Victorian Teals: Independents plan second push targeting Liberal heartland seats in 2026 election

Community-backed independents are preparing to mount a second push to take over Victoria’s parliament, again targeting Liberal heartland seats in Melbourne’s east and bayside suburbs.

In 2022, despite high expectations and large sums of money spent on community campaigns in electorates such as Kew, Hawthorn, Caulfield and Mornington, teal independents were unable to win a single seat in state parliament.

But with just over one year until the state election, the drubbing has not deterred the “Voices of” movement, with several community groups on the hunt for candidates and ramping up fundraising efforts to run in 2026.

In the state seat of Kew – once regarded as safe Liberal territory – a well-organised independent group is again preparing to begin its candidate search, armed with pollin