Legislative Assembly · District of Richmond
David Meyer
Last verified 11 Oct 2026
Seat context — Richmond›
Richmond has been held by Gabrielle de Vietri (Greens) since 2022, when she ended more than 130 years of continuous Labor representation with a primary vote of roughly 34.7%, helped by an unusually strong flow of Liberal preferences (around 70%) to the Greens over Labor. Analysts view Richmond as one of the more vulnerable Greens-held seats: if Liberal preferences shift back toward Labor in 2026 the margin could swing sharply, and de Vietri has faced local criticism over issues including the safe injecting room and crime. She shows no sign of retiring and is actively campaigning for re-election.
Background
Says he spent almost a decade living and working in Japan, progressing from school leadership to serving as a principal and later a CEO within the international education sector. No employer or school is named. SSelf-stated — SITE-MEETDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Meet David"View source
Says he has worked with residents, traders and local organisations on community issues; no named role, board or committee position was found. SSelf-stated — SITE-MEETDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Meet David"View source
Says Richmond became home after he moved to Australia, and that he raised his family and built and operated businesses there. SSelf-stated — SITE-MEETDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Meet David"View source
The campaign office is listed at U1, Butler Street, Richmond VIC 3121. SSelf-stated — SITE-CONTACTDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Contact Us"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.
Three stated priorities under the banner 'Putting Richmond First': safer streets; simpler government (cutting State red tape); and keeping shops open and protecting jobs.
Sets out nine key commitments and a first-100-days plan, and says he will be clear about which level of government (State, council or partnership) is responsible for each item rather than promise powers a State MP does not have.
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
Says rising costs are hitting families, seniors and businesses hard, and that he has lived rising costs and rental pressure himself.
A campaign 'Local Voices' post on childcare costs for working parents in Burnley sets out the problem (council-run long day care at roughly $163-$167 a day before the Commonwealth subsidy) but proposes gathering evidence first rather than a specific program.
Crime and community safety
Commitment 1: more visible policing in hotspots at key times, expanded CCTV in streets, laneways and stations, upgraded street and laneway lighting, and data-led targeted crime prevention.
Commitment 6: faster graffiti removal, better street cleaning, faster syringe collection and better lighting. Also pledges 'practical action on crime and repeat offending', without naming a bail or sentencing position.
Housing affordability and supply
Commitment 2: says he supports responsible housing growth, provided it comes with family and youth services, community facilities, accessible public spaces and protection of existing community connections.
A 'Local Voices' post on the North Richmond public housing redevelopment raises residents' questions (why demolition rather than refurbishment, replacement home numbers, right to return) but states no firm position. No housing-supply target or rental policy was found.
State government debt and fiscal management
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Commitment 3: advocates a safer, fully accessible North Richmond Station, better tram-stop access and design, safer pedestrian crossings, and better footpaths and neighbourhood connections. Not costed or given a timeline.
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
Commitment 8: keep the Richmond medically supervised injecting room (MSIR) open as a life-saving service, but relocate it away from the primary school, homes and business strip, with 30 June 2027 as the deadline for transition and the service kept open during the move.
Pledges to expand rehabilitation, mental health support and long-term recovery pathways.
A 'Local Voices' post on cohealth's GP services in Collingwood, Fitzroy and Kensington notes they are funded to stay open until July 2027 and calls for a sustainable long-term model.
Urban planning and housing density
Commitment 9: a 'Quick Start Business Bill' creating a six-month Quick Start Permit that lets eligible businesses trade once essential safety requirements are met, while they lodge a full planning application; the permit expires and trading must cease if the application is not lodged within six months.
A 'Local Voices' post on 2 River Street (State-owned surplus land, about 5,000 square metres, declared surplus on 22 September 2026) asks for a public examination of community-use, housing and mixed-use options before the land is committed.
Commitment 5: a district-wide precinct renewal strategy covering Victoria Street, Swan Street, Bridge Road, Church Street and Burnley.
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.
Medically supervised injecting room (Richmond): relocate rather than close, with a 30 June 2027 transition deadline. SSelf-stated — SITE-HOMEDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Home — David Meyer, Independent for Richmond (priorities and nine commitments)"View source
Victoria Street (Abbotsford) revitalisation: the site notes Yarra Council adopted a Victoria Street Revitalisation Plan in August 2026 and calls for traders, residents and the Vietnamese community to be involved; commitment 7 proposes a vacant-shop activation program with start-up incentives and activation leases. SSelf-stated — SITE-HOME, SITE-LV-VICSTDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Home — David Meyer, Independent for Richmond (priorities and nine commitments)"View sourceDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Local Voices: Bringing Victoria Street back to life"View source
2 River Street surplus land and the North Richmond public housing redevelopment, which he treats as tests of whether growth comes with community infrastructure. SSelf-stated — SITE-LV-2RS, SITE-LV-PHDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Local Voices: 2 River Street, Richmond"View sourceDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Local Voices: The future of Richmond's public housing"View source
No party platform: runs as an independent with no party affiliation.
Says he will judge every proposal on whether it is good for Richmond, supporting good ideas from Labor, the Greens, the Liberals or other independents, and will not take direction from a party room. SSelf-stated — SITE-MEETDavid Meyer for Richmond (campaign), "Meet David"View source
Track record & prior candidacies
Campaign, money & endorsements
Campaign logistics
Endorsements & Donations
Per the VEC's funding guidance for independent candidates (accessed 2026-10-11), a candidate qualifies for public election funding if they receive at least 4% of first-preference votes in their contest or are elected.
Payment is made per first-preference vote against an audited campaign-expenditure return, at a rate indexed each 1 July (the VEC's indexation table showed $7.46 per vote for lower-house candidates for 2025-26). The VEC notes its funding rules are under review following the Electoral Further Amendment Act 2026, so the figure and rules should be re-checked after nominations close. No VEC disclosure for this campaign was found.