Brad Battin’s rise to the leadership of the Victorian Liberal Party hasn’t been the smoothest. A former police officer, youth worker, and small business owner, he entered Parliament in 2010 representing the seat of Gembrook. Over more than a decade, he’s served in various shadow portfolios, including Emergency Services, Roads, and Youth Justice. Known for his direct manner and outer-suburban roots, Battin previously launched a failed leadership bid in 2021, before finally assuming the top job in December 2023.
Now, with the 2026 state election looming, Battin is pitching a rebuilt Liberal Party that promises to cut stamp duty for first-home buyers, streamline public services using AI, restore police morale, and re-engage with multicultural communities. He is quick to criticise the Allan Government’s fiscal record, pointing to ballooning debt, project cost overruns, and cuts to multicultural spending. But he also makes space for long-term goals: better infrastructure in the west, support for language schools, and bringing more diverse candidates into Parliament.
In this Q&A, Battin lays out his plans, acknowledges where the party has fallen short, and explains why he thinks a practical, family-focused approach might just bring the Liberals back to government.
The Andrews–Allan Labor government has held power in Victoria for over a decade. What’s your strategy to turn the tide, especially given Labor’s stronghold in key urban seats?
I think I’m obviously from a key urban area because I’m here out in the growth corridors. For us, it’s about communication and collaboration with the local community—and I think that’s one thing we’ve missed. So I think working and meeting with as many groups as we can, whether that’s multicultural groups or religious organisations, is key. We can’t meet every individual—we’d love to—but we’re focused on key stakeholders. We want to give them a vision that reflects their aspirations: owning a home, and knowing their kids have a future.
Your party is trying to rebuild after electoral setbacks. Which seats do you see as most competitive in 2026, and how do you plan to win them back?
We need to win at least sixteen seats, and many of them will come from regional areas and growth corridors. Places like Pakenham, Hastings, Kalkallo, and the northwest. There are seats across the state that are marginal, or could become marginal by the next election. We’re targeting about thirty seats seriously. Many of them have been neglected, especially in the outer suburbs.
Some critics argue the Liberal-National Coalition hasn’t made a compelling pitch to multicultural urban voters. What will you do differently this time, especially in Melbourne’s west and southeast?
We’re a different party in terms of policy. We’ve focused more on working directly with multicultural groups to figure out how we can offer meaningful support. Whether it’s infrastructure or funding through community organisations, we’re open to real conversations. We don’t claim to have all the answers—but we’re here to listen and act.
The 2025–26 Budget shows a 25% drop in multicultural affairs spending—from $60.5 million to $48.2 million. Your colleague Evan Mulholland raised concerns in Parliament. Would you restore this funding? What would your multicultural affairs policy look like?
It’s hard to say right now what exact funding we’d restore where, but what we do know is that the government has to prioritise spending better. Debt is headed toward $200 billion in Victoria. That’s $1.2 million every hour just in interest. And now 10% of the entire budget goes to servicing debt. The government has wasted billions—$48 billion over budget on major projects. We’d rather that money go into education, health, and community support.
What specific support would you offer to language schools, particularly Indian languages like Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Malayalam?
I’ve been really open about this. Knowing more than one language is a great asset, and we should be encouraging families to continue using their mother tongue. At the moment, most Indian languages are only taught in weekend or community schools. But we should be expanding those options within mainstream education. It’s not that expensive, and it’s culturally important.
You’ve proposed abolishing stamp duty for first home buyers on properties up to $1 million. Is this a standalone promise, or part of a broader housing affordability agenda?
That’s just the first step. We’ve got a broader plan that includes increasing land supply, encouraging decentralisation, and looking at different housing models. The current government is pushing high-rises, but that doesn’t suit everyone. We can have infill in places like Fishermans Bend, but also grow into areas like Warragul, Sale, Bendigo, Ballarat, and Geelong.
Do you believe this policy risks inflating housing prices by increasing demand, especially in growth corridors?
What supply-side reforms will you pursue alongside this?A: Right now, the market is soft. Approvals are down. Builders are struggling. This policy can help restore demand—but it needs to be matched with opening up land faster. If we get supply right, price growth can be kept moderate. We need that, so the next generation isn’t priced out.
Victoria Police have banned machetes, and yet violent crimes—especially in youth clusters—continue. What would a Battin-led government do differently in law enforcement?
Banning machetes was two years late. And it’s not just the ban—it’s about real consequences. If someone carries a machete, there should be a strong penalty. Too many offenders are on bail repeatedly. Break bail, face jail—that’s our view. Community safety has to come first.
You’ve spoken before on police morale and operational independence. Do you think current government oversight has hindered effective policing?
Yes. We’ve seen a lot of interference. We’ve lost a Chief Commissioner and multiple Deputy Commissioners. That’s destabilising. The focus should be on crime reduction, not politics.
The state’s debt has ballooned past $150 billion. What exactly would you cut? What’s non-negotiable?
It’s not about cutting services—it’s about efficiency. There are thousands of public boards and committees with unclear value. Even the Treasurer admits there’s bloat. The government’s own report says 30 cents in every project dollar is lost to waste. That’s where we’d start.
Would your cost-cutting measures affect frontline services—health, education, transport?
No. We’re already short on nurses and police. Trains are running late. Services are stretched. We’d reallocate from back-office to frontline roles. That’s where the focus should be.
Do you feel the Victorian Liberal Party has moved past the internal divisions that hurt its chances in previous elections?
Absolutely. The team is united and focused on policy, not personalities. Everyone knows the scale of the challenge and the opportunity.
Given the federal government’s cap on international student numbers and the housing affordability crisis, how would your government support international students in Victoria?
First, safety. More police, safer streets. Second, housing. We’re taxing new developments at 43%. That’s unsustainable. If we reduce that burden, we can encourage more affordable housing—including for international students.
What’s your position on AI and digital transformation?
We’ve got a Shadow Minister for Digital Transformation. AI should be used to make government services more efficient. NSW does this with Services NSW. If a child is flagged as at-risk, departments should talk to each other automatically. That could prevent long-term harm.
If voters could remember just one idea from your leadership, what would you want that to be in 2026?
That I’m just a dad who wants families to raise their kids their way. Government shouldn’t decide your values—families should.
How will you ensure more multicultural candidates are preselected in winnable seats?
We don’t parachute people in. We go through preselection. But yes, we’ve had serious conversations with a number of outstanding multicultural candidates, and you’ll see that reflected in the next election.
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🗳️ @BradBattinMP leads Vic Liberals, targeting 2026 election with stamp duty cuts & multicultural outreach. 🏡#Housing, #AI efficiency, & law & order key focuses. 💬Vows to listen to diverse communities & back #language education. #TheIndianSun
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