Victorian Socialists

Last updated

Victorian Socialists
Abbreviation
  • VS
  • VicSoc
Leader Collective leadership
Secretary Corey Oakley
Founded5 February 2018;7 years ago (2018-02-05)
Registered6 June 2018;7 years ago (2018-06-06)
Headquarters83 Sydney Road, Brunswick, Melbourne, Victoria [1]
Membership (2025)Increase2.svg 5,400 (Australia) [2] [3]
Ideology Democratic socialism [4]
Political position Left-wing [5] [6]
Colours  Black   White
SloganPeople before profit
Greater Bendigo City Council
1 / 9
Website
www.victoriansocialists.org.au

The Victorian Socialists (VS) are a political party in the Australian state of Victoria.

Contents

The party promotes a democratic socialist platform focused on expanding public ownership, increasing investment in public services and strengthening workplace rights, and organising around issues including housing, healthcare, education and economic inequality. [7]

History

The formation of the Victorian Socialists was announced publicly on 5 February 2018. [8] [9] It was officially registered by the Victorian Electoral Commission on 6 June 2018. [10] The party began as a collaboration between Socialist Alternative and the Socialist Alliance. [11] However, Socialist Alliance withdrew from the grouping in May 2020, citing disagreements with Socialist Alternative. [12]

In August 2018, the party announced that it would field candidates for the 2018 Victorian state election in every Legislative Council seat and several Legislative Assembly electorates. Candidates included the former Geelong Trades Hall Secretary Tim Gooden for the Western Victoria Region and local councillors Stephen Jolly and Sue Bolton for the Northern Metropolitan Region. [13] [14]

The 2018 election campaign gained support from several trade unions including the ETU, VAHPA, UFU, CFMMEU (MUA division), AMIEU and NUW. [15] [16] [17] It also won the support of several local immigrant diasporas and community organisations. [18] [19] Endorsements were received from several prominent left-wing personalities, such as Tariq Ali, Noam Chomsky, Gary Foley, Tom Ballard, Corinne Grant, and Helen Razer. The party achieved a vote of 4.2% in the Northern Metropolitan Region while achieving 7.2% of the vote for the lower house seat of Broadmeadows, in a field of four candidates. [20] [21]

In the 2019 federal election, VS ran candidates for the electorates of Calwell, Wills, and Cooper. [22] The party was registered at a federal level with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on 7 April 2019. [23] The party won votes of 4.6% in Calwell, 4.5% in Wills, and 4.2% in Cooper.

In September 2019, Jolly was suspended from VS pending an investigation following what The Age described as "serious allegations", leading him to resign from the party. [24]

In the 2020 Victorian local government elections, the party fielded candidates for Darebin, Hume, Maribyrnong, Melbourne and Moreland, and a ticket for the Lord and Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne. [25] [26] Socialist Alternative member Jorge Jorquera became the first Victorian Socialists candidate to be elected to office, winning a seat on the Maribyrnong City Council. [27] [28] [29]

VS ran candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2022 federal election, and subsequently launched a campaign to win a seat in the 2022 Victorian state election. [30] The party achieved a vote of 4.7% in the Northern Metropolitan Region.

Members of the party are involved in activist campaigns for a range of progressive causes.[ citation needed ] In July 2022, VS Assistant Secretary and 2022 state election candidate Liz Walsh was the organiser of large demonstrations in Melbourne, protesting the overturning of abortion rights by the United States Supreme Court, as well as calling for expanded access to abortion and increased healthcare funding in Australia. [31] [32]

VS ran candidates in the west and north of Melbourne for the 2022 Victorian state election, reportedly mobilising over 1000 volunteers for its campaign and knocking on over 180,000 doors. [33] The party increased its vote from 2018, with its best result being a score of 9.3% in the seat of Footscray. [34] [35]

VS ran candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2025 federal election.

Nationwide expansion

On 13 May 2025, VS announced it intended to establish branches in all states and territories. [36] [37] At a conference of party members on 16 June 2025, VS confirmed its intention to change its AEC-registered name to the "Socialist Party". [38]

Throughout mid-to-late-2025, branches were launched in New South Wales, [39] Queensland, [40] South Australia, [41] Tasmania, [42] Western Australia, [43] the Australian Capital Territory [44] and the Northern Territory. [45] The SA Socialists became the first non-Victorian branch registered on 23 October 2025. [46]

VS announced in November 2025 that its attempts to be renamed with the AEC and registered with the New South Wales Electoral Commission (NSWEC) were both refused on the basis of similarity with Socialist Alliance's name, with the party instead seeking registration as the "Australian Socialist Party". [2]

Structure

The executive council is made up of four party officers and nine elected ordinary members. A party conference is held at least every two years, where the officers and executive members are elected and a political platform may be determined. [47] According to the constitution, the preferred method of preselection of candidates is by a meeting of members of the party who live or work in that electorate (with the exception of upper house seats). [48]

Policies

Climate and environment

Cost of living and inequality

Housing

Public ownership

Tax

Workers and unions

Health

Democracy and civil rights

Anti-racism

Politicians' pay and conduct

Banking

Universities

Elderly people

Food and nutrition

Electoral results

Federal

House of Representatives

ElectionVotesVictoriaAustralia+/–
%Seats%Seats
2019 12,4530.34
0 / 38
0.09
0 / 151
Steady2.svg 0
2022 27,2260.73
0 / 39
0.19
0 / 151
Steady2.svg 0
2025 23,6700.58
0 / 39
0.15
0 / 151
Steady2.svg 0

Senate

ElectionVotesVictoriaAustralia+/–
%Seats%Seats
2022 21,7390.57
0 / 39
0.14
0 / 151
Steady2.svg 0
2025 62,8661.54
0 / 39
0.40
0 / 151
Steady2.svg 0

Victoria

Victorian Legislative Assembly
Election year# of
overall votes		% of
overall vote		# of
seats won		+/–
2018 15,4420.44 (#7)
0 / 88
Steady2.svg 0
2022 48,9421.35 (#7)
0 / 88
Steady2.svg 0
Victorian Legislative Council
Election year# of
overall votes		% of
overall vote		# of
seats won		+/–
2018 32,6030.91 (#12)
0 / 40
Steady2.svg 0
2022 52,2451.39 (#12)
0 / 40
Steady2.svg 0

Elected representatives

Current

ImageNameOfficeTerm startTerm endNotes
  VS Placeholder.png Owen CosgriffCouncillor of the City of Greater Bendigo for Whipstick Ward 26 October 2024 Incumbent

Former

ImageNameOfficeTerm startTerm endNotes
  Stephen Jolly (cropped).jpg Stephen Jolly Councillor of the City of Yarra for Langridge Ward 5 February 201823 September 2019Left party after membership suspended [53]
  Jorge Jorquera.png Jorge JorqueraCouncillor of the City of Maribyrnong for Yarraville Ward 24 October 2020 26 October 2024 Contested Burndap Ward in 2024 after Yarraville Ward abolished but lost seat [54] [55]

Notable members

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Home". Victorian Socialists. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  2. 1 2 Oakley, Corey (12 November 2025). "Socialist Party electoral registration update". Victorian Socialists. Archived from the original on 12 November 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  3. ↑ "Now is the time for socialists to unite". Victorian Socialists. 17 November 2025. Archived from the original on 17 November 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  4. ↑ "Victorian Socialists Constitution" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 15 April 2019. We work to foster solidarity through authentic collective struggle and to demonstrate the need for, and legitimacy of, democratic socialism.
  5. ↑ Henriques-Gomes, Luke (10 November 2018). "Reason v socialism in Victorian election: Fiona Patten gears up for a fight". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  6. ↑ "A Highly Simplified Guide To All Of Victoria's Minor Parties, From Batshit To Actually Pretty Ok". PEDESTRIAN.TV. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Our Policy Platform". Victorian Socialists. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  8. ↑ Royall, Ian (5 February 2018). "Victorian Socialists hope to pinch seat in Victoria's Upper House election race". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  9. ↑ "Who are the Victorian Socialists?". Red Flag. 5 February 2018. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  10. ↑ "Registration of the Victorian Socialists". Victorian Electoral Commission. 6 June 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Mitchell, Ivan; Lopez, Daniel (2018). "The Immodest Victorian Socialists". jacobin.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  12. ↑ "Socialist Alliance withdraws from Victorian Socialists". Socialist Alliance. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  13. ↑ Thomson, Andrew (2 November 2018). "Socialists to stand across western Victoria". The Standard. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  14. ↑ Pearce, Gary (19 October 2018). "The Victorian Socialists' fight for an alternative". Overland literary journal. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  15. ↑ Hutchinson, Samantha (15 October 2018). "Unions back Victorian Socialists' campaign". The Australian.
  16. ↑ "Victorian Socialists". Facebook. 7 February 2018.
  17. ↑ Carey, Adam (3 May 2018). "Socialists hope union donation will secure jolly good election result". The Age.
  18. ↑ Troaditis, Dimitris (14 November 2018). "Victorian Socialists: Θα είναι το νέο πρόσωπο στη νέα Γερουσία; | Neos Kosmos". Neos Kosmos. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  19. ↑ "Stephen Jolly on Twitter". Twitter.
  20. ↑ "State Election 2018: Northern Metropolitan Region results summary - Victorian Electoral Commission". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  21. ↑ "State Election 2018: Broadmeadows District results summary - Victorian Electoral Commission". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  22. ↑ Walsh, Liz (2019). "Victorian Socialists to stand in federal election | Red Flag". Red Flag. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  23. ↑ "Registration of a political party Victorian Socialists" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission.
  24. ↑ Towell, Noel; Millar, Benjamin (23 September 2019). "Stephen Jolly splits from Victorian Socialists amid serious allegations". The Age. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  25. ↑ "Having Socialist Elected Officials Makes a Difference for Working-Class People". Jacobin . Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  26. ↑ "Council Election Candidates". Victorian Socialists. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  27. ↑ Dmytryshchak, Goya (4 November 2020). "Maribyrnong council's new look". Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  28. ↑ "Maribyrnong City Council election results 2020". Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  29. ↑ "Jorge Jorquera, a member of Socialist Alternative, has just been elected onto the Maribyrnong council in Melbourne's western suburbs". Facebook. 27 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  30. ↑ "Victorian Socialists launch election campaign | Victorian Socialists". victoriansocialists.org.au. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  31. ↑ Booker, Chloe (2 July 2022). "'My body, my choice': Thousands rally in Melbourne to support US abortion rights". The Age. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  32. ↑ "Australians rally against U.S. overturning of key abortion ruling". Reuters. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  33. ↑ Hall, Bianca (22 November 2022). "'It's not easy being a socialist': Door-knocking with Richmond candidate Roz Ward". The Age. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  34. ↑ "Victoria Election 2022 Results". abc.net.au. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  35. ↑ "2018 State election results". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  36. ↑ "Have you always wanted to join a party like Victorian Socialists but live outside of Victoria? Now you can". Victorian Socialists. 13 May 2025. Archived from the original on 14 May 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  37. ↑ Plested, James (13 May 2025). "Expanding the Victorian Socialists project". Red Flag. Archived from the original on 14 May 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  38. ↑ "Victorian Socialists Members' Conference endorses expansion plans". Victorian Socialists. 16 June 2025. Archived from the original on 7 September 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  39. ↑ "Great turnout for the NSW Socialists launch in Sydney". Facebook. Victorian Socialists. 26 July 2025. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  40. ↑ "A massive thanks to everyone who showed up to our first ever Queensland Socialists event!". Facebook. Queensland Socialists. 16 May 2025. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  41. ↑ Grenfell, Oscar (24 June 2025). "South Australian Socialists launch: The pseudo-left promotes reformism, parochialism". World Socialist Web Site. Archived from the original on 21 September 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  42. ↑ "Letters to the Editor". Tasmanian Times. 22 October 2025. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  43. ↑ Wood, Miranda (10 October 2025). "On the campaign trail with WA Socialists". Red Flag. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  44. ↑ "New party for Canberra". LG Focus. 10 July 2025. Archived from the original on 6 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  45. ↑ Walsh, Fia (1 June 2025). "Victorian Socialists plan to expand into the Northern Territory". The Daily Telegraph. NT News. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  46. ↑ Simmons, David (24 October 2025). "SA's newest political party launches". InDaily. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  47. ↑ "Constitution of the Victorian Socialists". victoriansocialists.org.au. January 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  48. ↑ "Constitution of the Victorian Socialists | Victorian Socialists". victoriansocialists.org.au. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  49. ↑ Dredge, Rhonda (4 May 2022). "Inflation rate fires up Socialists". Docklands News. Archived from the original on 8 September 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  50. ↑ Alwakal, Yasmine; Koster, Alexandra (2 May 2025). "All the minor parties contesting the federal election". SBS News. Archived from the original on 19 May 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  51. ↑ Khorany, Ann (16 May 2022). "Tax the wealthy: Policy & Scullin's class divide". The Junction. Archived from the original on 16 June 2025. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  52. ↑ McNally, Liam (17 November 2022). "Victorian Socialists hope to tax the rich to save the west". Star Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 November 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  53. ↑ Armstrong, Liam (7 February 2018). "Could Steve Jolly Be Australia's First Socialist Politician in 70 Years?". VICE. Archived from the original on 3 September 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  54. ↑ Dmytryshchak, Goya (18 November 2020). "Maribyrnong councillor Jorge Jorquera makes history". Star Weekly. Archived from the original on 16 June 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  55. ↑ "Victorian Socialists' biggest council campaign to date". Victorian Socialists. 2 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  56. ↑ Sparrow, Jeff (23 October 2018). "Is socialism the answer to the climate catastrophe? | Jeff Sparrow". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 December 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  57. ↑ "St Albans Van Thanh Rudd".
  58. ↑ Bahr, Jessica (26 August 2024). "Jordan went viral online exposing dodgy rentals. Now, he's entering politics". SBS News . Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  59. ↑ "Announcing the 'Pingers4Parliament' (Jordan van den Lamb) Senate campaign | Victorian Socialists". victoriansocialists.org.au. Archived from the original on 14 October 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  60. ↑ "Meet Victorian Socialist Roz Ward". Star Observer. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2025.

Further reading

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