By Anthony Bunn, Bendigo Advertiser, 10 November 2026
A candidate for the upper house seat of Northern Victoria is hoping to secure the votes of people who are "jack" of the two-party system.
Kate White, an independent from Bendigo, is standing for the Legislative Council at the November 28 state election with a centrepiece of her campaign a proposal to stage people's assemblies.
It would involve a group of people being brought together from across Northern Victoria, which extends from Mildura to Corryong, either in person or online to discuss key issues and provide practical recommendations.
"It won't require additional funding, it would come from within the budget for electoral consultation," Ms White said.
"What I'm hearing is people feel very unheard and decisions are being made in Spring Street with not enough regard to what's happening on the ground.
"So the people's assembly concept has really resonated - not just what I call 'consul-fake-tion' on decisions that have largely been made already, but actually having a say on what's even on the agenda, which options are explored, why and how."
Ms White has previously visited Wodonga and was at Baranduda last month for the election launch of Benambra independent candidate Lachie McKeeman by Indi MP Helen Haines.
Born in Melbourne, Ms White began her working life as a magazine journalist in Sydney before becoming involved in community organisations extending across housing, women's concerns and disability issues.
She lived in regional Queensland before moving to St Arnaud in western Victoria and then Bendigo.
"I grew up in a blue ribbon Liberal family involved in business and over time I've voted Labor and the Australian Democrats," Ms White, a mother of six children aged 25 to 35, said.
"At this stage of my life I don't feel significantly aligned with any of them.
"I think there's a real appetite for that among thinking people, it's not a surprise to see people are pretty jack of the two-party system and we're saying there's another option and it's not orange."
Kate White is seeking to be elected to the Legislative Council as an independent in the enormous seat of Northern Victoria which runs along the Murray River and south to include Bendigo and Shepparton.