Prahran by-election: Greens, Liberals, and independents battle for key seat

With early voting under way for the Prahran District by-election, Southbank News brings you the latest on the 11 candidates vying for the seat.

Prahran has long been a marginal electorate, frequently swinging between the Labor Party and its conservative rivals.

Encompassing South Yarra, Prahran, Windsor, and parts of St Kilda, St Kilda East, and Southbank, it is the state’s smallest electorate by area, but one of its most densely populated.

The Greens have held the seat since 2014, represented by Sam Hibbins. However, the former Prahran MP resigned from the party in November last year after admitting to an affair with a staffer. 

Later that month, he stepped down from parliament altogether, triggering the 2025 by-election.

“The Member for Prahran has completely lost my trust, and the trust of his Greens colleagues; the Member for Prahran will never be welcome back in our party room,” Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell said, following Mr Hibbins’ resignation. 

With the seat now up for grabs and 11 candidates contesting the election on February 8, the race is heating up.

Perhaps the most contentious development has been Labor’s decision not to field a candidate, effectively setting up a head-to-head battle between the Greens and the Liberals.

Rachel Westaway is the Liberal Party’s candidate, facing off against the Greens’ Angelica Di Camillo. 

A South Yarra resident of 20 years, Ms Westaway is well-known in her community and currently serves as the president of the Thai Australian Chamber.

“I feel very lucky to live in a city with the diversity of this seat, but it’s been neglected for so long – and I know that because I live and breathe it,” Ms Westaway said. 

“I think most people would want a local who understands the issues pertaining to the seat. I was ready to put my hands up and I’ve been a 25-year member of the Liberal Party, so on that basis I decided to run.”

Ms Westaway has identified crime, graffiti, and a lack of open space as key concerns for Southbank Village residents living in the electorate. 

“Southbank in particular has been neglected by the Labor Party, supported by the Greens, and it’s something that I would like to ensure we cover because it is a tourist destination,” she told Southbank News.

Ms Di Camillo, a St Kilda East resident, was initially the Greens’ proposed candidate for the federal seat of Higgins before its abolition ahead of the 2025 election.

She previously ran in the 2023 Aston by-election and the 2022 state election for Rowville.

The race could also be influenced by independent candidate Tony Lupton’s decision to preference Ms Westaway. 

A former Labor MP for Prahran from 2002 to 2010, Mr Lupton cut ties with the party to run as an independent.

“When the Labor Party decided not to run a candidate, I felt that that would disenfranchise a lot of people,” he told Southbank News.

“There were a lot of people who want to vote for a Labor candidate or someone who has good traditional Labor values, and that’s the sort of candidate that I am.”

Mr Lupton has prioritised public amenities, safety, and open space in Southbank.

“Southbank is an important part of the district because it’s an area that’s undergoing a lot of change in recent years,” he said.

“There are areas that have been residential for a long time, but there’s also been a lot of apartment building and new development, so it’s always important to involve the residents and make sure that their voices are listened to.”

Mr Lupton’s preference deal with the Liberals has sparked criticism from other independent candidates, such as Buzz Billman who has urged voters to “be wary of the other independent candidate who is claiming to represent traditional Labor values”.

Other candidates include independent Janine Hendry, a Prahran local and gender equality advocate known for leading Women’s March4Justice.

“What I’m seeing out there is a really closed political system – and we’re seeing candidates who are not for the communities that they represent,” Ms Hendry said.

“In talking to so many of my friends and neighbours, they’re just not feeling heard – it’s a really diverse electorate, and it’s not one-size-fits-all.”

Animal Justice Party candidate Faith Fuhrer is campaigning on environmental and animal welfare issues, with a particular focus on a disease outbreak affecting birds at Albert Park Lake.

Despite the Greens holding Prahran at the past two elections, a broader swing against the party in recent council and state elections could threaten their grip on the seat.

The race will ultimately be a showdown between the Liberals and the Greens, factoring in preference flows.

However, Mr Lupton’s high profile and his campaign as a voice for disenfranchised Labor voters suggests he could be a serious contender.

Other candidates in the running include Nathan Chisholm, Geneviève Gilbert, Alan Menadue, Mark Dessau, and Dennis Bilic. •