Legislative Assembly · District of Footscray
Katie Hall
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Footscray›
Footscray is a Labor-held seat in Melbourne's inner west (Footscray, Maidstone, Maribyrnong, Seddon, West Footscray and parts of Yarraville), held by Labor since the district was recreated in 1927. Katie Hall has held it since 2018. At the 2022 election she won 43.1% of first preferences and 54.2% to 45.8% against the Greens' Elena Pereyra after preferences, a margin of about 8.5 points, and The Tally Room calls Labor vulnerable to the Greens. The 2026 field is six candidates: Labor's Hall, the Greens' Pereyra (recontesting), the Victorian Socialists' Jasmine Duff, One Nation's Alexander Lopez, the West Party's Minh Quan Nguyen and independent Jess Marsh; no Liberal candidate is listed, although the Liberals stood in 2022.
Background
Before parliament she worked in communications and media roles, including Victoria Police's media unit, the Organ Donation Service (DonateLife) and for several federal politicians. VVerified — PARL-HALLParliament of Victoria, "Katie Hall — Member profile"View source
Wikipedia adds roles at the ACTU, City of Melbourne and the North East Link Authority, and as an adviser to Nicola Roxon and for Julia Gillard. RReported — WIKI-HALLWikipedia, "Katie Hall (Australian politician)"View source
Her parliamentary profile says she loves Footscray and its diversity; her electorate office is at 204 Nicholson Street. VVerified — PARL-HALLParliament of Victoria, "Katie Hall — Member profile"View source
Described as a sixth-generation resident of Melbourne's inner west and a mother of two. RReported — WIKI-HALLWikipedia, "Katie Hall (Australian politician)"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.
"Every young person to have access to the highest quality public education, the new Footscray Hospital project and to improve the local community for a greener and cleaner inner west."
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
Labor's 2026 platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes a vehicle registration rebate of up to $186, half-price public transport fares from June to December 2026 and free midday electricity from October 2026; nothing is attributed to Hall personally.
Crime and community safety
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes the 2025 bail law changes; nothing is attributed to Hall personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Is Parliamentary Secretary for Homes and a member of Labor for Housing.
Her office publishes a Guidebook for Renters and activity-centre information resources.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, is built around the Big Housing Build.
State government debt and fiscal management
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, projects operating surpluses of $700 million in 2025-26 and $1 billion in 2026-27; nothing is attributed to Hall personally.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Her site lists road safety initiatives and a No Truck Zone corflutes program.
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
Her profile names access to the highest quality public education for every young person as a priority.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $5.5 billion of new education investment in 2026-27 and the Free TAFE guarantee.
Health and healthcare access
Names the new Footscray Hospital project as a priority.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $3.9 billion of new health investment in 2026-27.
Urban planning and housing density
Her site provides activity-centre information resources for residents.
Climate and energy transition
Wants to improve the community "for a greener and cleaner inner west".
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, targets 65% renewables by 2030 and 95% by 2035.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, cites implementation of the Statewide Treaty Act 2025; nothing is attributed to Hall personally.
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.
Wikipedia reports she moved from Labor Right to Labor Left after the 2022 election with six colleagues. RReported — WIKI-HALLWikipedia, "Katie Hall (Australian politician)"View source
No policy divergence from the government was found in the sources reviewed.
Track record & prior candidacies
Won Footscray in 2018 with 57.12% of first preferences and 78.11% two-party-preferred against the Liberals' Emete Joesika. VVerified — WIKI-FOOTSCRAY-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Footscray"View source
Won again in 2022 with 43.10% of first preferences and 54.24% to 45.76% against the Greens' Elena Pereyra after preferences. VVerified — WIKI-FOOTSCRAY-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Footscray"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.
As the sitting member, Hall met the "elected" limb of the test at the 2022 election, so her Footscray campaign qualified for public funding.