Legislative Assembly · District of Ovens Valley
Tim McCurdy
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Ovens Valley›
Ovens Valley is a rural seat in Victoria's north-east, created in 2014 and covering about 10,558 sq km along the Ovens and Murray valleys, including Wangaratta, Yarrawonga, Cobram, Myrtleford, Bright and Glenrowan. The Nationals' Tim McCurdy has held it since its creation (and its predecessor Murray Valley from 2010); in 2022 he won 52.1% of first preferences and 68.0% to 32.0% two-party-preferred against Labor's Zuvele Leschen. Under the Coalition agreement the Liberals are not standing against him. The 2026 field is four candidates: McCurdy, independent Steve Manning (endorsed by the community group Voices for Ovens Valley), the Greens' Ben Gilbert and One Nation's James Rouel. An August 2026 ACM/Border Mail readers' survey found One Nation leading voter intention at 33%, ahead of independents (20%) and the Nationals (17%), and no Labor candidate has been identified.
Background
Before parliament he was a dairy farmer and a real estate agent. VVerified — PARL-MCCURDYParliament of Victoria, "Tim McCurdy — Member profile"View source
Wikipedia records him as a real estate agent before politics. RReported — WIKI-MCCURDYWikipedia, "Tim McCurdy"View source
His electorate office is at 37 Reid Street, Wangaratta. VVerified — PARL-MCCURDYParliament of Victoria, "Tim McCurdy — Member profile"View source
Was born in Dandenong in 1963. RReported — WIKI-MCCURDYWikipedia, "Tim McCurdy"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.
"As your local voice, I will always put you and our communities first", with a fair share for the region.
Advocacy for farmers and regional Victorians.
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
His site commits to always putting communities first and delivering a fair share to the region.
Crime and community safety
The Coalition's bail and sentencing policy, per the ABC, would automatically deny bail to reoffenders under a one-strike rule; nothing is attributed to McCurdy personally.
Housing affordability and supply
The Coalition would lift the first-home buyer threshold to remove stamp duty on homes up to $1 million, per a housing-policy comparison; nothing is attributed to McCurdy personally.
State government debt and fiscal management
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Has run an electorate petition on a Yarrawonga intersection safety upgrade.
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
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Has run a petition for a Big Buffalo dam feasibility study.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Regional and rural Victoria
Says he stood to stick up for farmers and their rights and to make sure regional Victorians are heard.
Says he works to "ensure a fair share is delivered to our region".
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
Current: Shadow Minister for Liquor and Gaming, Racing, and Veterans' Affairs. VVerified — PARL-MCCURDYParliament of Victoria, "Tim McCurdy — Member profile"View source
Wikipedia also lists earlier shadow roles in sport, veterans, gaming and liquor control (to 2018) and water and consumer affairs (from 2022). RReported — WIKI-MCCURDYWikipedia, "Tim McCurdy"View source
In 2014 PGW Agriservices sued him for $375,741 over farm-sale commissions, alleging he forged a colleague's letterhead; he settled the civil claim that year. RReported — WIKI-MCCURDYWikipedia, "Tim McCurdy"View source
Police charged him in March 2018 with ten fraud offences relating to 2009 real estate dealings; a judge dismissed all charges on 21 April 2021 for insufficient evidence after the prosecution's main witness admitted falsifying documents. RReported — WIKI-MCCURDYWikipedia, "Tim McCurdy"View source
A parliamentary staffer accused him of bullying and the matter was settled confidentially, per Wikipedia. RReported — WIKI-MCCURDYWikipedia, "Tim McCurdy"View source
Won Ovens Valley in 2018 with 44.46% of first preferences and 62.63% two-party-preferred against Labor's Kate Doyle. VVerified — WIKI-OV-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Ovens Valley"View source
Won again in 2022 with 52.1% of first preferences and 68.0% two-party-preferred against Labor's Zuvele Leschen. VVerified — WIKI-OV-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Ovens Valley"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, McCurdy met the "elected" limb of the test at the 2022 election, so his Ovens Valley campaign qualified for public funding.