Legislative Assembly · District of Kalkallo
Ros Spence
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Kalkallo›
Kalkallo is a safe Labor seat in Melbourne's outer-north growth corridor, covering Craigieburn, Mickleham, Kalkallo, Yuroke, Beveridge and Wallan. It was created in the 2021 redistribution and first contested in 2022, when Ros Spence, previously member for the predecessor seat of Yuroke, won it with 53.9% of first preferences and 66.5% two-party-preferred against the Liberals' Bikram Singh. She is recontesting, and since 4 August 2026 is Minister for Youth Justice, Corrections, Victim Support and Community Sport. The 2026 field found is four candidates: Spence, the Greens' Payal Tiwari, One Nation's Troy Steans and the Victorian Socialists' Courtney Millett. No Liberal candidate has been found, although Wikipedia's 2026 candidates table lists Steans under the Liberals, which conflicts with the party's own page.
Background
Before parliament she worked as an electorate officer for state and federal MPs and as operations manager of the Victorian Labor Party branch. RReported — WIKI-SPENCE, SPENCE-SITEWikipedia, "Ros Spence"View sourceRos Spence MP, "rosspence.com.au — About"View source
Volunteered as a solicitor at the Broadmeadows Community Legal Centre. RReported — WIKI-SPENCE, SPENCE-SITEWikipedia, "Ros Spence"View sourceRos Spence MP, "rosspence.com.au — About"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.
Safer communities, stronger youth outcomes, accountability and rehabilitation in corrections, victims' rights, and community engagement through grassroots sport.
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
Her site names strengthening youth outcomes and grassroots sport among her focus areas; no cost-of-living statement of her own was found.
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.
Crime and community safety
Her site says her work focuses on safer communities, accountability and rehabilitation in corrections, and victims' rights.
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes the 2025 bail law changes.
Housing affordability and supply
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.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Labor's platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, includes $1.04 billion for roads.
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
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
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
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
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.
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.
Track record & prior candidacies
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, Spence met the "elected" limb of the test in 2022, and her 53.9% first-preference vote was also well above 4%.