Samantha Ratnam

Leader of the Victorian Greens, MLC for Northern Metro

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I am the MLC for Northern Metropolitan and the leader of the Victorian Greens. 

In 2017, I entered the Victorian Parliament representing the Northern Metropolitan Region in the Legislative Council. In the 2018 state election, I was re-elected to this position.

As an MP and the Leader of the Victorian Greens, I am a strong advocate for our environment and social justice. I have actively campaigned to save public housing, reduce gambling harm and for stronger action on climate change.

Samantha with community members marching in a rally

Prior to entering the Victorian Parliament, I was a social worker for over 15 years in the fields of drug and alcohol rehabilitation, international development, family services and in settlement services for newly arrived migrants from refugee backgrounds.

Alongside my social work career, I also spent five years as a Councillor at the City of Moreland, where I was elected the first Greens Mayor of Moreland in 2015. On council, I worked with my fellow Councillors to secure the largest funding commitment to environmental action in order to reduce Moreland’s community carbon emissions to zero. I was also integral in increasing the council’s cycling infrastructure budget by 75% in the first year, fought to protect residents’ appeal rights in planning matters and voted against more poker machines in the city.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Social Work with Honours and a PhD in Youth Sociology.

I believe in putting people first and I'm proud to be part of a party that has never taken money from corporations trying to buy influence - governments should always act in the public good, not in the interests of their corporate mates. 

I want our state to be all it can be by investing in world-class public transport, powering Victoria with 100% clean renewable energy, providing homes for everyone, protecting our forests from logging companies and returning essential services like electricity to public hands. 

Together, my team and I will represent your needs in parliament and build a future for all of us - not just the wealthy few. 

Portfolios

First Nations Justice
Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism
Public and Affordable Housing
Women, Gender Equality and Family Violence
Sustainable Cities and Planning 
Child Protection 
Veterans

Take Action

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Black Lives Matter

Our justice system should treat every single Victorian equally and fairly, regardless of your race or how much money you have. 

News

Labor's plan to demolish public housing towers will see just 15 extra social homes built each year

4 October, 2023 - New figures provided by the Victorian Labor Government have revealed their plan to demolish 44 public housing towers will see an increase of j...

Victorian Parliament to investigate state's preparedness for climate disasters

4 October, 2023 - A Victorian Greens’ motion calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the state’s preparedness for upcoming climate disasters has passed the Upp...

Greens write to Premier Allan, urge rethink on housing privatisation

3 October, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have written to Premier Jacinta Allan urging her to adopt a more progressive approach to the state’s housing crisis than ...

Vacancy tax will remain ineffective while it's not enforceable

3 October, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have welcomed today’s announcement from the Treasurer that the Victorian Government intends to expand the vacant property...

Ombudsman report makes clear that Labor's EV tax has been dog's breakfast

27 September, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have said a damning report into Victorian Labor’s EV tax has made clear the policy was a terrible idea from the start ...

Greens back open letter from medical bodies supporting a medically supervised injecting room in CBD

26 September, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have thrown their support behind an open letter released today calling for a medically supervised injecting room (MSIR...

Greens call on Victorian Government to stop supermarket price gouging during cost-of-living crisis

25 September, 2023 - The Victorian Greens are urging the Victorian Labor Government to introduce price controls on everyday supermarket items to prevent giants ...

LABOR’S HOUSING STATEMENT ABANDONS RENTERS AND COULD SIGNAL END OF PUBLIC HOUSING IN VICTORIA

20 September, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have labelled the release of the government’s housing statement this morning as “classic Andrews Labor”, saying that b...

PRESSURE WORKS ON VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT BUT TUMBLEWEEDS FOR RENTERS: GREENS

19 September, 2023 - Today the Albanese and Andrews governments announced an urgently needed redevelopment of public housing blocks will go ahead thanks to the ...

NO SUPPORT FOR SHORT-STAY TAX WITHOUT PROPER REGULATION AND RENT FREEZE: GREENS

15 September, 2023 - The Victorian Greens are demanding the Andrew’s Government impose a 90-day a year cap on short stay listings after media reports emerged th...

GREENS LAMENT GOVERNMENT INACTION ON INTEGRITY AFTER IBAC, OMBUDSMAN UPDATE

14 September, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have called out the State Labor Government’s continued go slow on introducing meaningful integrity reform in the wake ...

PREMIER’S BLOODY-MINDEDNESS ON PILL TESTING WILL COST YOUNG PEOPLE’S LIVES THIS SUMMER: GREENS

7 September, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have lashed out at the Andrews government’s continued stonewalling of the irrefutable scientific evidence supporting pi...

WINDING-UP OF TOXIC VICFORESTS CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH: GREENS

7 September, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have welcomed reports that Victoria's state-owned logging business, VicForests, is on the verge of being dismantled by ...

'Historic' Yoorrook Justice Commission report must be wake-up call for Victorian Government on raising the age

4 September, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have hailed a report released by the Yoorrook Justice Commission today as ‘historic’, and say it paints a damning pictu...