Political related news across the Mornington Peninsula & Frankston
Seven new social homes are underway in Hastings for women on the priority housing list, but Mornington Peninsula Shire figures show local housing demand still far outweighs supply.
Mick Gatto has been released without charge after being arrested and interviewed by Taskforce Hawk detectives at Mount Martha during an investigation into alleged financial offences.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has failed to elect a new mayor after councillors split 5-5 in two consecutive votes, leaving Cr Paul Pingiaro as Acting Mayor until councillors try again on 16 June.
Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors will meet tomorrow night to elect a new mayor following Anthony Marsh’s resignation, with the current 10-member chamber leaving open the possibility of a deadlocked vote.
RedBridge director Kos Samaras says new modelling points to “the end of the Menzies project”, with One Nation projected to overtake the Coalition if an election were held now.
Tracee Hutchison, Nepean by-election, Nepean state election, November 2026 state election, community independent, Mornington Peninsula politics, Anthony Marsh, Victorian Electoral Commission
Newly elected Liberal MP Anthony Marsh alleged Safety Beach retiree Joe Lenzo harassed him with repeated emails, mocking language and the nickname “Marshy” during Marsh’s time as mayor. Marsh later withdrew the case after winning Nepean. No final order was made.
Frankston City Council has launched Frankston City First, a state election advocacy campaign seeking more than $19 million for sport, community infrastructure, public spaces and support services.
Mornington Peninsula Shire has been forced to scale back the Emil Madsen upgrade after councillors ignored officer concerns in February and backed a larger option that exceeded available funding, reigniting debate over sporting infrastructure priorities across the shire.
The 2026 federal budget offers tax relief, housing reform and health spending, but NDIS cuts, rising debt in dollar terms and increasing yearly tax collections leave serious concerns for households, carers and small businesses across Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula.
Frankston City Council’s 2026/2027 Budget has passed after Cr Nathan Butler says he was not afforded the opportunity to move an alternate motion aimed at exploring targeted cost-of-living relief for residents. The meeting also saw Cr Kris Bolam move a failed motion of dissent against Mayor Baker.
One Nation’s Farrer breakthrough has added weight to warning signs already visible in Nepean, where the party topped several booths and exposed pressure on the Liberal primary vote. With Hastings held by Labor on a narrow margin, November’s Victorian state election could be far more volatile than expected.
Independent Tracee Hutchison has confirmed she will contest Nepean again at November’s Victorian state election, following Saturday’s by-election result. Anthony Marsh’s win also means Briars Ward residents will vote in a council by-election, with ratepayers expected to meet an estimated cost of about $200,000.
Mornington Peninsula Shire ratepayers are facing an expected $200,000 Briars Ward by-election bill after Anthony Marsh’s Nepean win leaves a council vacancy and ends his time as mayor.
The Liberal Party is projected to retain Nepean, but provisional results show a weakened primary vote, a strong One Nation result and a sizeable independent vote for Tracee Hutchison.
STPL News spoke with Nepean by-election candidates on election day, with candidates from Independent, Greens, Libertarian and One Nation campaigns taking part. Liberal candidate Anthony Marsh declined the opportunity.
Greens candidate Dr Sianan Healy has urged Nepean voters to back action on housing, climate and cost-of-living pressures, while questions remain over the detail behind the party’s local pitch.
Libertarian candidate Peter Angelico says the proposed Rosebud hospital should be funded without new taxes, arguing the Suburban Rail Loop should be cancelled to redirect infrastructure spending.
STPL News observed a calmer atmosphere at Rosebud pre-poll on Wednesday, 29 April, following the previous day’s reports, footage and photos showing confrontational scenes outside the early voting centre.
Greens candidate Dr Sianan Healy has used the final days of the Nepean by-election campaign to call for a two-year rent freeze and stronger protections for renters.
Liberal campaign workers have been accused of harassing volunteers, voters and One Nation candidate Darren Hercus at Rosebud pre-poll, with STPL News supplied videos, photographs and audio showing repeated confrontations.
Liberal candidate Anthony Marsh is facing fresh signs of unrest in Nepean, with long-time Liberal supporters, public comments and a former party member’s full-page advertisement raising questions about his candidacy.
STPL News has put six questions to every Nepean by-election candidate, focusing on cost of living, crime, housing affordability, roads and Rosebud Hospital, and asking what they can realistically deliver from outside government before November.
Fresh anti-One Nation material is circulating in Nepean through letterbox flyers, authorised video and text messages, adding to concerns about an increasingly negative Liberal campaign centred on Rosebud Hospital ahead of the by-election.
Liberal candidate Anthony Marsh has withdrawn from a sold-out Nepean candidates forum after attendee questions were circulated, with organisers telling STPL News his team pulled out about an hour after receiving direct questions for the candidate.
Early voting opens Wed for the Nepean District by-election, with voters able to cast their ballot before election day on Saturday 2 May. Here is where to vote, the full list of candidates, postal voting deadlines and election day voting centre details.
Liberal Nepean candidate Anthony Marsh is facing fresh scrutiny after Victoria’s transport department began reviewing a complaint over a campaign pothole stunt, adding to earlier questions over road funding claims, Liberal unrest, political independence and the state-appointed monitors at Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
Pauline Hanson’s appearance alongside Darren Hercus in Rosebud drew a packed crowd and added visible momentum to One Nation’s push in the Nepean by-election.
Pauline Hanson has appeared beside Nepean candidate Darren Hercus at a sold out One Nation event, with more updates expected later tonight.
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke has joined Victoria’s cabinet in a reshuffle of the Allan government, with former mayor Kris Bolam welcoming the promotion as a significant moment for the city.
Peter Angelico has accused Anthony Marsh of “blatant hypocrisy” over roads messaging in the Nepean by-election, using both a campaign video and an STPL News interview to challenge Marsh’s credibility, honesty and handling of the issue.
Greens candidate for Nepean Dr Sianan Healy has made cost of living and public transport central to her by-election campaign, arguing Peninsula families are being squeezed by rising everyday costs.
Tracee Hutchison has hit back at a Liberal-authorised flyer targeting her in the Nepean by-election, calling it a dishonest attack and a sign of Liberal desperation.
A second Liberal-authorised attack flyer has surfaced in the Nepean by-election, this time targeting independent candidate Tracee Hutchison as the Liberals widen their negative campaign.
The Liberal Party is being labelled desperate after copies of an anti-One Nation flyer, authorised by the party itself, began circulating across the Nepean electorate.
Anthony Marsh is under fresh scrutiny after campaign-period social media comments appeared to conflict with his earlier public position on Mornington Peninsula Shire’s municipal monitors.
Anthony Marsh is facing fresh scrutiny after appearing to mark a pothole on White Hill Road, a state-managed 80 km/h arterial road, without visible hi-vis gear or traffic control. STPL News has contacted Roads Minister Melissa Horne for comment.
Frank Schiefler has been chosen by the Liberal Party for endorsement as its candidate for Hastings at the November Victorian state election, with a formal public announcement still pending.
The Victorian Liberal Party appears to have repeated in Hastings the same top-down preselection play used in Nepean, raising fresh questions about rank-and-file members being shut out and the political cost of party arrogance.
One Nation candidate Darren Hercus has blasted both Liberals and Labor over Rosebud Hospital, backing a PPP rebuild plan and questioning why voters should trust more election promises.
Local schools across the Mornington Peninsula were affected as teachers, principals and education support staff joined a statewide strike over pay and conditions.
Labor has won comfortably in South Australia, but the bigger story is One Nation’s surge and the collapse of the Liberal vote. With similar political conditions emerging in Victoria, the Nepean by-election is now shaping as an early test ahead of the November state election.
Candidate nominations have officially opened for the Nepean District by-election, with the Victorian Electoral Commission urging prospective contenders to move quickly ahead of the April deadlines. The by-election will be held on Saturday 2 May. VEC Opens Formal Nomination Process…
Anthony Marsh campaign signs appear to be on council land in Rosebud, raising questions over compliance and double standards in the Nepean by-election.
The Nepean by-election campaign has been thrown into fresh controversy after leaked text messages revealed Liberal candidate Anthony Marsh privately backed a Labor candidate during the 2022 Victorian state election.
Libertarian candidate Peter Angelico says his Nepean by-election campaign will focus on business pressures, local infrastructure and growing voter frustration with the major parties.
One Nation candidate Darren Hercus says the party does not want to play a support role in the Nepean by-election, instead pitching itself as a genuine contender while campaigning on cost of living, housing, crime and Rosebud Hospital.
Five candidates have announced campaigns for the 2026 Nepean by-election following the resignation of Sam Groth. STPL News is tracking the candidates and key developments as the campaign unfolds.
A claim that Mornington Peninsula mayor Anthony Marsh increased road funding by 72% is examined against council records, budgets and procurement documents. The fact check looks at when the increase occurred and what decisions led to the higher spending.
Rosebud local Tracee Hutchison has launched her campaign as a community independent in the Nepean state by-election. She will contest against Liberal candidate and MPSC mayor Anthony Marsh, Darren Hercus, Libertarian Peter Angelico, and the Greens candidate. Hutchison pledges to fight for local healthcare, ensure fair government spending, and be the first woman to represent Nepean.
