Legislative Council · Northern Metropolitan Region
Riley Aickin
Last verified 11 Oct 2026
Seat context — Northern Metropolitan Region›
Northern Metropolitan elects 5 MLCs and comprises 11 Legislative Assembly districts running in a narrow strip from the Melbourne CBD north to Wallan. In 2022, Labor won 2 of 5 seats here, Liberal 1, Greens 1, and the 5th — this one — went to Somyurek (then Democratic Labour Party) by just 0.16 quotas after preferences flowed in from several minor parties. A bill abolishing group voting tickets for the Council has passed the Assembly and is before the Legislative Council's 11–13 August sitting.
Background
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
More affordable access to medicinal cannabis.
Roadside drug testing that checks for impairment, not just a trace of cannabis.
Treating drugs as a health issue rather than a crime, including legalising cannabis and letting adults grow their own.
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 medicinal cannabis patients as "paying too much for a legal prescription" and lists more affordable access as a priority; no wider household-cost position found.
Crime and community safety
Believes drugs should be treated as a health issue, not a crime, and supports legalising cannabis, including letting adults grow their own and join regulated, not-for-profit clubs.
Argues legalisation would take money away from organised crime and free up police time for serious crime.
Wants roadside drug testing to check for impairment rather than a trace, saying people risk court on the drive to work "even when they're safe to drive".
His campaign appeal frames legalisation as redirecting revenue from organised crime towards public health and communities; no position found on bail or youth crime.
Housing affordability and supply
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
State government debt and fiscal management
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
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
Is a medicinal cannabis patient and wants more affordable access to medicinal cannabis.
Frames drug use as a health issue rather than a law-enforcement issue. No position found on hospitals, GP access or ambulance performance.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Citing a sustainability background, strongly supports hemp as a building material and a homegrown Victorian industry. No position found on renewable targets, transmission or the SEC.
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.
Wikipedia describes Legalise Cannabis Victoria as a single-issue party focused on re-legalising and regulating cannabis for personal, medicinal and industrial use, with drug-driving reform so impairment rather than presence is tested. Mr Aickin's stated priorities (legalisation, home growing, impairment-based roadside testing, hemp) sit within that frame. RReported — WIKI-LCVWikipedia, "Legalise Cannabis Australia (Victorian division)"View source
In the Legislative Council on 19 November 2025 the party's David Ettershank MLC moved a motion calling on the government to begin with decriminalising personal use and possession of cannabis. The government said it would oppose it. This is a party position, not a statement by this candidate. VVerified — HANS-NOV25Parliament of Victoria, "Legislative Council Hansard, 19 November 2025 (Ettershank motion on cannabis decriminalisation)" (19 Nov 2025)View source
At the 2022 election the party won 13,822 first-preference votes (3.1%) in Northern Metropolitan; it won no seat here. VVerified — TALLY-NMThe Tally Room, "Northern Metropolitan - Victoria 2026 (2022 results)"View source
No party platform on housing, debt, infrastructure, education, planning, Treaty or regional Victoria was found, and none is attributed to the candidate.
Track record & prior candidacies
Campaign, money & endorsements
Campaign logistics
Endorsements & Donations
Per the VEC's funding guidance for independent candidates and registered parties (vec.vic.gov.au, accessed 2026-10-11), public election funding is available to a candidate who is elected or receives at least 4% of first-preference votes. It is paid as the lower of an amount based on first-preference votes or actual eligible expenditure, claimed with an audited statement of expenditure, and any advance payment must be repaid if the threshold is missed. For a Council ticket the entitlement is assessed against the party's candidates.
The VEC notes Victoria's political finance laws were changed by the Electoral Further Amendment Act 2026, so rates and thresholds should be re-checked against its current page. No separate VEC donation return for this candidate was found.