Victorian campaign needs standards, not stunt politics

Four weeks out from polling day in Victoria, the withdrawal of One Nation’s Melbourne candidate, Matthew Collins, after offensive material from his social media accounts surfaced is a stark reminder that the rules of decent campaigning still matter. That this happened so close to an election is not merely an embarrassment for a single party; it is a test of how seriously our political system and media treat standards, vetting and the choices voters must make. Campaigns are necessarily noisy and strategic. Premier Ben Carroll and Opposition Leader Jess Wilson have spent the first month of the final stretch trading substantive pledges on issues ranging from dental care to workers’ rights. That sort of policy sparring is the healthy part of democracy. But when fringe or populist movements seize attention with candidates who later have to apologise and step aside for unacceptable comments, the public discourse becomes cluttered with controversy rather than policy. There are three practical implications for ordinary voters. First, parties must lift their pre-selection processes. That doesn’t mean vetting for political orthodoxy, but for basic competence and judgement. A candidate who publishes offensive content on their own channels will only magnify the risks to party credibility — and to voters who rely on a stable field of choice on election day. Second, media and voters have to keep perspective. It’s right to call out genuinely harmful behaviour and to hold candidates to account, but sensationalised coverage can drown out policy debates that affect people’s everyday lives — health, schools, housing and jobs. Third, the episode underscores the fragility of voter trust. When a candidate steps down under a cloud, supporters and swing voters alike can conclude that politics is theatre, not a contest of ideas. There are also strategic consequences in Victoria’s current contest. The Greens’ internal polling that shows progressives ahead of One Nation, combined with Opposition Leader Jess Wilson’s public criticism of Pauline Hanson’s party, suggests the One Nation swell that unsettled observers may be ebbing. If that is correct, it is good news for a campaign in which many voters told to be worried about the rise of populist voices. But it does not mean the issues that pushed One Nation into view — cost of living pressures, cultural anxieties, and perceived political neglect — have gone away. They remain live and must be addressed with policy, not just denunciation. Voters deserve a campaign that concentrates on tangible promises and honest examination of how each party proposes to improve lives. They also deserve transparency from parties about candidate selection and swift, consistent standards when those candidates fall short. Apologies matter, but they are only the first step. What matters more is whether parties will change the processes that allowed a problematic candidacy to reach the ballot in the first place. Victoria’s election is shaping up to be decided by policies that touch on family budgets and public services. Political theatre and last-minute resignations should not be the deciding feature of the news cycle. Parties, candidates and media must do better: give voters the clear choices they need, and respect the maturity of the electorate by steering the debate back to issues that actually affect people’s lives.