The previous page gave a run down on the three levels of government and what they do. Below is a brief and practical overview on which politician you should consider contacting, and how to find them. Check out the next page for deciding which contact method will work best.
You should contact a Federal politician if your issue relates to anything that falls under the responsibility of the Federal Parliament. This might be an issue that is currently being discussed/affected, or something that you think needs attention. Options of people to contact include:
SENATORS: You can contact any (or all) of your state of territory’s Senators, as they represent the entire state/territory. There may be pieces of legislation that the Senate is considering/voting on, in which case it is worth informing your Senators of your view.
You can find a list of Victorian Senators and their contact details here.
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (MP): You have one MP that represents the electorate that you live in, and this person should always be at the top of your list. It is their job to raise issues of concern to their constituents and community.
You can find a list of Victorian MPs and their contact details here.
Click here to find your Federal electorate.
MINISTERS: The Federal Government of the day will assign ministers to oversee certain departments/portfolios (such as the Arts). If your issue relates to one of these, you should contact this minster, as well as the shadow minister (the minister’s counterpart in the opposition).
Current Ministers | Current Shadow Ministers
You should contact a State politician if your issue relates to anything that falls under the responsibility of the State Parliament. This might be an issue that is currently being discussed/affected, or something that you think needs attention. Options of people to contact follow almost the same formula as the Federal Parliament, and include:
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (MLC): MLC’s sometimes represent the entire state, or sometimes just particular regions, depending on what state you’re in. There may be pieces of legislation that the Legislative Council is considering/voting on, in which case it is worth informing your MLCs of your view.
You can find a list of Victorian MLCs and their contact details here.
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (MLA): You have one MLA that represents the electorate that you live in, and this person should always be at the top of your list. You might also contact the MLA of an area, if something in that area is affecting you. It is their job to raise issues of concern to their constituents and community.
You can find a list of Victorian MLAs and their contact details here.
Find your Victorian electorate here.
MINISTERS: The State Government of the day will assign ministers to oversee certain departments/portfolios (such as the Creative Industries). If your issue relates to one of these, you should contact this minster, as well as the shadow minister (the minister’s counterpart in the opposition). You can find a list of them here:
Current Victorian Ministers | Current Victorian Shadow Ministers
Local government areas are led by councils, comprised of councillors. You can contact any (or all) of your councillors about matters to do with your city/local area.