Legislative Assembly · District of Pakenham
Nasser Yawari
Last verified 23 Aug 2026
Seat context — Pakenham›
Pakenham becomes an open contest in 2026: sitting Labor MP Emma Vulin, who won the seat on the tightest margin in Victoria at the 2022 election, announced in September 2025 that she will not recontest, citing her 2024 motor neurone disease diagnosis. Labor has preselected Alessandra Soliven, who would become Victoria's youngest-ever MP if elected at 24. The field also includes the Greens' Nasser Yawari, Liberal's Radmila Dyson (selected 19 August 2026 after a contested preselection), Victorian Socialists' Stephanie Grigg, One Nation state leader Warren Pickering, and two independents, Raymond French and Mary-Kate Louis.
Background
Works as a Jobs Advocate in the Jobs Victoria Advocates Program at Jesuit Social Services, an employment-support role assisting job seekers including migrants and refugees; previously worked at the same organisation as a marketing officer and then a multicultural officer. VVerified — JSS-STAFFPROFILEJesuit Social Services, "Staff Profile – Nasser Yawari, Jobs Victoria Advocates Program"View source
Described in local reporting during his 2024 council candidacy as "an advocate and mentor" with Jesuit Social Services who had helped over 1,800 local residents find employment. RReported — DSJ-WARATAH2024Dandenong Star Journal, "Meet the Waratah Ward candidates" (26 Sept 2024)View source
Founded the Nasle Baba Foundation in 2019, a not-for-profit assisting the Afghan Hazara community in Dandenong with form-filling, interpreting and translation of official correspondence. RReported — JSS-STAFFPROFILEJesuit Social Services, "Staff Profile – Nasser Yawari, Jobs Victoria Advocates Program"View source
Through Jesuit Social Services, coordinated relief efforts for Afghan families in Melbourne hotel quarantine from September 2021. RReported — JSS-STAFFPROFILEJesuit Social Services, "Staff Profile – Nasser Yawari, Jobs Victoria Advocates Program"View source
Delivering culturally appropriate food and groceries to around 30 families weekly and running Hazaragi-language information sessions on employment, education and financial support for newly arrived families. RReported — JSS-STAFFPROFILEJesuit Social Services, "Staff Profile – Nasser Yawari, Jobs Victoria Advocates Program"View source
"I came to Australia as a refugee, and like so many in our multicultural communities, I've worked hard to build a future while never forgetting where I came from." SSelf-stated — GREENS-YAWARIAustralian Greens Victoria, "Nasser Yawari, Candidate for Pakenham"View source
Originally from Afghanistan and part of the Hazara ethnic minority; arrived in Australia in 2012. RReported — JSS-STAFFPROFILEJesuit Social Services, "Staff Profile – Nasser Yawari, Jobs Victoria Advocates Program"View source
As of his 2024 council candidacy, had lived in the City of Casey for over ten years — an area bordering, but administratively distinct from, Pakenham/Cardinia Shire, which he is now contesting; no source found documenting ties specifically to Pakenham or Cardinia Shire itself. RReported — DSJ-WARATAH2024Dandenong Star Journal, "Meet the Waratah Ward candidates" (26 Sept 2024)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.
"In Pakenham the biggest challenges are clear, cost of living is getting more expensive by the day while the major parties continue to take millions of donations from billionaires and big corporations."
Calls for getting corporate and billionaire donations out of politics.
"I've come to realise the lack of representation for marginalised communities in decision-making processes... We need fresh leadership from the community and leaders who reflect the diversity of their region."
Draws on his professional experience with unemployment, homelessness and lack of access to essential services as motivation for his candidacy.
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
"In Pakenham the biggest challenges are clear, cost of living is getting more expensive by the day while the major parties continue to take millions of donations from billionaires and big corporations" — a general framing without a specific proposed mechanism.
Crime and community safety
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Housing affordability and supply
References "homelessness" and a "lack of access to essential services" as struggles he has witnessed professionally — framed as biographical motivation rather than a specific housing policy position.
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
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
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.
Aligned with Victorian Greens statewide platform; no candidate-specific policy departures found. SSelf-stated — GREENS-YAWARIAustralian Greens Victoria, "Nasser Yawari, Candidate for Pakenham"View source
His personal emphasis — representation for marginalised and multicultural communities, and his own refugee background — personalises standard Greens cost-of-living and anti-corporate-donation messaging rather than adding distinct policy substance. SSelf-stated — GREENS-YAWARIAustralian Greens Victoria, "Nasser Yawari, Candidate for Pakenham"View source
Track record & prior candidacies
Ran as an independent candidate for Waratah Ward, City of Casey Council, at the October 2024 Victorian local council elections, on a platform that "politics doesn't belong in local council." VVerified — VEC-CASEYRESULTS2024, DSJ-WARATAH2024Victorian Electoral Commission, "2024 Casey City Council election results — Waratah Ward"View sourceDandenong Star Journal, "Meet the Waratah Ward candidates" (26 Sept 2024)View source
Finished second of five candidates: 2,352 first-preference votes (15.70%), rising to 3,359 votes (22.42%) after preference distribution; Stefan Koomen was elected with 51.13% after preferences. VVerified — VEC-CASEYRESULTS2024, DSJ-WARATAH2024Victorian Electoral Commission, "2024 Casey City Council election results — Waratah Ward"View sourceDandenong Star Journal, "Meet the Waratah Ward candidates" (26 Sept 2024)View source
Contested the 2025 federal election as the Australian Greens' Victorian Senate candidate, sixth (last) on the party's group ticket behind lead candidate Steph Hodgins-May. Not elected — Hodgins-May retained the Greens' single Victorian Senate seat. VVerified — ABC-SENATEVICGUIDE2025, AEC-VICSENATORS2025ABC News, "Federal Election Senate: Victoria (2025 guide)"View sourceAustralian Electoral Commission, "Victorian Senators decided" (28 May 2025)View source
Did not contest Pakenham or any other seat at the 2022 Victorian state election — the Greens' 2022 Pakenham candidate was a different person, Michelle Maibaum. VVerified — WIKI-CAND22Wikipedia, "Candidates of the 2022 Victorian state election"View source
Campaign, money & endorsements
Campaign logistics
Endorsements & Donations
Under the Electoral Act 2002 (as reinstated, retrospective to 15 April 2026, by the Electoral Further Amendment Act 2026), a candidate becomes eligible for public election funding if they receive at least 4% of first-preference votes in their contest, or are elected.
The funding amount is then calculated from the candidate's audited statement of campaign expenditure, their vote count, and legislated maximum amounts (per the VEC's own funding guidance, accessed 2026-08-23).