Independent joins Western Victoria election race

The upper house seat of Western Victoria Region has its first independent candidate in November’s state election, with Aleta Moriarty declaring she will run.

The Belmont resident and humanitarian, who announced today she would throw her hat in the ring a as a self-described “community independent”, is running on a platform on improving housing, education and the cost of living by tackling economic inequality.

She said regional Australia represented almost a quarter of the population but only received a fraction of the infrastructure investment, with successive state and federal budgets skewing spending toward inner-city seats and ignoring communities in western Victoria.

“People feel like they are on a treadmill. Working harder, going nowhere. That is a policy failure that has been compounding for decades,” she said.

“You cannot fix a broken system with the same people who broke it.

“Western Victoria needs a voice that is free to speak the truth, hold power to account and put people ahead of politics.”

Her other policies include stronger integrity measures and anti-corruption reform to protect and restore democratic institutions, defending human rights and women’s rights, proper due diligence on data centre development and its impact on local communities, and sustained climate action to protect Victoria’s biodiversity, coastline and natural environment.

Moriarty ran in the 2024 City of Greater Geelong election in the Barrabool Hills Ward but said she was a “reluctant candidate” this time as she had been repeatedly asked to stand at the federal and state elections.

“I am not running because I want a political career,” she said.

“I have been asked again and again by everyday people who are exhausted and who want real change, and I could not remain a bystander.

“People deserve better.”

Moriarty has a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Cambridge.

Her career includes senior leadership roles with the United Nations and the World Bank, working across more than 20 countries in humanitarian emergencies and war zones addressing poverty and inequality.

Her business experience includes leading the first sustainability department at the Cotton On Group, and is presently chief executive of The Centre for Sustainability.

She said he had been floored by the support since declaring she would stand at the election.

“It has come from people of every age, background and walk of life, and I think it tells you something about how desperate people are for real change and how ready they are to act,” she said.

“This campaign belongs to the community, not to corporations or party machines.

“If you want in, volunteer, host a yard sign, come to an event or donate, please get in touch. This is truly a people-powered campaign, so the more the merrier.”

The Liberals and Greens have confirmed candidates to stand in Western Victoria Region but none of the other established parties, including Labor and One Nation, have revealed their choices so far.