Council & Politics
5 October, 2025
Ripon heats up
THE seat of Ripon is set to become one of the hottest contests at next year’s state election. The Liberal Party has commenced its preselection process, with a field of five people eyeing off the seat. Ripon was held by the Liberals from 2014 to 2022 by Louise Staley who lost the seat to Martha Haylett largely due to a change in the electorates boundaries.
THE seat of Ripon which takes in the top half of Ararat Rural City is set to become one of the hottest contests at next year’s state election.
The Liberal Party has commenced its preselection process, with a field of five people eyeing off the seat.
Ripon was held by the Liberals from 2014 to 2022 by Louise Staley who lost the seat to Martha Haylett largely due to a change in the electorates boundaries.
Ms Haylett currently holds Ripon with a 3% margin.
The Advocate has spoken with several Liberal sources this week who have confirmed that at least five people are likely to nominate.
The list includes two sitting councillors, a former MPs staffer, a farmer and a retired police officer.
High profile former Ballarat Mayor Samantha McIntosh and Central Goldfields Shire Councillor Ben Green top the list along with Lucas resident and triple-0 call taker Nathan Anderson, Learmonth farmer Suzie Morro and former police prosecutor Serge Petrovich.
Mr Anderson, Ms Morro and Mr Green all live in the electorate, while Ms McIntosh lives in central Ballarat.
Mr Petrovich is the only candidate with no strong connections to the Ripon electorate and has previously stood for the seat of McEwan in Melbourne’s north and was the Liberal candidate for Mallee in 2019.
Mr Anderson was the only preselection candidate to provide comment to the Advocate on his candidacy.
He said Ripon is being ignored by a city-centric Labor Government.
“Our communities have borne the brunt of this government’s poor decisions — from the fire services tax, to services being stripped from our towns, to massive powerlines being forced onto farms while landowners are threatened with jail,” he said.
A former journalist, electorate officer to former Premier Denis Napthine and father of four, Mr Anderson has been a scout leader for many years and serves on the Ballarat High School Council, Alfredton-Lucas Lions Club, Avoca Market Committee and other community groups.
“Ripon is my home. My family’s future is here, and I am ready to fight every day to bring this seat back to the Liberal Party.
He said Ripon needed a representative who will stand up for the whole electorate — from farming districts to regional centres.
“Families and farmers are doing it tough. The Emergency Services and Volunteers Tax is putting pressure on households and small businesses, services are being cut from our towns, and farmers face having high-voltage powerlines pushed through their land with the threat of criminalisation for protecting their properties and biosecurity. These are the real issues people are talking about — and they deserve to be front and centre in the State Parliament.”
Ripon MP Martha Haylett is likely to have a field of candidates against her at next year’s election including the Liberals, Nationals, Greens, Family First, One Nation, Animal Justice and other parties and independents.
As previously reported in this newspaper, Ararat Mayor Jo Armstrong is almost certain to be selected as the Nationals candidate.
The next Victorian election is scheduled for November 2026.