A resurgent One Nation and a likely change of government mean Australians will be paying unusually close attention to this month’s Victorian election. Labor and the Coalition are drawing on staff from across the country for a campaign that will set the tone for next year’s NSW state election and the 2028 federal poll.
Labor Premier Ben Carroll is backed by a team including secretary Steve Staikos, senior assistant secretary Jett Fogarty and junior assistant secretary Mikaela Sadkiewicz. Campaign chief of staff Louise Magee serves in that role, while the premier’s former deputy chief of staff Bassel Tallal directs the travelling party and has final say on music choices. Carroll’s wife Fiona Rothville features heavily. An inner circle of ministers advises on key decisions: Deputy Premier Gabrielle Williams, Treasurer Colin Brooks and Major Events Minister Anthony Carbines. Federal ministers Richard Marles and Catherine King have staff assisting the state campaign, alongside party figures and staffers from most other states.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson leads a close-knit leadership team with chief of staff Byron Hodkinson and deputy chief of staff Lydia Paterson. Alyson Hannam is campaign director, with deputy Paul Denham. Former state director Simon Frost, whose former role was as a key adviser to former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, for whom Wilson once worked, has been spotted at cafes near party headquarters. Senator James Paterson, Lydia’s husband, is a regular fixture at every Liberal press conference. He made a name for himself as federal campaign spokesman in 2025 and regularly shares his wisdom with the Wilson team. Kane Silom is on loan from federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor’s office as director of communications, assisted by Alex Woff and Georgie Simmonds. Wilson’s political brain trust includes Nationals leader Danny O’Brien and shadow ministers Evan Mulholland, David Southwick, James Newbury and Brad Rowswell.
One Nation leader Warren Pickering has the assistance of Mark Jones, a former Liberal rising star, on campaign operations, along with state secretary Bianca Collechia. Pauline Hanson has been in Victoria recently to boost the party’s media coverage, and chief strategist James Ashby is rarely far behind. Richard Henderson, who was handling media inquiries for Hanson’s office, is managing campaign media, while staffer Harry Mulry plays a key role from Pakenham, where Pickering is hoping to win a lower house seat.
The Victorian Greens will be using their regular staff team and have no campaign chief of staff, according to a spokeswoman.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Victorian election will set the tone for upcoming state and federal elections, shaping campaign strategies across the country.
- A potential change of government would redirect Victoria's policy direction after years of Labor rule.
- One Nation's resurgence, backed by Pauline Hanson, could alter the political balance in the state and influence how major parties approach regional and working-class voters.
Background
The Victorian election is scheduled for November 28. Labor, led by Premier Ben Carroll, is defending its majority against the Liberal-National Coalition under Jess Wilson, with One Nation under Warren Pickering aiming to expand its footprint. The campaign has drawn national attention as the first major test of political tactics since the 2025 federal election and ahead of the 2027 NSW election and the 2028 federal poll.
What to Watch
- November 28 polling day and the results in key marginal seats.
- Whether Warren Pickering wins the Pakenham lower house seat, a bellwether for One Nation's strength.
- The effectiveness of federal staffer reinforcements in boosting campaign performance for Labor and the Coalition.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedThe rival campaign teams are preparing for a Victorian election showdown.WA Today - Latest News: “Inside the rival war rooms plotting Victoria’s election showdown.”
- SupportedOne Nation is resurgent.WA Today - Latest News: “A resurgent One Nation and a likely change of government means Australians will be paying unusually close attention to this month’s Victorian election .”
- SupportedLabor and the Coalition are drawing on federal staff for the campaign.WA Today - Latest News: “Most Victorian federal ministers, such as Richard Marles and Catherine King, have staff assisting the state campaign alongside party figures and staffers from most other states. ... For the Liberals, Kane Silom is on loan from federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor’s office”
- SupportedA likely change of government is contributing to unusual public attention to this month’s Victorian election.WA Today - Latest News: “A resurgent One Nation and a likely change of government means Australians will be paying unusually close attention to this month’s Victorian election .”
- SupportedThe campaign will set the tone for next year’s NSW state election and the 2028 federal poll.WA Today - Latest News: “the campaign, which will set the tone for next year’s NSW state election and the 2028 federal poll.”
- SupportedLabor’s campaign team includes secretary Steve Staikos, senior assistant secretary Jett Fogarty and junior assistant secretary Mikaela Sadkiewicz.WA Today - Latest News: “In the Labor campaign, the key movers and shakers, outside of Premier Ben Carroll himself, include party mechanics: secretary Steve Staikos, senior assistant secretary Jett Fogarty and junior assistant secretary Mikaela Sadkiewicz.”
- SupportedLouise Magee is campaign chief of staff, and Bassel Tallal directs the travelling party and has final say on music choices.WA Today - Latest News: “Louise Magee serves as campaign chief of staff, while the premier’s former deputy chief of staff, Bassel Tallal, is the director of the travelling party and has final say on all music choices.”
- SupportedGabrielle Williams, Colin Brooks and Anthony Carbines advise the premier on key decisions.WA Today - Latest News: “There is also an inner circle of ministers who advise the premier on key decisions, including Deputy Premier Gabrielle Williams, Treasurer Colin Brooks and Major Events Minister Anthony Carbines.”
- SupportedJess Wilson’s leadership team includes chief of staff Byron Hodkinson and deputy chief of staff Lydia Paterson.WA Today - Latest News: “Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has a close-knit leadership team with chief of staff Byron Hodkinson and deputy chief of staff Lydia Paterson.”
- SupportedSimon Frost has been spotted at cafes near party headquarters and was a key adviser to Josh Frydenberg, whom Wilson once worked for.WA Today - Latest News: “Former state director Simon Frost has been spotted at cafes near party headquarters, perhaps unsurprising given his former role as a key adviser to former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, whom Wilson once worked for.”
- SupportedPauline Hanson has recently been in Victoria to boost One Nation’s media coverage, with James Ashby rarely far behind.WA Today - Latest News: “Pauline Hanson has been in Victoria recently to boost the party’s media coverage and where Hanson goes, chief strategist James Ashby is rarely far behind.”
- SupportedThe Victorian Greens will use their regular staff team and have no campaign chief of staff, according to a spokeswoman.WA Today - Latest News: “The Victorian Greens will be utilising their team of regular staff, and have no campaign chief of staff, according to a party spokeswoman.”