Politics & Council
22 April, 2026
It's official: Hosking gets Nationals' nod
BRETT Hosking tonight received the overwhelming vote of Nationals delegates in Kerang to be the party's Murray Plains candidate at November's state election.
The Quambatook farmer will aim to succeed Peter Walsh as the region's representative in Spring Street for the safe Nationals seat.
Mr Walsh will retire at the election after 24 years in Parliament. He had a 24 per cent margin at the last election, making Murray Plains the safest seat in Victoria.
Mr Hosking was accompanied at tonight's pre-selection convention at Kerang Bowling Club by wife Jane and daughters Amelia and Lily. He won on the first ballot in the vote contested by Loddon Mayor Dan Straub and former Victorian Young Liberals president Alex Lew.
Currently president of the Victorian Farmers' Federation, Mr Hosking will relinquish that post in June.
Mr Walsh was also VFF president before entering Parliament.
Murray Plains includes the northern Loddon communities of Boort, Pyramid Hill and Mitiamo.
The Nationals now have all candidates in place across Loddon communities after announcements in the past week. Andrew Lethlean will challenge Premier Jacinta Allan in Bendigo East and Jo Armstrong will go up against first-term Labor MP Martha Haylett in Ripon.
The Liberal Party is yet to pre-select candidates in any of the three seats. Under the Coalition agreement, the Liberals can stand against the Nationals in a seat held by a non-Coalition party or the sitting member retires.
One Nation has also been tipped to run campaigns in the three seats.