One Nation candidate Ashli Beards says frustration with the major parties, concerns about crime and the cost of living, and a belief Victoria needs stronger political leadership prompted her to put her hand up for Mornington.
Beards, a commercial lawyer and former Liberal voter, spoke with STPL News about why she entered politics, her move to One Nation and the issues she believes need greater attention across Mornington and the wider Peninsula.
The conversation ranged from COVID-era government powers and dissatisfaction with the major parties to crime, policing, housing and homelessness.
“I’ve had enough of the major parties being corrupt and inept and making decisions for the rest of us.”
Why Ashli Beards Is Running For Mornington
Asked why a commercial lawyer would decide to enter politics, Beards pointed to the standards expected of her own profession.
“As a lawyer, I have to jump through so many hoops ethically and professional standard wise. If I make the tiniest mistake, people can bail me up on it. Apart from online slurs, there are no such consequences for members of Parliament, and they make decisions for millions at a time.”
She said her political outlook changed significantly during COVID, particularly around lockdowns and the use of executive government powers.
Beards recalled walking through a bushland reserve during lockdown wearing a mask despite nobody else being around.
“I remember walking through that during COVID lockdowns with a mask on my face, without a soul around me thinking, this is mad.”
She said her frustration continued to build in the years that followed.
“I thought, we need better than this. I love Victoria. I’m a through and through Victorian.”
Beards also took aim at what she sees as a focus on political appearances rather than stronger representation in Parliament.
“It just drives me mad that you see these photos with MPs in morning teas having cupcakes for the local community.”
“That’s great, but we need heavy hitting in Parliament now. We’ve gotten to this point because the opposition is weak.”
Beards did not name incumbent Liberal MP Chris Crewther in making the comment, but it came as part of a broader criticism of the Liberal opposition.
Roads and public transport also entered the conversation, with Beards arguing basic services should not need to be presented as major election commitments.
“Potholes is not a policy. That should be a given.”
Why Ashli Beards Chose One Nation
Beards said she had previously been a long-term Liberal voter and once viewed the party as the obvious alternative to Labor.
“I was a Liberal voter. I assumed, like many people, also assumed that Liberals were the answer.”
She said Pauline Hanson’s consistency over several decades was one of the factors that attracted her to One Nation.
“Pauline’s been saying the same thing for 30 years.”
Beards described the central appeal as putting Australians first, while stressing that she included people who had migrated to Australia and made the country their home.
“When you come here and embrace this beautiful country and you want to be a part of it, they’re the people that are number one.”
Her criticism of the Liberals was blunt.
“We wouldn’t be here if Liberals did their job.”
She argued the party had become too reluctant to take firm positions.
“Liberals are so scared of upsetting everyone. They don’t stand for anything anymore.”
The conversation also touched on One Nation’s use of the term “monoculture”.
STPL News put to Beards that the word could easily be misunderstood or hijacked. She agreed it was unfamiliar terminology in Australian political discussion, saying she understood it to mean people from different backgrounds being united under one system of law.
“It means, you know, united under the one law effectively.”
Crime And Policing
Crime became one of the longest parts of the conversation.
STPL News raised the latest Victorian figures, which showed recorded offences had fallen 2.1 per cent in the year to June 2026, while remaining higher than three years earlier.
The discussion also referenced the recent alleged stabbing of a 41-year-old man in Langwarrin, for which three teenagers were charged.
STPL News raised concerns about the competing promises to recruit additional police, noting that simply funding thousands of new positions would not necessarily solve the problem if officers were leaving faster than they could be replaced.
Beards agreed that increasing police numbers alone would not address the problem.
“I think they’re really good points and the way you explain it really shows that there’s no single fix for this.”
She said the issue needed to be considered across the entire criminal justice system rather than through police recruitment alone.
“It’s not about just throwing money and recruiting people. It’s a comprehensive overhaul of the entire criminal justice system from the cops, to the charges, to the sentencing, to the bail, to the court system.”
Beards said One Nation’s recently released crime policy reflected that approach, including tougher sentencing for repeat offenders.
“We have just released our Crime Policy that does exactly that, law reforms for tougher sentencing for repeat offenders. Community safety is the number one priority.”
Repeat offending also became part of the discussion.
“That’s why 40% of the crimes committed are by 1% of the criminal population.”
While Beards’ percentage was approximate, the broader point is supported by Victoria Police figures, which have previously identified a relatively small cohort of repeat offenders as responsible for a significant proportion of recorded crime.
Beards also argued serious violent offending by young people should attract stronger consequences, including adult sentencing in some circumstances.
Locally, Beards said police visibility was also an issue and argued Mornington residents should have round-the-clock access to their local police station.
“Which is going to change under us. It’s going to be 24-7.”
Cost Of Living And Housing
From crime, the discussion turned to the cost of living and access to housing.
STPL News raised the experience of attending rental inspections where applicants queued down the street and the difficulty of finding affordable housing on the Peninsula.
Beards agreed rising rents and household costs were contributing to housing insecurity.
“It is. And look, it’s leading to homelessness for a lot of people. Because of the cost of living, because of the rising rents.”
The conversation also turned to the increasing cost of basic groceries, petrol and energy.
Beards argued the problem was not a lack of resources or government revenue, but how money was being spent.
“We don’t have a revenue problem. We’ve got a spending problem in the governments.”
She also cautioned against candidates pretending there was a quick fix.
“These issues are not going to go away straight away. We have no magic wand. We plan to work through them bit by bit.”
Homelessness On The Mornington Peninsula
Beards revealed she was developing a specific policy addressing homelessness and rough sleeping on the Mornington Peninsula.
“I’m literally working at the moment on a specific policy to address the homelessness and the rough sleeping issue in the Mornington Peninsula.”
Mornington Peninsula Shire says the municipality had more people sleeping rough as of June 2025 than any other Victorian council collecting comparable data.
The Shire also reports approximately 1,300 social housing dwellings on the Peninsula against more than 2,600 applications on the waiting list.
Beards said One Nation’s policy was still being developed and she was not prepared to announce a final funding commitment during the interview.
Instead, she said the approach would combine immediate assistance with longer-term measures.
“We’re going to have short, medium and long-term solutions.”
While temporary measures were necessary to help people already sleeping rough, Beards said they could not be the entire response.
“We don’t do band-aids. Band-aids are okay to get the most vulnerable off the street straight away.”
Across the conversation, Beards repeatedly returned to the same argument: government should focus on delivering basic services, restoring accountability and taking firmer positions on issues such as crime, housing and cost of living.
Her pitch to Mornington voters is that dissatisfaction with Labor does not necessarily mean returning to the Liberals.
“We need better than this. I’m here to do that.”
