From the Guardian · · 3m
Greens launch Victoria campaign with bold bid to replace Labor
David Shoebridge and Ellen Sandell promise the party's biggest state push yet, targeting Labor seats and claiming an 'extraordinary moment' for the Greens.
In brief
David Shoebridge and Ellen Sandell promise the party's biggest state push yet, targeting Labor seats and claiming an 'extraordinary moment' for the Greens. The Victorian Greens launched their 2026 state election campaign on Thursday with promises to replace Labor, targeting nine seats and claiming record membership…
Shoebridge arrives at Victorian campaign launch
Federal Greens leader David Shoebridge, a New South Wales senator, was a late addition to Thursday's campaign launch at Fitzroy North community church in Melbourne's inner north.
“Well, this wasn't in my diary a week ago”
Shoebridge: Victoria sets momentum for the country
Shoebridge told supporters that in fifty-one days the whole country will be watching Victoria, and the Greens will set momentum for an extraordinary moment that starts here.
“You are going to set the momentum”
Greens serve vegetarian buffet and raffle prizes
The launch featured a vegetarian and vegan buffet, beers from Moon Dog Brewery, and raffle prizes including a one hundred dollar pre-paid Myki ticket and free dental check-up.
Greens record biggest membership bump since 2025
The party added eight hundred eighty-four members in the past week, its biggest bump since the two thousand twenty-five federal election. The Victorian branch added two hundred thirty members.
Sandell: campaign will be party's biggest in state
Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell said the campaign would be the party's biggest and it was on track to win more seats than any state Greens party has ever won before.
“this is our moment”
Greens blame Labor for One Nation's rise
Both Shoebridge and Sandell blamed Labor federally and at state level for failing to improve voters' lives, saying this had contributed to the rise of One Nation.
Sandell announces three hundred fifty million supermarket plan
Sandell announced a three hundred fifty million dollar plan to trial ten publicly owned supermarkets across Victoria selling essentials for thirty percent less than Coles and Woolworths.
“Mayor Mamdani has done it in New York, we can do it here in Victoria too”
Greens target nine Labor-held seats in Victoria
The Greens hold Melbourne, Richmond and Brunswick and are targeting nine Labor-held seats including Northcote, held by Kat Theophanous by just one hundred eighty-four votes.
Greens have made similar promises before
In two thousand eighteen the Greens vowed to seize balance of power but lost half their eight seats. In two thousand twenty-two they targeted the same Labor electorates and won only Richmond.
Sandell rejects tempering ambition ahead of election
On Thursday night Sandell was not interested in tempering the Greens' ambition, declaring the party is here to make history and not backing down from its campaign promises.
“We're not fucking around, we're here to make history”
The big picture
The Victorian Greens launched their 2026 state election campaign on Thursday with promises to replace Labor, targeting nine seats and claiming record membership growth under new federal leader David Shoebridge.
