With the UMSU election reaching its completion, it is time for UniMelb students to move onto the next democratic rite of passage. On Saturday 28 November, voting will open for the Victorian Election.

The University of Melbourne’s colleges organised an ABC style Q+A with candidates for the upcoming election on 1 September 2026. The guests were from the Greens (Ms Ellen Sandell), Labor (Mr Nathan Lambert) and Liberal (Mr John Pesutto) parties. One Nation and the Nationals were invited, but did not attend.

So, what questions did (college) students have for these three politicians?

Climate

Ms Sandell (Greens) stated that climate change is often framed as an insurmountable issue, but is, at its core, very simple. We must make trade-offs in order to guarantee that our children have a habitable planet.

While the government is making progress, Mr Lambert (Labor) said that these issues are very difficult. He believes that plants are currently closing at a sustainable rate.

State government data showed that renewable production delivered 44 per cent of electricity last year, surpassing targets.

Mr Pesutto (Liberal) highlighted that while sustainability is important, he doesn’t believe we are capable of immediately switching to renewable energy.

Earlier this year National Party member, Martin Cameron, stated that if the Coalition wins the November election, they will not build new plants, but would keep current ones operating for as long as possible to avoid energy shortfalls.

State Debt and Budget

Ms Sandell emphasised that “debt” is not necessarily bad and that it is more important for Victorians to have good public housing and schools.

Through her experience working with the budget office, she reassured that the achievement of their goals would not ultimately add to Victoria’s debt as the taxation of banks, the gambling industry, coal and gas giants, the ultra-wealthy and property developers would balance the budget.

It is worthy to note that the lobbying platform of these parties makes it difficult to enact these tax reforms.

Mr Lambert said that they were willing to spend money reasonably and that it is vital for Victorians to have good public transport and for population density to be increased.

The total estimated investment in the Suburban Rail Loop is currently 33.3 billion, however the Victorian Auditor-General's Office states that Labor is “more likely than not” to exceed this budget.

They also revealed that Labor has put a levy on all public transport fares in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria since January 2025. This levy was not disclosed to the public and will be abolished, according to Premier Ben Carroll.

Mr Pesutto stated that the current Labor government has mismanaged infrastructure overspending on the Suburban Rail Loop and ignoring infrastructure for growth.

He highlighted that greater focus should be placed on our ports, freights and logistics, key interchanges that run at underpasses, and rail extensions and duplications.

Some of these have already been included by the government in The Victorian Freight Plan 2025-30: Victoria Delivers and Victoria’s Big Build.

Housing

Ms Sandell said that Melbourne can do density well, as long as there are adequate public resources, such as public parks, to compensate for a lack of personal backyards. She also stated that we must prioritise public housing and create caps on private rents.

Mr Lambert stated that a significant issue to overcome, particularly in his local electorates of Preston and Reservoir, is that many local homeowners do not want greater housing density.

This is an example of a broader complaint represented by the “Not in My Backyard” movement, with many Melbourne suburbs opposed to high density growth in their area.

Mr Pesutto highlighted the importance of the growth of residential stock and the dangers of asset deflation.

He also commented that the recent decreases in housing prices are primarily situated in the most expensive suburbs of Melbourne, with high end houses dropping by approximately 10 per cent.

First Nations Engagement in Democracy

Ms Sandell stated that Treaty is one of their major priorities. Greens policy states that Treaty must be negotiated Sovereign to Sovereign with representation from First Nations groups in the process.

Mr Lambert said that good progress has been made in Victoria towards Treaty, and this is a priority in Labor First Nations policy.

Mr Pesutto stated that the Liberal party has traditionally not been supportive of Treaty. He further explained that the party aims to ensure that First Nations living standards are “consistent with modern civilised society”.

Other policies that he referenced, such as investing in custodial settings has disproportionately harmed First Nations Australians, who accounted for 37 per cent of all Australian prisoners as of 30 June 2025.

Rise of One Nation

Ms Sandell expressed deep concern about the extremity of One Nation and suggested that the Greens are an unconventional alternative to the major parties and One Nation.

Mr Lambert stated that he hopes the recent Royal Commission into the Integrity of Major Public and Civil Infrastructure Construction Projects in Victoria on 20 August 2026 has reduced the public conspiratorial perception of the government, shifting support away from extreme alternatives.

Mr Pesutto said he does not see particular policies or candidates within One Nation that are sustainable long term and is confident that the major parties will survive this period.

For more information about parties’ policies in the lead up to the Victorian election, consult official websites and social media pages.

The election will be held on 28 November 2026, with postal voting available between 4 and 25 November 2026.