By Lauren Henry

Skipton farmer Megan Read is the new Liberal candidate set to contest the marginal seat of Ripon in November’s state election.

Mrs Read joined Liberal leader Jess Wilson in Ararat on Monday, meeting with residents and business owners to discuss issues important to people who live in the Ripon electorate.

It was part of Ms Wilson’s ‘Fresh Start tour’, where she is joining Liberal and Nationals MPs and candidates in all of Victoria’s 88 Legislative Assembly electorates to discuss with Victorians the Liberals’ plan for the state’s future.

Ripon is set to be one of the most hotly-contested seats in regional Victoria in this year’s state election.

Labor’s Martha Haylett won the seat in 2022 with a margin of three per cent following an electoral boundary redistribution. The Liberals held Ripon for the previous two terms.

Ms Haylett will again stand for Labor, while other candidates to put their hand up so far include Ararat councillor Jo Armstrong, who will run for The Nationals, and Tim Drylie for the Greens.

Mrs Read, a mother of four, moved to Skipton with her husband Warwick 25 years ago to start small business Read Farming. 

Born in Creswick, and raised in Ballarat, she had started her own business, Ballarat Myotherapy, at 21. 

She has since served as the president of the local kindergarten, primary school parents club and school council, and was a committee member of the football netball club.

Mrs Read believes the community deserves the ‘very best’, and said one of things she loved most about Ripon was that people came from ‘all walks of life’.

“We just want to make Ripon better, and we want to make it prosper again,” she said. 

“I’m really passionate about that, and I’m going to fight really hard to win this seat back for Liberals for Ripon.”

Ms Wilson said the Coalition planned to give regional Victoria its ‘fair share’, make Victoria the best place to do business, recruit 3000 new police officers, expand gas exploration, and spend $180-million to upgrade Mildura Base Hospital. 

The Liberals spent Monday in Ararat, where she visited major employer Gason, as well as meeting with residents and business owners along Barkly Street.

“ We were out talking to small businesses in Ararat, talking about crime across Maryborough and Ararat, and about the fact we have the plans and the solutions to make sure we give Victoria the fresh start it deserves,” she said.

Member for Western Victoria Bev McArthur represented Ms Wilson when Mrs Read was preselected last week.

The Liberals had pre-selected Creswick’s Andrew Kilmartin late last year, but the 39-year-old was then diagnosed with early-onset Huntington’s disease – a fatal, progressive neurological disease that impacts the cognitive, motor and psychological functions of the brain.

“Megan is a true champion for the area, having spent her life living and working across Ballarat, Skipton and Beaufort,” Mrs McArthur said.

“As a mother of four and a highly successful agribusiness leader who employs dozens of locals, she understands exactly what it takes to build a life, a family and a future in regional Victoria. From leading urgent bushfire recovery efforts to advocating for better local healthcare and roads, Megan doesn’t just talk about community spirit, she lives it every single day.”

Mrs McArthur said Mrs Read had the ‘energy, the professional background and the determination needed’ to stand up for the community and ensure regional voices – especially those in Ripon – were finally heard and received their fair share of investment.

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