Legislative Assembly · District of Prahran
Shaun Virsu
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Prahran›
Prahran is one of Victoria's most marginal Legislative Assembly districts, held by Liberal MP Rachel Westaway since she won an 8 February 2025 by-election (51.35% two-candidate-preferred), ending almost 11 years of Greens control after long-serving MP Sam Hibbins resigned amid a personal scandal. Analysts describe the 2026 contest as a genuine three-way race between Liberal, Labor and the Greens; Greens preferences (historically flowing roughly 85% to Labor) are likely to be decisive if the count reaches a Labor-Liberal two-candidate-preferred stage.
Background
Works in pharmaceutical manufacturing and serves as a Reservist Officer in the Royal Australian Navy, per his profile on One Nation Victoria's website. SSelf-stated — ON-VIRSUOne Nation Victoria, "Shaun Virsu for Prahran"View source
No employer, rank or unit is named, and no independent record of either role was found in searches.
Says he manages a mortgage in the community and wants practical representation for Prahran residents and small businesses. SSelf-stated — ON-VIRSUOne Nation Victoria, "Shaun Virsu for Prahran"View source
The profile gives no years in the electorate, schools, clubs or family history in the area. SSelf-stated — ON-VIRSUOne Nation Victoria, "Shaun Virsu for Prahran"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 and cleaner streets, stronger support for small businesses, and greater government accountability.
A stronger justice system: "Laws should protect the community, perpetrators should be held accountable and the rights of law-abiding Australians must be respected."
Keeping "the Australian dream" within reach — working hard, owning a home, raising a family and retiring securely.
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
Virsu has made no personal cost-of-living statement beyond the general homeownership and small-business themes in his profile.
The One Nation Victoria platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would remove insurance duty on premiums, end renewable subsidies to favour coal and gas, and hold supermarkets accountable for price gouging.
Crime and community safety
Names "safer and cleaner streets" as a core reason for standing, and calls for laws that protect the community and hold perpetrators accountable.
No specific bail, sentencing or policing measure is attributed to him personally.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would tighten bail and sentencing for repeat youth offenders, expand youth detention capacity and review serious crimes by bail-released offenders.
Housing affordability and supply
Frames homeownership as central to the "Australian dream" and cites his own mortgage, but names no specific housing policy.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would ban foreign ownership of residential property, review and reduce housing-related fees and taxes including insurance duty, allow tax-free room rental in a principal residence, and speed land releases and building approvals.
State government debt and fiscal management
Virsu has made no statement on state debt.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would run a comprehensive spending review, cap spending on high-profile projects and phase out Victorian payroll tax.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Virsu has made no statement on infrastructure or public transport.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would invest in regional roads, telecommunications and water, and cap spending on high-profile projects to redirect it to essential infrastructure.
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
Virsu has made no statement on education.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would emphasise English, maths and science, establish elected school boards with a parent majority, and require year-level achievement in NAPLAN before progression.
Health and healthcare access
Virsu has made no statement on health.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would offer financial incentives for GPs in shortage areas, recruit nurses through university partnerships and redevelop Rosebud Hospital through a public-private partnership.
Urban planning and housing density
Virsu has made no statement on density, zoning or heritage.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, is limited to faster land releases and building approvals and enabling granny flats; it has no stated position on density in inner-city seats like Prahran.
Climate and energy transition
Virsu has made no statement on energy or climate.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, opposes Net Zero by 2050, would end new renewable subsidies, and would support coal, gas, nuclear and hydro on reliability and cost grounds.
It would also prohibit wind and solar on agricultural land, forests and high bushfire-risk zones.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
Virsu has made no statement on Treaty.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would oppose and repeal Victoria's Statewide Treaty framework, arguing it creates unequal treatment and bureaucracy.
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.
Virsu's stated priorities (law and order, homeownership, accountability) line up with the party's headline themes of cost of living, crime and housing. SSelf-stated — ON-VIRSU, ON-VIC-PLATFORMOne Nation Victoria, "Shaun Virsu for Prahran"View sourceOne Nation Victoria, "Victoria, it's time to take our state back"View source
The party's statewide page gives only slogans, such as "Restore law and order" and "Put Australians first in housing", without specific commitments. SSelf-stated — ON-VIC-PLATFORMOne Nation Victoria, "Victoria, it's time to take our state back"View source
No point of divergence between Virsu and the party was found, but he has made few individual policy statements to compare.
Track record & prior candidacies
His profile mentions no prior campaign. SSelf-stated — ON-VIRSUOne Nation Victoria, "Shaun Virsu for Prahran"View source
He was not among the candidates in the February 2025 Prahran by-election, and One Nation did not field a candidate there. VVerified — WIKI-PRAHRAN-BYEL-2025Wikipedia, "2025 Prahran state by-election"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), 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 calculated against the audited statement of campaign expenditure, up to legislated maximums.
Virsu has not previously contested an election, so he has no funding entitlement from an earlier contest.