Jess Wilson took charge as Leader of the Opposition in November 2025, stepping into a role that has often struggled to build sustained engagement with Victoria’s Indian community. The benchmark many still point to was set during the era of Ted Baillieu, shaped in part by former ministerial adviser Nitin Gupta. The question now is whether Jess will draw from that playbook or chart a different course.
During Baillieu’s time in opposition and government, engagement with Victoria’s Indian diaspora extended well beyond symbolic appearances. When concerns over attacks on Indian students escalated in 2009, Baillieu and Nitin made it a priority to meet Indian politicians, business leaders and students directly. The effort went beyond statements and gestures, with delegations to India helping rebuild confidence and reinforce long-term cooperation.
That approach was deliberate. Nitin ensured outreach was not limited to festivals or generic pledges. Engagement included small business owners, students, professionals and even cricket bodies such as the BCCI and the IPL, with the aim of building durable relationships rather than relying on ceremonial handshakes. It is a depth of engagement that remains a reference point for many within the community.
After Baillieu, both Matthew Guy and Brad Battin made efforts to engage with Victorian Indians. Those efforts were noticed, though they were not matched by the same level of policy development or sustained media engagement. Under Baillieu, the policy work overseen by Nitin ranged from drafting the Bollywood Policy in October 2006, which carried the original idea for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, to committing to open a Victorian Government Business Office in Mumbai once elected. That policy agenda was reinforced by a deliberate media strategy, backing announcements with more than 2,000 articles over four years in Australian Indian media, a factor many credit with giving Baillieu an edge in 2010.
Jess Wilson’s first media address as Opposition Leader outlined the priorities she intends to pursue. On cost of living and the economy, she spoke of reducing pressure on households and addressing the state’s growing net debt, which she described as “simply not sustainable”. She pledged to go through the budget, stop waste and invest in frontline services. On crime, she said she would end what she called a crisis by pursuing civil reforms to the criminal justice system, pointing to the “highest offending on record” under the current government. She also committed to improving access to healthcare and making home ownership more attainable.
Since taking on the leadership, Jess has retained her role as Shadow Treasurer. Multicultural affairs does not sit within her current portfolio. Evan Mulholland has been active in that space, though there is growing expectation that alternate and innovative policy announcements will need to follow.
History suggests that winning elections depends far more on policy work and sustained media engagement
The immediate task for Jess is to establish a stronger presence within Victoria’s Indian community. Attendance at cultural events would be a starting point, but many argue that real engagement requires tangible action. Appointing an Indian-Australian adviser has been raised as one practical step, echoing the role Nitin played under Baillieu.
There is also a broader challenge shaped by global social media. The meaning of political labels such as “Liberal” varies sharply across countries. In India, the term is widely associated with centre-left politics, while in Victoria and Australia the Liberal Party positions itself on the centre-right with an aspirational focus. For newer migrants consuming media feeds from multiple countries, that contrast can be confusing. Jess and the party will need to address this social media paradox or risk losing voters who otherwise align with core Liberal values.
Given Jess’s emphasis on the economy, many within the community are watching to see whether she broadens Victoria’s India engagement strategy and the Trade Engagement Program India. Suggestions include committing to more productive timeframes for future trade delegations, such as the January to March window rather than September, and assuring that delegations travel with a full-time Australian Indian adviser. Innovative economic policies that widen appeal within the Indian community would be seen as a constructive first step.
The coming weeks will also see Liberal preselections, with a strong chance that several Indian-Australian candidates could secure winning tickets. Greater representation would be welcome and widely supported. Yet there is a caution against treating preselections as a substitute for policy depth or as a reason to delay targeted initiatives or further reduce engagement with multicultural media, which has already thinned since 2010.
Strong branch organisation and factional support can help win preselections. History suggests that winning elections depends far more on policy work and sustained media engagement. For Jess Wilson, the challenge will be to keep both moving, regardless of who emerges from the preselections or when they conclude.
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