Council & Politics
17 January, 2026
Another one bites the dust for Libs as election looms
Western Victoria Region MP Joe McCracken on Monday said he would not contest November’s state election for the Upper House seat that covers St Arnaud and surrounding communities.
THE Liberal Party has been sent scurrying for new candidates in central Victoria after shock withdrawals in the past fortnight.
Western Victoria Region MP Joe McCracken on Monday said he would not contest November’s state election for the Upper House seat that covers St Arnaud and surrounding communities.
Veteran Northern Victoria Region MP Wendy Lovell last week said she would retire in November after a parliamentary career spanning 24 years. Housing minister in the Baillieu Government, Ms Lovell was first elected in 2022.
And its state executive-endorsed candidate for Ripon, Andrew Kilmartin, abruptly withdrew just before the Christmas break.
Mr Kilmartin had been pre-selected by the state governing body to challenge sitting Labor MP Martha Haylett who holds the seat by 2.8 per cent after an earlier convention failed to have sufficient members register to vote.
A new convention is expected to be scheduled for next month with former Ballarat mayor Samantha McIntosh tipped to get the nod from members.
Mr McCracken, who is nearing the end of his first term in Parliament, had been shadow cabinet secretary since his election. “Politics is a demanding job and it deserves 100 per cent commitment. I can’t give that commitment for the next four years,” he said in a statement.
“I’ve been looking at where I am in life and want to focus on growing a family and looking after my health.
“My intention is to serve out the remainder of my term which ends at the November 2026 state election. I am resigning as shadow cabinet secretary and as shadow assistant minister for education so that another colleague has the opportunity to serve in these important roles.”
Mr McCracken’s resignation is the third for new Liberal leader Jess Wilson who was elected in a coup against Bradd Battin last month.
Speculation has several high-profile Liberals in central Victoria vying to replace Mr McCracken on the party’s Western Victoria ticket.
Some pundits have predicted more Labor MPs to retire in November with a handful already saying they will quit politics at the election.
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