Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell eyes state parliament in Western Metropolitan tilt

City of Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell is making another bid for higher office, after being endorsed by the Victorian Liberal Party to contest the Western Metropolitan Region at this year’s state election.

The Liberal Party announced on August 7 that Cr Campbell would join opposition leader Jess Wilson’s team for the upper house region, which includes large parts of Melbourne’s west.

Her candidacy follows the departure of former Liberal-turned-independent MP Moira Deeming from the region and represents Cr Campbell’s latest attempt to enter state or federal politics.

In 2023, she unsuccessfully contested the federal seat of Aston for the Liberal Party under then-opposition leader Peter Dutton, losing the traditionally Liberal-held seat to Labor in a historic by-election result.

Cr Campbell may again face criticism over being parachuted into an electorate outside her immediate political base, an issue that featured prominently during the Aston campaign. However, her profile as a barrister, mother of four and experienced City of Melbourne councillor gives the Liberals a high-profile candidate as they seek to rebuild support in Melbourne’s west.

Roshena Campbell with former Federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton during her byelection campaign in the seat of Aston in 2023. 

“My parents lived in Point Cook, and I also spent many years volunteering at the Footscray soup kitchen,” Cr Campbell said.

First elected to the City of Melbourne in 2020, Cr Campbell became Deputy Lord Mayor alongside Nick Reece in 2024 and has emerged as one of Town Hall’s more experienced figures, with a strong focus on business, safety and city management.

Her move also adds another layer of intrigue to the City of Melbourne ahead of November’s state election.

Labor-aligned councillor Davydd Griffiths has already announced his intention to contest the lower-house seat of Melbourne against Greens MP Ellen Sandell.

Should both Cr Campbell and Cr Griffiths be elected, council could lose two of its most senior and experienced members at once, potentially reshaping the balance and dynamics of Town Hall less than halfway through its four-year term.

Cr Campbell’s election to state parliament would also create a vacancy in the deputy lord mayoralty, triggering a by-election to determine who would serve alongside Lord Mayor Nick Reece for the remainder of the term.

Southbank News understands there may yet be further council interest in the state election, with another councillor considering a run, although no announcement has been made.

For Cr Campbell, the campaign represents another opportunity to translate her experience at Melbourne Town Hall to a higher level of government.

“On council, I’ve seen first-hand the problems our state faces,” she said. “I’m ready to help deliver our plan to fix it.”