New Liberal challenger takes aim at Bellarine

The Liberal Party has endorsed Leopold resident Callum Whitehead as its candidate for Bellarine, setting up a contest with incumbent Labor MP Alison Marchant at November’s state election.

Whitehead said he was standing to help deliver better opportunities for local families, arguing the Bellarine had been let down the Labor government.

“People on the Bellarine, especially myself, have seen what’s been going on over the past 12 years under a Labor government and we’ve just had enough,” he said.

“I’ve got a young family; we’re trying to grow and prosper.

“The opportunity for us to continue to live in a better area and access better government infrastructure so our lives are improved, it just hasn’t been there.”

Whitehead is an experienced media and communications professional who has worked across the public sector.

He has also served as a media advisor for the Liberals, Nationals and Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party.

He is involved with Leopold’s football, cricket and fishing clubs, and was this week appointed president of the Leopold Cricket Club for the 2026–27 season.

Whitehead, whose father was a police officer, said reducing crime would be one of his key priorities.

“That’s hit my family as well – I’ve had instances where family members have had cars broken into, people feeling unsafe walking down the street,” he said.

“We’re a beautiful tourist destination, and we want people to come to the Bellarine and feel safe and have a great time.”
He said Bellarine residents were not being heard in Spring Street and he wanted to be a strong local voice for the region.

“I’m just an average person, and that’s what the people of the Bellarine want,” he said.

“They want just a normal person running for parliament, not someone who’s going to sit in an office in Melbourne or Leopold not getting out on the ground speaking to the people.

“I want our community to be the best it can be, and I’m going to help them do that.”

At the 28 November election, Whitehead will challenge Marchant, who holds the seat with a comfortable margin of 8.5 per cent.

Socialist Alliance candidate Dom Williams is the only other candidate to have declared their intention to run for the seat.