Council & Politics
22 August, 2026
Groundswell for change says Liberal candidate
FOR Megan Read, her decision to enter politics is closely connected to the community she has spent much of her life serving. The Liberal candidate for Ripon at the November 2026 Victorian state election, Megan Read brings a background in farming, small business and community volunteering to what is expected to be a closely fought contest for the regional seat.
Born in Creswick and raised in Ballarat, Read began her working life as a small-business owner, establishing Ballarat Myotherapy at the age of 21. Twenty-five years ago, she and her husband Warwick moved to the Skipton district, where they established Read Farming.
She said her experience has given her a close connection with the challenges faced by regional families and businesses.
Alongside running a farming enterprise, Ms Read has been involved in a range of local community organisations. She has served as president of her local kindergarten and primary school parents club and on a school council, as well as being involved with a local football-netball club.
“Running for politics wasn’t on my agenda,” she said.
“It was when I met some politicians who came out after the fire at Carranballac and I was asked to consider running for preselection,” she said.
Ms Read said she has been on the ground now for two months and has found the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“I know there are times that are going to be challenging but at the moment I’m feeling there is a groundswell for change and I think people are crying out for authenticity, local, genuine people in Parliament.”
Ms Read is amongst a growing number of people contesting the seat of Ripon alongside Labor’s Martha Haylett, Nationals Jo Armstrong and Greens Tim Drylie amongst others.
She concedes the rise of One Nation across Australia makes the outcome in Ripon even more unpredictable.
“It will be a very different campaign and election. I think we will see a lot of swinging voters, there is a lot of disillusionment out there and people do want change. How that will go I’m unaware of but the feedback I’m getting is people want a change of government.”
She said there were a number of pressing issues impacting on local residents, but none more so than potholes, cost of living and transmission lines.
“To be honest, the roads are my pet project. We’re on them all the time, I’m doing a thousand kilometres a week, I’m seeing it. It’s across the board and it can’t go on like this,” she said.
Ms Read said despite coming from different political parties, she has respect for current MP Martha Haylett.
“Martha has always listened to me when I’ve asked for a meeting with her for our community. There’s a project around Beaufort-Skipton that I have been advocating for a quite a while. She’s always made herself available,” she said.
Megan Read’s entry into state politics follows a period of uncertainty for the Liberal Party in Ripon.
The party had initially selected Andrew Kilmartin, but he withdrew from the contest for personal reasons.
Ms Read was subsequently selected at a preselection forum in Avoca in June, defeating several other contenders.
Ripon is the most marginal seat in Western Victoria held by Labor by 2.9%.
It stretches from Ballarat to Ararat and includes avoca, Beaufort, Maryborough, St Arnaud, Navarre, Inglewood, Wedderburn, Creswick and Clunes.
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