Legislative Assembly · District of Ripon
Donna Buxton
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Ripon›
Ripon is a Labor-held marginal seat in western Victoria, and a genuine three-cornered Coalition contest in 2026. Labor's Martha Haylett won it in 2022 with 38.5% of first preferences and 53.0% two-party-preferred against the Liberals' Louise Staley, and is recontesting against the Nationals' Jo Armstrong and the Liberals' Megan Read (who replaced Andrew Kilmartin after his Huntington's-disease-related withdrawal). The Greens' Tim Drylie, One Nation's Donna Buxton and the Victorian Socialists' Taylah Brennan-Jones are also standing, and The Tally Room says Labor's hold is far from solid and could fall to either the Nationals or One Nation.
Background
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
Cost of living, access to health and essential services, Victoria's growing debt, farmer and regional community support, and infrastructure projects' impact on farmland.
Says communities deserve "representatives who listen, understand life outside Melbourne".
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
Names cost-of-living concerns as a priority.
The One Nation Victoria platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would remove insurance duty on premiums and end renewable subsidies.
Crime and community safety
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Housing affordability and supply
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would ban foreign ownership of residential property; nothing is attributed to Buxton personally.
State government debt and fiscal management
Names Victoria's growing debt as a priority.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would run a comprehensive spending review and phase out payroll tax.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Is concerned about the impact of infrastructure projects on productive farmland.
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
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would establish elected school boards with a parent majority; nothing is attributed to Buxton personally.
Health and healthcare access
Names access to health and essential services as a priority, drawing on her allied health work and the challenges regional Victorians face.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Is concerned about infrastructure projects on farmland.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, opposes Net Zero by 2050.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would oppose and repeal Victoria's Statewide Treaty framework; nothing is attributed to Buxton personally.
Regional and rural Victoria
Wants farmer and regional community support and is concerned about government policy effects on rural livelihoods.
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.
Her themes sit within One Nation's statewide platform. SSelf-stated — ON-DB, ET-ON-POLICYOne Nation Victoria, "Donna Buxton for Ripon"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "One Nation policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
Her profile mentions no prior campaign. SSelf-stated — ON-DBOne Nation Victoria, "Donna Buxton for Ripon"View source
She is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Ripon results. VVerified — WIKI-RIPON-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Ripon"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.
Buxton has not previously contested an election, so she has no funding entitlement from an earlier contest. One Nation did not field a Ripon candidate in 2018 or 2022.