Legislative Assembly · District of Wendouree
Ellen Burns
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Wendouree›
Wendouree covers the north, south-west and west of Ballarat, including Wendouree, Alfredton and Delacombe, and has been held by Labor since it was created for the 2014 election. Juliana Addison won it in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022 with 47.6% of first preferences and 63.5% two-party-preferred against the Liberals' Samantha McIntosh. She is recontesting. The 2026 field found is five candidates: Addison, the Greens' Ellen Burns, One Nation's Stuart Robinson, the Victorian Socialists' Chris Meagher and the Animal Justice Party's Melissa Collins. No Liberal candidate has been found, although Wikipedia's 2026 candidates table lists Burns under the Liberals, which conflicts with the Greens' own candidates page.
Background
Platform
Where they stand, issue by issue — grounded in 2026 Victorian polling, not assumed. Every position is tagged with how we know it.
"We deserve leadership that takes the serious issues seriously: climate action, the housing crisis, food security and community resilience."
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
Her Smart Living Ballarat work is described as addressing cost of living and waste reduction, and she names food security as a priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make public transport permanently free and freeze rents for two years.
Crime and community safety
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14; nothing is attributed to Burns personally.
Housing affordability and supply
Names resolving the housing crisis as a priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would build 88,000 public homes with $4 billion initial investment.
State government debt and fiscal management
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would raise land tax to 5.3% for investors with $5 million or more of residential property; nothing is attributed to Burns personally.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would make trains, trams and buses permanently free; nothing is attributed to Burns personally.
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 Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reinstate $2.4 billion in delayed public-school funding; nothing is attributed to Burns personally.
Health and healthcare access
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would fund 500 more psychologists and psychiatrists; nothing is attributed to Burns personally.
Urban planning and housing density
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Climate and energy transition
Names climate action as a first priority.
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and ban new coal and gas projects.
Treaty and First Nations affairs
The Greens' platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would back the Statewide Treaty Bill without amendment; nothing is attributed to Burns personally.
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.
Her stated priorities sit within the Victorian Greens' statewide platform. SSelf-stated — GREENS-BURNS, ET-GREENS-POLICYVictorian Greens, "Ellen Burns"View sourceAustralian Election Tracker, "Greens policy profile — 2026 Victorian election"View source
No point of divergence was found.
Track record & prior candidacies
Stood for the Greens in Wendouree in 2022, receiving 4,386 votes (10.4%), up 1.4 points. VVerified — WIKI-WEN-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Wendouree"View source
An earlier Pass 1 note recorded City of Ballarat council candidacies (Brown Hill ward, 2020 and 2024); these were not re-verified in this pass.
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.
Burns polled 10.4% in Wendouree in 2022, above the 4% mark, so her campaign qualified for public funding then.