindy McLeish, who represented the predecessor seat of Seymour from 2010. McLeish was re-elected at the 2022 election with a 57.0%-43.0% two-candidate-preferred margin over Labor, a 5.9-point swing to the Coalition. The 2026 field was five candidates: the Liberals' Cindy McLeish, Labor's Kevin Gibson, the Greens' Talia Gulpilil, One Nation's Tim Barber and the Animal Justice Party's Chloe Bond; The Tally Room notes One Nation could pose a serious threat to the Liberals here. The Victorian Socialists have since listed Dylan Little as their candidate. At the 2022 election McLeish won 47.4% of first preferences.
Background
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
Housing and homelessness: "increased investment in public and genuinely affordable housing, stronger renters' rights and addressing the underlying causes of homelessness".
Wants to be a local representative who will "listen, advocate and work hard to deliver real outcomes".
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
Describes herself as an aspiring homeowner.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make public transport permanently free and freeze rents for two years; nothing is attributed to Gulpilil personally.
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 Gulpilil personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Names housing and homelessness as her primary concerns, calling for more public and affordable housing and stronger renters' rights.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would build 88,000 public homes with $4 billion initial investment.
State government debt and fiscal management
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would raise land tax to 5.3% for investors with $5 million or more of residential property; nothing is attributed to Gulpilil personally.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make trains, trams and buses permanently free; nothing is attributed to Gulpilil personally.
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 Gulpilil personally.
Health and healthcare access
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would fund 500 more psychologists and psychiatrists; nothing is attributed to Gulpilil personally.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and ban new coal and gas projects; nothing is attributed to Gulpilil personally.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Works as a First Nations organiser.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would back the Statewide Treaty Bill without amendment.
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.
Her housing and renters' rights priorities sit within the Victorian Greens' statewide platform. SSelf-stated — GREENS-GULPILIL, ET-GREENS-POLICYAustralian Greens (Victoria), "Talia Gulpilil, Candidate for Eildon"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "Greens policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
Her profile mentions no prior candidacy. SSelf-stated — GREENS-GULPILILAustralian Greens (Victoria), "Talia Gulpilil, Candidate for Eildon"View source
She is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Eildon results; the Greens' candidates were Ken Deacon (10.42%) in 2018 and Wil Mikelsons (11.2%) in 2022. VVerified — WIKI-EILDON-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Eildon"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.
Gulpilil has not previously contested an election, so she has no funding entitlement from an earlier contest. The Greens' 2022 Eildon candidate polled 11.2%, above the 4% mark.