Legislative Assembly · District of Lara
Theresa Slater
Last verified 30 Sept 2026
Seat context — Lara›
Lara is a safe Labor seat covering northern Geelong and rural areas to the west, including Lara, Corio, Bell Post Hill, Anakie and Balliang, and held by Labor since it was created in 2002. Ella George won it in 2022, succeeding retiring MP John Eren, with 49.7% of first preferences and 65.9% two-party-preferred against the Liberals' Ralph Krein, and is recontesting. Local issues include a proposed gas terminal at Corio Bay and the Corio refinery. The 2026 field found is five candidates: George, the Greens' Theresa Slater, One Nation's Stephen Spyros, the Victorian Socialists' Oliver Randall and Socialist Alliance's Sarah Hathway. No Liberal candidate has been found, and Wikipedia's 2026 table lists Slater as Liberal and Randall as Greens, which the parties' own pages contradict.
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 security, healthcare access, climate action, support for vulnerable community members and grassroots advocacy.
"We need representatives that actually listen to the Lara community."
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
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 Slater 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 Slater personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Names housing security as a priority, and rents locally herself.
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 Slater 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 Slater 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 Slater personally.
Health and healthcare access
Names healthcare access 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
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Names climate action as a priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and ban 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 Slater 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.
Her stated priorities sit within the Victorian Greens' statewide platform. SSelf-stated — GREENS-SLATER, ET-GREENS-POLICYAustralian Greens Victoria, "Theresa Slater"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "Greens policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found.
The Tally Room lists her as the Greens' Lara candidate. RReported — TALLYROOM-LARAThe Tally Room, "Lara — Victoria 2026"View source
Track record & prior candidacies
Her profile mentions no prior candidacy. SSelf-stated — GREENS-SLATERAustralian Greens Victoria, "Theresa Slater"View source
She is not among the candidates in the 2022 Lara results; the Greens' candidate was Courtney Gardner (11.3%). VVerified — WIKI-LARA-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Lara"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.
Slater has not previously contested an election. The Greens' 2022 Lara candidate polled 11.3%, well above the 4% mark.