Teenager Hera Sheppard Secures Victorian Socialists Nomination for South West Coast

Eighteen-year-old Hera Sheppard, currently studying at Warrnambool College and employed part-time at McDonald's, has been pre-selected by the Victorian Socialists to stand for the South West Coast seat in Victoria's state election. She will challenge long-time Liberal incumbent Roma Britnell, who has held the seat since a 2015 by-election in a region that includes Warrnambool and surrounding towns such as Portland, Port Fairy, Heywood, Terang and Koroit.

Sheppard plans to devote every free moment to campaigning, citing a willingness to sacrifice personal time for a better future. Her platform emphasizes public housing availability, workers' rights, affordable housing and a proposal for a six-carriage V/Line train to improve travel times to Warrnambool. If elected, she would become the youngest MP ever to sit in an Australian parliament. Victorians will vote in November.