Legislative Assembly · District of Preston
Rachel Unicomb
Last verified 29 Aug 2026
Seat context — Preston›
Preston is a genuinely marginal Labor-vs-Greens contest (roughly a 2-point margin in 2022), not the safe Labor seat the original breadth pass implied. Sitting Labor MP Nathan Lambert is recontesting, facing the Greens' Loki Sangarya, Victorian Socialists' Serena Ashmore, and Animal Justice's Rachel Unicomb. No Liberal candidate has surfaced for 2026.
Background
Works in marketing/communications; per her own campaign biography, has worked in the marketing profession for over 10 years, including seven years in the UK, before returning to Australia in 2018. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Currently serves as Communications & Fundraising Manager at Invertebrates Australia, a Melbourne-based invertebrate-conservation NGO, per the organisation's own public staff/people page. VVerified — IA-PEOPLEInvertebrates Australia, "People"View source
Third-party professional-directory aggregators (The Org, RocketReach) describe the same Invertebrates Australia role and additionally list prior employment at the University of Melbourne, Bartlett Homes, and Sapphire Systems. RReported — THEORG-RACHELUNICOMB, ROCKETREACH-RACHELUNICOMBThe Org, "Rachel Unicomb – Invertebrates Australia"View sourceRocketReach, "Rachel Unicomb — Invertebrates Australia"View source
These are scraped from LinkedIn (which could not be directly fetched to confirm) and are unverified against a primary source. RReported — THEORG-RACHELUNICOMB, ROCKETREACH-RACHELUNICOMBThe Org, "Rachel Unicomb – Invertebrates Australia"View sourceRocketReach, "Rachel Unicomb — Invertebrates Australia"View source
States she has authored two children's books with conservation themes, with all sale profits donated to wildlife charities; exact titles could not be confirmed in this research pass. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Previously stood as the Animal Justice Party candidate for the same district of Preston at the 2022 Victorian state election, receiving 822 first-preference votes (~2.1% of the primary vote); not elected. VVerified — WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTS, ABC-PRESTON-2022Wikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View sourceABC News, "Preston — VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results (2022)" (2022)View source
This is a repeat candidacy for the seat, not a first run — corrects Pass 1's 'newly surfaced' framing, which reflected her absence from the roll's source aggregator, not her candidacy history. VVerified — WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTS, ABC-PRESTON-2022Wikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View sourceABC News, "Preston — VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results (2022)" (2022)View source
Sources disagree on her exact ordinal placement among the 10 candidates (6th vs 9th) — see Track Record for the full discrepancy note. VVerified — WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTS, ABC-PRESTON-2022Wikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View sourceABC News, "Preston — VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results (2022)" (2022)View source
No record found — across her own campaign biography or the independent electoral/organisational records checked — of Unicomb having held elected office, a council position, a party executive/office-bearer role, or a formal government appointment. VVerified — AJP-UNICOMB, WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTS, ABC-PRESTON-2022Animal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View sourceWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View sourceABC News, "Preston — VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results (2022)" (2022)View source
Her public-facing history prior to this campaign appears limited to grassroots community volunteering/advocacy plus her repeat AJP candidacy for Preston. VVerified — AJP-UNICOMB, WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTS, ABC-PRESTON-2022Animal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View sourceWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View sourceABC News, "Preston — VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results (2022)" (2022)View source
Lives in Reservoir (Darebin, adjoining the Preston district) with her partner and three cats (Lyra, Richard and Shy). SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Grew up in Newcastle, NSW; per her own account, spent seven years in the UK as part of her marketing career before returning to Australia and settling in Melbourne in 2018. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Describes herself as a member of the Friends of Edwardes Lake community group, and says she has supported local campaigns to protect Edwardes Lake and Preston Market and to 'improve the parameters of the Epping pound facility.' SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
No independent local-news coverage of her specific involvement in these campaigns was located in this research pass — this remains self-stated only. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Describes herself as a foster carer and fundraiser for 'several cat charities' and an 'experienced wildlife rescuer' who has worked with orphaned animals over the years. No independently published wildlife-rescue-organisation record confirming this could be located. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
A search-engine-summarized result additionally suggested she was a named partner on 'Bug Hunt,' a national citizen-science initiative co-run by Invertebrates Australia and the Invasive Species Council that won Gold at the 2025 Australian Geographic Awards for Nature. RReported — IA-BUGHUNTInvertebrates Australia, "Bug Hunt"View source
This specific personal-attribution claim could not be corroborated on Invertebrates Australia's own Bug Hunt page, which credits the two organisations but does not name her — treat as unconfirmed/thin. RReported — IA-BUGHUNTInvertebrates Australia, "Bug Hunt"View source
States she 'studied marketing at university'; no institution is named in her own campaign biography. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Third-party aggregator/search-snippet sources (surfacing LinkedIn content that could not be directly fetched to confirm) describe a Bachelor of Communications, University of Newcastle, 2006–2008. RReported — LINKEDIN-RACHELUNICOMB, THEORG-RACHELUNICOMBLinkedIn, "Rachel Unicomb — Invertebrates Australia"View sourceThe Org, "Rachel Unicomb – Invertebrates Australia"View source
A communications degree, not marketing specifically, and not independently confirmed against a primary source. RReported — LINKEDIN-RACHELUNICOMB, THEORG-RACHELUNICOMBLinkedIn, "Rachel Unicomb — Invertebrates Australia"View sourceThe Org, "Rachel Unicomb – Invertebrates Australia"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.
Standing as a candidate to ensure people in Preston have a choice to put animals first.
Believes animal sentience must be recognised by law, and that human impacts on animals should factor directly into political decision-making rather than being treated as secondary.
Personal commitments: ending commercial kangaroo culling, supporting domestic-animal and wildlife volunteers/carers, conservation of native bees, and protecting/conserving native habitat for Victoria's wildlife.
Advocates recycling, composting, growing produce and maximising garden space, and believes individuals and government must both do more to protect native habitat.
Believes voting outside the two major parties 'is not a wasted vote, but rather an opportunity for the community to demand better,' and wants to increase transparency and education around the Australian political system.
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
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Crime and community safety
National Animal Justice Party platform supports the 1996 National Firearms Agreement and advocates raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14, arguing 10 is 'too young for any child to be considered a criminal.'
Party-platform position; no Victoria-specific or Unicomb-specific statement found on crime or policing.
Housing affordability and supply
National Animal Justice Party platform supports 'rapidly increasing the supply of social (including public and community) and affordable housing'.
Asserts a right to safe and secure housing, alongside reform to 'gradually adjust Capital Gains Tax and Negative Gearing to create a fairer tax and housing system.'
Party-platform position; no Victoria- or Preston-specific housing statement attributed to Unicomb was found.
State government debt and fiscal management
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
National Animal Justice Party platform states Australia needs 'a national shift away from road transport' owing to its impact on animals, the environment and people. Vague, generic party-platform statement; no candidate-specific or Preston-specific infrastructure position found.
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
National Animal Justice Party platform holds that animal exploitation is 'not only unnecessary but detrimental to education' and opposes the use of animals in educational settings (e.g. dissection).
Narrow, animal-welfare-specific education stance rather than a position on school funding, curriculum or TAFE/university; party-platform, not candidate-specific.
Health and healthcare access
National Animal Justice Party platform supports 'a universal publicly funded healthcare system,' aims to broaden focus 'from just treating disease to also improving health,' and advocates increased investment in free and affordable medical, dental and mental health care.
Party-platform position; no Victoria- or Preston-specific health statement attributed to Unicomb was found.
Urban planning and housing density
Supported local campaigns to protect Preston Market from redevelopment.
Supported local campaigns to protect Edwardes Lake, a Preston park, and is a member of the Friends of Edwardes Lake group.
Advocated to improve the parameters/conditions of the Epping pound facility (an animal-holding facility serving the wider Darebin/northern-suburbs area, not within the Preston district boundary itself).
Climate and energy transition
National Animal Justice Party platform has adopted the Climate Rescue Accord, treats climate policy as needing to account for 'all sources of emissions, including the impact of animal agriculture and land clearing,' supports 'any clean energy source.'
Opposes natural gas as a transition fuel, stating fossil fuels 'will not be part of any final clean energy solution.'
No specific renewable-energy targets, transmission, offshore wind or SEC position found; party-platform, not candidate-specific.
Personally a 'passionate advocate' for recycling, composting, growing produce and maximising garden space, and believes both individuals and government must do more to protect native habitat for Victoria's wildlife.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
National Animal Justice Party platform states the party 'recognises the horrific treatment of First Nations people since European arrival,' endorses efforts to rectify these injustices, and acknowledges First Nations communities' specific concerns regarding animal-related policy.
Generic acknowledgment only — no position found on the Victorian Statewide Treaty Act, Gellung Warl, or local treaty implementation, and nothing attributed to Unicomb specifically.
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.
Preston Market redevelopment: campaigned locally to protect Preston Market from the redevelopment/planning process affecting the site. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Edwardes Lake: campaigned to protect the park and is a member of the Friends of Edwardes Lake community group. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Epping pound facility: advocated to improve its parameters/conditions (a shared regional facility, not literally inside the Preston district, but part of her local advocacy work as described on her candidate page). SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
As an AJP-endorsed repeat candidate, Unicomb's platform follows the Animal Justice Party's statewide/national policy positions. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Her own candidate page frames her candidacy explicitly as giving Preston voters 'a choice to put animals first,' consistent with the party's core animal-protection identity. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
No distinctive departure from party platform was found on any of the 11 structured issues; her only genuinely distinctive, candidate-specific content is local (Preston Market, Edwardes Lake, Epping pound), which sits alongside — not against — the party line. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMB, AJP-NATIONAL-POLICIESAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View sourceAnimal Justice Party (national), "Our Policies"View source
Track record & prior candidacies
No ministerial or shadow portfolio, parliamentary committee membership, or formal Animal Justice Party leadership/committee role is claimed in her official candidate biography or was found in searches of AJP Victoria's public materials. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Her only identified party role is as the endorsed AJP candidate for Preston. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Member of the Friends of Edwardes Lake community environmental group (Reservoir); active wildlife rescuer and foster carer/fundraiser for several wildlife and cat rescue charities; author of two children's books on conservation, with profits donated to wildlife charities. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
States she has 'supported local campaigns to protect Edwardes Lake and Preston Market, and improve the parameters of the Epping pound facility.' SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
No independent press coverage naming her specifically, nor documentation of a formal organising role, petition authorship, or council/VCAT submission under her name, was found. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
Her involvement in these campaigns is documented only via her own campaign biography, not corroborated by third-party reporting. SSelf-stated — AJP-UNICOMBAnimal Justice Party Victoria, "Rachel Unicomb for Preston"View source
2022 Victorian state election, Legislative Assembly, District of Preston — Animal Justice Party candidate. VVerified — VEC-PRESTON-2022, WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTS, ABC-PRESTON-2022Victorian Electoral Commission, "Preston District results — 2022 state election results" (2022)View sourceWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View sourceABC News, "Preston — VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results (2022)" (2022)View source
Received 822 first-preference votes (~2.1% of the primary vote, sources round slightly differently). VVerified — VEC-PRESTON-2022, WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTS, ABC-PRESTON-2022Victorian Electoral Commission, "Preston District results — 2022 state election results" (2022)View sourceWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View sourceABC News, "Preston — VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results (2022)" (2022)View source
Sources disagree on her exact ordinal placement among the 10 candidates (6th vs 9th) despite agreeing on the vote count and approximate share, so no specific placement number is asserted here — flagged for a future pass to resolve directly against the VEC's own ordered results table. VVerified — VEC-PRESTON-2022, WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTS, ABC-PRESTON-2022Victorian Electoral Commission, "Preston District results — 2022 state election results" (2022)View sourceWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View sourceABC News, "Preston — VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results (2022)" (2022)View source
Seat was won by Labor's Nathan Lambert after preference distribution (defeating Greens candidate Patchouli Paterson 52.09%–47.91% two-candidate-preferred). VVerified — VEC-PRESTON-2022, WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTS, ABC-PRESTON-2022Victorian Electoral Commission, "Preston District results — 2022 state election results" (2022)View sourceWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View sourceABC News, "Preston — VIC Electorate, Candidates, Results (2022)" (2022)View source
No other prior candidacies were found — no Darebin City Council election run, no federal election run, and no AJP candidacy for any other seat or region in 2018 or earlier. VVerified — WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View source
Preston's 2018 AJP candidate was a different person, Nadine Richings (1,079 votes/2.89%), not Unicomb. This search was not exhaustive of every council-by-election record, so absence here should be read as 'not found in the records checked,' not a certified negative. VVerified — WIKI-PRESTON-RESULTSWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Preston"View source
Campaign, money & endorsements
Campaign logistics
Endorsements & Donations
Per the VEC's own funding guidance, accessed 2026-08-29, a candidate is eligible for public funding if they receive at least 4% of first-preference votes or are elected, with the funding amount calculated against the candidate's audited campaign-expenditure statement and vote count up to legislated maximums.
Repayment of the full amount required if a candidate contests the election but misses the 4%-or-elected threshold.