Battle for Wills goes down to the wire
History could be made this weekend if Greens topple Labor in key seat
Samantha Ratnam greets a voter at a Brunswick East tram stop.
Peter Khalil talks to a voter at the Brunswick pre-poll centre.
Battle for Wills goes down to the wire
History could be made this weekend if Greens topple Labor in key seat
Samantha Ratnam greets a voter at a Brunswick East tram stop.
Peter Khalil talks to a voter at the Brunswick pre-poll centre.
Mark Phillips
Friday, May 2, 2025
• Meet the candidates
• Where to vote on Saturday
• Ballot to barbecue: democracy sausage guide
SHOULD Samantha Ratnam fall short in her quest to seize the federal seat of Wills from Labor this Saturday, it won’t be through lack of effort.
Ratnam has been campaigning non-stop since September last year and her Greens operation in Wills is reputed to be one of the largest – if not the largest – the party has ever mounted in a federal electorate.
But Labor MP Peter Khalil has also met thousands of voters over the past few months and is not giving up his seat without a fight.
And while his local operation may not be as big as Ratnam’s, what it lacked in numbers on the ground, it has made up for with the spending power of the Treasury.
Khalil has also called in big name supporters including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who made a brief visit to Pascoe Vale South early last month to promote improvements to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and former PM Julia Gillard, from whom a letter has been mailed to Wills voters this week.
Khalil is defending a nominal margin of 4.6% and the result of one of the most-anticipated races in the country is expected to be tight. A Greens win would make history; Wills has been a safe Labor seat ever since it was established in 1949, apart from about three years when independent Phil Cleary won the seat at a by-election in 1992.
Khalil was first elected in 2016 and has increased his margin at two subsequent elections, but a redistribution has almost cut it in half.
He is also facing a backlash against the two main parties, and a localised campaign over the war in Gaza.
By the time voting closed on Thursday night, 29,362 pre-poll votes had been cast in Wills, representing about 23.5% of enrolled voters. Of those votes, 16,948 have been at the Brunswick Masonic Centre in Davies Street.
Despite the resources the Greens have thrown at the electorate, Khalil remains “quietly confident” he can win again. But he is only half-joking when he says he still has PTSD from the 2019 election when Labor looked set to win only for Scott Morrison to score a surprise victory.
“We don’t take anything for granted, every vote matters,” Khalil said earlier this week at the end of another long day speaking to voters at the Brunswick pre-poll centre.
“I’m still scarred by 2019, I’ve still got PTSD. Everyone thought we were going to win.
“And every Labor seat counts to form government, and every Labor seat lost means [Peter] Dutton gets closer to forming government. So I say to people if you want an Albanese government, vote one for Labor.”
For the Greens, a Samantha Ratnam victory would be the culmination of a two-decades long mission to win the seat and the next step in a political career that began on Moreland Council in 2012, followed by leading the Greens in the Victorian Parliament.
Ratnam insists that electing a Greens MP in Wills is greater insurance against a potential Coalition government.
“This is the nerve-wracking part of the campaign as you get closer to election day,” Ratnam said during a break from greeting early morning commuters in Brunswick East last month.
“We’re feeling hopeful. We have talked to thousands of people, knocked on over 60,000 doors, and we’re not done yet, giving people a real choice about who they can vote for, and given how close the seat is, if less than one in 10 people change their vote the Greens can win for the first time, we can keep Dutton out, we can get Labor to act, we can really change that Parliament.
“I think people are really feeling like change is possible.”
Meanwhile, apart from his face on a few posters at the pre-poll centre, Liberal candidate Jeff Kidney has not been sighted in the electorate since the campaign began. But most other minor party candidates have been a regular presence at the Brunswick pre-poll.
Meet the candidates
Candidates are shown in the order they will appear on the ballot paper. Statements are in their own words.
I’m running in the federal election because the political system and the major parties have failed to serve the interests of working people.
Imagine a society where the wealth that is created could be used to provide everyone with a high quality of life.
Instead, we have a society where one-third of large corporations don’t pay a single dollar of tax and fossil fuel companies get $14.5 billion in handouts.
Everyone else, including people on low incomes, are paying for the services and infrastructure that Australian society needs.
Many thousands of people can’t afford to rent or buy a home.
Governments have left it to developers and the market to provide housing. This has failed.
After World War Two, governments addressed the housing crisis by building a massive amount of public housing. This can be done again. And we need to freeze rents to stop people being thrown onto the street.
Ending the big corporations’ tax rorts, would fund a massive program of public housing program.
We need urgent action on climate change. New coal and gas projects must be stopped. We need 100% renewable energy within five to 10 years through public investment.
We need to reverse the privatisation of essential services like childcare, disability support, aged care and many other services. Services need to be delivered for people, not for profit.
Meanwhile, the Liberal and Labor parties’ support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza reveal their double standards.
How can we trust politicians who refuse to condemn a genocide?
Governments that continue to send weapons to Israel while it is committing genocide, won’t stand up for the community against the billionaires who are ripping us off.
We need a real alternative that puts people and planet before profits.
Vote 1 Sue Bolton (Socialist Alliance) in Wills.
This election, our community has a clear choice.
As the Federal Member for Wills, my priority is serving and delivering for our community.
Labor is working to make things easier for everyone. It’s why we delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer, cheaper childcare, energy bill relief, more bulk billing and cheaper medicines. But I know there’s more to do.
It’s why Labor has committed to make the biggest ever investment in Medicare so that everyone has access to a free GP again and will cap the cost of PBS medicines at no more than $25. It’s why we’re investing nearly $1 billion in women’s health. And if re-elected, we will open a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Coburg.
I grew up in public housing – I know the importance of a safe home. It’s why I have advocated for more places to buy and affordable properties to rent in our community. And if Labor is re-elected, first home buyers will only need a 5% deposit to get into a home.
The Liberals drove the cost of university degrees up. I have always believed in the power of education. Labor wiped $3 billion off student debt, and will wipe a further 20% off HECS debts if re-elected.
We are taking real action for our climate. We enshrined net zero into law and increased renewables to 46% of the grid. By 2030 that will be 82%.
All of this, and so much more, is at risk under a Dutton-led right wing government.
This election is close. The party that wins the greatest number of seats will be best placed to form Government. If Labor loses here in Wills, we risk Anthony Albanese falling behind Peter Dutton in the national race.
With your vote, I will keep working for Wills to build Australia’s future.
No statement provided.
I am proud to stand as the Legalise Cannabis Australia candidate for Wills in the upcoming Federal Election.
A long-time Coburg resident, I have lived in the electorate with my family for over 25 years. I have been actively involved in school and community groups, building strong local connections and a deep understanding of the issues that matter to residents.
Recently retired after a 40-year career spanning publishing, arts and education, I have worked with numerous cultural and community organisations. My experience has given me first-hand insight into policy and the challenges faced by local communities.
Outside of my advocacy work, I enjoy reading, visiting art galleries, exploring local markets and experiencing live music. I am also a passionate electric bike rider, embracing the fun and fitness it brings to my daily life.
I believe that outdated laws and political privilege have led to ineffective approaches to key social issues. Like many in the community, I know the war on cannabis has failed and I am committed to fighting for sensible, compassionate reform.
As a candidate, I am dedicated to evidence-based, community-driven policies that deliver real solutions. I will be an approachable and transparent representative, committed to fairness and meaningful change. With me in Parliament, Wills will have a strong advocate for health, personal freedoms, and a more just future.
Fusion has big ideas to tackle the problems in our society at the root cause.
• Reducing tax incentives so houses are treated as homes instead of investments.
• Moving to Georgist land tax so government funding is aligned with projects like high-speed rail.
• Building more pumped hydro, so our grid can store weeks’ worth of intermittent renewable power and we can close coal and gas generators.
• Investing in precision fermentation, so we can do away with the energy-intensive, cruel practices of growing animals on deforested land.
• Giving a universal basic income to all adults, so they have enough money to live and to pursue their dreams, and a dignified safety net to change jobs or living arrangements.
• Classifying ageing as a disease, to unlock research funding for the core workings of our physiology.
• Releasing government software open-source, so processes are transparent and anyone can contribute to our societal operations.
• Switching the burden of proof, so criminals must prove they didn’t retaliate against whistleblowers.
These sorts of fundamental changes will only ever happen with new, minor parties who have nothing to lose and who still have the hope that there’s a whole lot more that’s possible for Australia. Do you share this hope?
I have dedicated my life to fighting for our community. For over a decade, I have represented you on council and in state parliament and now I ask for your support to be your strong voice for Wills.
Right now, things are getting worse. If you’re worried about the cost of rent, mortgages or food and you think the Labor government is failing to act, then you’re not alone.
Right now one-in-10 big corporations pay $0 tax. We should tax them to get dental into Medicare, cap rent increases and lower mortgages, see the GP for free and wipe student debt.
Labor has refused to cap rents, given billions in handouts to the wealthy property investors that stop renters buying their first home, approved new coal and gas projects and they are backing the invasion of Gaza. We know Dutton would be worse.
That’s not what our community is about. We are one of the most compassionate, progressive communities in the country. But nothing changes unless your vote does.
We should be represented by someone who shares our values, not a politician who relies on corporate donations and won’t act on the things that matter.
Vote 1 Greens to keep Dutton out and get Labor to act.
I’m fighting to take on the big corporations, stop their price gouging and tax them to fund the things everyone needs. I’m fighting to stop new coal and gas and end the invasion of Gaza.
If the experts are right and there is a minority government, I will support Labor. Last time there was a minority government we got dental into Medicare for kids and world-leading climate laws.
Change is possible, the first step is voting for someone who will fight for you and the things you believe in.
No statement provided.
Australia is at a crisis point, and so are Australians! Our Cost-of-Living is out of control, with power, food, fuel, rents and mortgages all having risen dramatically under the Albanese Labor government. Albo is still blaming the LNP for our situation, however after he wasted $522 million on the Voice Referendum which only divided us, he has repeatedly shown himself incapable of not overspending our money. By doubling our debt from $600 billion (May 2022) to $1.2 TRILLION (2025-26), he only has himself to blame!! Seriously, is anyone better off now, than in May 2022? (Unless you’re on the Net ZERO Gravy Train!!).
Labor, LNP and especially Greens only have policies that will reduce our freedoms and cost us more in taxes, to supposedly give us some relief – Tired old policies, but claiming ‘visionary’ outcomes.
NEVER forget that Greens MP Samantha Ratnam, voted for tyrannical Dan Andrews to extend his egregious Emergency Powers in 2020 and 2021, which were supposedly based on ‘scientific’ and ‘medical evidence’, however these were “made up” by Brett Sutton and the ‘evidence’ has never been released to the people those powers were used to abuse!!
Australia is currently falling from a plane, and at some point, someone needs to pull the rip cord, otherwise it will be R.I.P. Australia!!
We need a new direction that takes us out of Net ZERO madness, and onto a path of recovery and prosperity. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has the policies and enthusiastic candidates that will always put Australians and our future FIRST. Vote for positive change – Vote for an Australia in which our grandchildren can thrive, not just survive.
Find our policies to put more money back in Australians’ pockets at www.onenation.org.au/issues
You need to vote 1 – Bruce Stevens PHON in Wills May 3, 2025.
Meet the candidates
Candidates are shown in the order they will appear on the ballot paper. Statements are in their own words.
I’m running in the federal election because the political system and the major parties have failed to serve the interests of working people.
Imagine a society where the wealth that is created could be used to provide everyone with a high quality of life.
Instead, we have a society where one-third of large corporations don’t pay a single dollar of tax and fossil fuel companies get $14.5 billion in handouts.
Everyone else, including people on low incomes, are paying for the services and infrastructure that Australian society needs.
Many thousands of people can’t afford to rent or buy a home.
Governments have left it to developers and the market to provide housing. This has failed.
After World War Two, governments addressed the housing crisis by building a massive amount of public housing. This can be done again. And we need to freeze rents to stop people being thrown onto the street.
Ending the big corporations’ tax rorts, would fund a massive program of public housing program.
We need urgent action on climate change. New coal and gas projects must be stopped. We need 100% renewable energy within five to 10 years through public investment
We need to reverse the privatisation of essential services like childcare, disability support, aged care and many other services. Services need to be delivered for people, not for profit.
Meanwhile, the Liberal and Labor parties’ support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza reveal their double standards.
How can we trust politicians who refuse to condemn a genocide?
Governments that continue to send weapons to Israel while it is committing genocide, won’t stand up for the community against the billionaires who are ripping us off.
We need a real alternative that puts people and planet before profits.
Vote 1 Sue Bolton (Socialist Alliance) in Wills.
This election, our community has a clear choice.
As the Federal Member for Wills, my priority is serving and delivering for our community.
Labor is working to make things easier for everyone. It’s why we delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer, cheaper childcare, energy bill relief, more bulk billing and cheaper medicines. But I know there’s more to do.
It’s why Labor has committed to make the biggest ever investment in Medicare so that everyone has access to a free GP again and will cap the cost of PBS medicines at no more than $25. It’s why we’re investing nearly $1 billion in women’s health. And if re-elected, we will open a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Coburg.
I grew up in public housing – I know the importance of a safe home. It’s why I have advocated for more places to buy and affordable properties to rent in our community. And if Labor is re-elected, first home buyers will only need a 5% deposit to get into a home.
The Liberals drove the cost of university degrees up. I have always believed in the power of education. Labor wiped $3 billion off student debt, and will wipe a further 20% off HECS debts if re-elected.
We are taking real action for our climate. We enshrined net zero into law and increased renewables to 46% of the grid. By 2030 that will be 82%.
All of this, and so much more, is at risk under a Dutton-led right wing government.
This election is close. The party that wins the greatest number of seats will be best placed to form Government. If Labor loses here in Wills, we risk Anthony Albanese falling behind Peter Dutton in the national race.
With your vote, I will keep working for Wills to build Australia’s future.
No statement provided.
I am proud to stand as the Legalise Cannabis Australia candidate for Wills in the upcoming Federal Election.
A long-time Coburg resident, I have lived in the electorate with my family for over 25 years. I have been actively involved in school and community groups, building strong local connections and a deep understanding of the issues that matter to residents.
Recently retired after a 40-year career spanning publishing, arts and education, I have worked with numerous cultural and community organisations. My experience has given me first-hand insight into policy and the challenges faced by local communities.
Outside of my advocacy work, I enjoy reading, visiting art galleries, exploring local markets and experiencing live music. I am also a passionate electric bike rider, embracing the fun and fitness it brings to my daily life.
I believe that outdated laws and political privilege have led to ineffective approaches to key social issues. Like many in the community, I know the war on cannabis has failed and I am committed to fighting for sensible, compassionate reform.
As a candidate, I am dedicated to evidence-based, community-driven policies that deliver real solutions. I will be an approachable and transparent representative, committed to fairness and meaningful change. With me in Parliament, Wills will have a strong advocate for health, personal freedoms, and a more just future.
Fusion has big ideas to tackle the problems in our society at the root cause.
• Reducing tax incentives so houses are treated as homes instead of investments.
• Moving to Georgist land tax so government funding is aligned with projects like high-speed rail.
• Building more pumped hydro, so our grid can store weeks’ worth of intermittent renewable power and we can close coal and gas generators.
• Investing in precision fermentation, so we can do away with the energy-intensive, cruel practices of growing animals on deforested land.
• Giving a universal basic income to all adults, so they have enough money to live and to pursue their dreams, and a dignified safety net to change jobs or living arrangements.
• Classifying ageing as a disease, to unlock research funding for the core workings of our physiology.
• Releasing government software open-source, so processes are transparent and anyone can contribute to our societal operations.
• Switching the burden of proof, so criminals must prove they didn’t retaliate against whistleblowers.
These sorts of fundamental changes will only ever happen with new, minor parties who have nothing to lose and who still have the hope that there’s a whole lot more that’s possible for Australia. Do you share this hope?
I have dedicated my life to fighting for our community. For over a decade, I have represented you on council and in state parliament and now I ask for your support to be your strong voice for Wills.
Right now, things are getting worse. If you’re worried about the cost of rent, mortgages or food and you think the Labor government is failing to act, then you’re not alone.
Right now one-in-10 big corporations pay $0 tax. We should tax them to get dental into Medicare, cap rent increases and lower mortgages, see the GP for free and wipe student debt.
Labor has refused to cap rents, given billions in handouts to the wealthy property investors that stop renters buying their first home, approved new coal and gas projects and they are backing the invasion of Gaza. We know Dutton would be worse.
That’s not what our community is about. We are one of the most compassionate, progressive communities in the country. But nothing changes unless your vote does.
We should be represented by someone who shares our values, not a politician who relies on corporate donations and won’t act on the things that matter.
Vote 1 Greens to keep Dutton out and get Labor to act.
I’m fighting to take on the big corporations, stop their price gouging and tax them to fund the things everyone needs. I’m fighting to stop new coal and gas and end the invasion of Gaza.
If the experts are right and there is a minority government, I will support Labor. Last time there was a minority government we got dental into Medicare for kids and world-leading climate laws.
Change is possible, the first step is voting for someone who will fight for you and the things you believe in.
No statement was provided.
Australia is at a crisis point, and so are Australians! Our Cost-of-Living is out of control, with power, food, fuel, rents and mortgages all having risen dramatically under the Albanese Labor government. Albo is still blaming the LNP for our situation, however after he wasted $522 million on the Voice Referendum which only divided us, he has repeatedly shown himself incapable of not overspending our money. By doubling our debt from $600 billion (May 2022) to $1.2 TRILLION (2025-26), he only has himself to blame!! Seriously, is anyone better off now, than in May 2022? (Unless you’re on the Net ZERO Gravy Train!!).
Labor, LNP and especially Greens only have policies that will reduce our freedoms and cost us more in taxes, to supposedly give us some relief – Tired old policies, but claiming ‘visionary’ outcomes.
NEVER forget that Greens MP Samantha Ratnam, voted for tyrannical Dan Andrews to extend his egregious Emergency Powers in 2020 and 2021, which were supposedly based on ‘scientific’ and ‘medical evidence’, however these were “made up” by Brett Sutton and the ‘evidence’ has never been released to the people those powers were used to abuse!!
Australia is currently falling from a plane, and at some point, someone needs to pull the rip cord, otherwise it will be R.I.P. Australia!!
We need a new direction that takes us out of Net ZERO madness, and onto a path of recovery and prosperity. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has the policies and enthusiastic candidates that will always put Australians and our future FIRST. Vote for positive change – Vote for an Australia in which our grandchildren can thrive, not just survive.
Find our policies to put more money back in Australians’ pockets at www.onenation.org.au/issues
You need to vote 1 – Bruce Stevens PHON in Wills May 3, 2025.
Continued from above
Khalil is proud to stand on his record as a local MP and he believes this will stand him in good stead with voters.
Since the election was called, Labor has announced more than $28 million in local funding commitments for the electorate, and that figure does not include a Medicare urgent care clinic in Coburg which is likely to cost more than $10 million.
“It’s not about me getting credit, what’s important is the community, and the work that I do with the community to get outcomes for the community, and they see that I’ve delivered outcomes in the first term, particularly now that we’ve been government,” Khalil said.
“The minor parties will make all these promises. I wish I could make all those promises, but when I make a promise, I deliver it … what we we say we’re going to do, we get done.
“And that’s the difference being in the Labor Party, in a party of government, you can actually deliver through the budgetary process.”
But Ratnam says voters are looking for a change in Wills. Her campaign is the largest fielded in Victorian Greens’ history with more than 700 active volunteers who have knocked on more than 70,000 doors and made 20,000 phone calls to voters. They have also distributed 1100 placards for front fences and letterboxed the entire electorate.
“It’s really pronounced this election how many people don’t want to vote for the major parties anymore,” she said.
“They really feel like they’ve been let down and neglected, and they really like what the Greens are proposing.
“The more we’re able to talk to them, the more people are open to that message of hope and change.”
Promises, promises, promises …
Promises, promises …
Funding commitments made by Labor since the start of the election:
Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Coburg = unquantified
Upgrading of Fawkner Netball Courts = $4.5 million
New facilities for Bachar Houli Foundation and Islamic College of Sport in Coburg = $15 million
Merri Creek vegetation and other improvements = $1.9 million
Sport and recreation facilities at the Fitzroy North Linear Parklands = $3.7 million
Gillon Oval grandstand and lighting = $3.3 million
Improved accessibility at Pontiaki Estia in Brunswick = $49,500
Commitments will be delivered if Albanese government is re-elected
Funding promises made by the Greens since the start of the election:
Upfield line duplication = $600 million
Increased public school funding and upgrades = $45 million
Youth hubs = unquantified
Merri and Moonee Ponds creeks improvements = $10 million
Safer roads = $3 million
Greens to lobby a future government for promises to be converted into concrete funding
Continued from above
While both candidates agree cost of living, housing and healthcare are the main issues voters want to talk about, Ratnam clearly believes the Greens’ strong position against Israel’s invasion and bombardment of Gaza is cutting through. Khalil has come under pressure not only from the Greens and Socialist Alliance candidate Sue Bolton, but also from the Muslim Votes Matter organisation who have endorsed Ratnam and been a regular presence at pre-polling.
“Almost every day now I’m talking to people who are saying they’re changing their vote because of Gaza,” Ratnam said.
“They feel like Labor has not been strong enough. They [Labor] took months to even call for a ceasefire, they are not proposing sanctions on Israel, they’re not ending the two-way arms trade.
“They feel really let down by Labor’s lack of leadership, and they want people to have moral courage, and it is influencing so many people’s votes.”
Khalil’s approach has been to patiently explain the Australian government’s position and the things it has done since Israel’s military offensive began in late-2023, including its support for a ceasefire in the United Nations, humanitarian aid it has provided, and the refugee program that has allowed escapees from Gaza to settle in Australia, including in his own electorate.
But he bristles at what he describes as misinformation that has been spread, particularly on social media. He sees this as a symptom of what has become a “nasty” political environment.
“I think there’s been a lot more populism, a lot more misinformation, disinformation, blatant lies,” he says.
“Some of the pamphlets that have been distributed have distorted images or doctored images of me ripping up a page that says, ‘Free Palestine’ … That’s a bit nasty.
“Truth matters. I think most people that I speak to understand that, and they see through some of this misinformation, and are really interested in to hear what I’ve worked on.
“And look, people can make a judgement about Australia’s foreign policy, that’s up to them, where we can do more, where we can do better. And I’m open to having that conversation with people, and they’re good and mature conversations.”
If the bookmakers are any guide, Khalil is still favourite to retain the seat. Sportsbet has him at $1.60 and Ratnam at $2.15, while TAB has them at $1.50 and $2.40 respectively.
The punters are often right, but this election is too close to call and it’s possible we may not even know the result until early next week.
Where to vote on election day
Voting booths in Brunswick. Voting is between 8am and 6pm.
St Ambrose Church Hall
3 Dawson St, Brunswick
St Margaret Mary’s Parish Hall
68 Donald St, Brunswick
Brunswick North Primary School
144 Pearson St, Brunswick West
Temple Park Senior Citizens Centre
24 Gray St, Brunswick
Merri-bek Primary School
157-163 Moreland Rd, Coburg
Brunswick East Primary School
195A Stewart St, Brunswick East
Brunswick South West Primary School
5A South Daly St, Brunswick West
St Joseph’s School Hall
183 Hope St, Brunswick West
Brunswick South Primary School
56 Brunswick Rd, Brunswick East
Holy Trinity Serbian Church
1 Noel St, Brunswick East
Brunswick North West Primary School
3 Culloden St, Brunswick West
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