Legislative Assembly · District of Williamstown
Catherine Loughnan
Last verified 29 Sept 2026
Seat context — Williamstown›
Williamstown is a Labor seat in Melbourne's inner west held by senior minister Melissa Horne since 2018. At the 2022 election she won 41.5% of first preferences and 63.4% two-party-preferred against the Liberals' Daria Kellander. She is recontesting in a seven-candidate field: the Liberals' Paul Lindemann, the Greens' Ben Hocking, independent Tony Briffa (a former Hobsons Bay mayor), the West Party's Gill Gannon, One Nation's Catherine Loughnan and the Victorian Socialists' Oskar Martin. The Tally Room rates Labor's margin as large, though commentary there suggests Briffa could poll strongly.
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 relief, crime and community safety, data centre expansion concerns, responsible development, local business and sustainable community services.
"Williamstown deserves practical leadership and a strong local advocate."
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 relief for families and businesses as her first 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
Names crime and community safety as a priority.
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would tighten bail and sentencing for repeat youth offenders.
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 Loughnan personally.
State government debt and fiscal management
Names sustainable welfare and community services and support for local businesses as priorities.
Infrastructure and public transport delivery
Names responsible development and infrastructure as a priority, and is concerned about data centre demands on energy, water and 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
The party platform, as summarised by the Australian Election Tracker, would establish elected school boards with a parent majority; nothing is attributed to Loughnan personally.
Health and healthcare access
Not detailed in sources reviewed.
Urban planning and housing density
Names responsible development and data centre expansion as concerns.
Climate and energy transition
Is concerned about data centre expansion's energy, water and environmental impact.
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 Loughnan 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 themes sit within One Nation's statewide platform. SSelf-stated — ON-CL, ET-ON-POLICYOne Nation Victoria, "Catherine Loughnan for Williamstown"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-CLOne Nation Victoria, "Catherine Loughnan for Williamstown"View source
She is not among the candidates in the 2018 or 2022 Williamstown results. VVerified — WIKI-WILLIAMSTOWN-RESWikipedia, "Electoral results for the district of Williamstown"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.
Loughnan has not previously contested an election, so she has no funding entitlement from an earlier contest. One Nation did not field a Williamstown candidate in 2018 or 2022.