Malvern millennial preselected for safe Liberal seat

Amelia Hamer has been preselected for the safe state Liberal seat, months after unsuccessfully challenging a high-profile federal independent candidate.

The 32-year-old will be the party’s candidate for Malvern in Melbourne’s east, taking over from former opposition leader Michael O’Brien, who will retire from politics at the November 2026 election.

Ms Hamer ran unsuccessfully against teal independent Monique Ryan for the federal seat of Kooyong in the May 2025 election, losing by less than 0.7 per cent.

During the election campaign, he was criticized for presenting himself as a struggling tenant when he did not disclose that he owned flats in Canberra and London.

Nearly 200 party members took part in the vote to elect the Malvern candidate at Caulfield racecourse on Sunday.

It comes just days after millennial Jess Wilson became state opposition leader, the first woman to hold the position and the party’s third leader in less than a year.

The Coalition had been in opposition in Victoria for three terms and their support was declining further, but a recent poll showed the Coalition had slightly more support than Labor.

Ms Hamer lives in Malvern and is the great-niece of former Victorian Premier Dick Hamer.

He studied at Oxford University and works as a senior equity research analyst at asset management firm Ord Minnett.

Ms Hamer cited tackling crime, economic pressures and supporting business as her top priorities.

“Locals are fed up with rising crime, a rising cost of living and a tired and completely disengaged government,” he said in a statement.