Samantha Ratnam

Leader of the Victorian Greens, MLC for Northern Metro

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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End Extinction In Victoria

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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

Victorian Greens condemn Anti-Trans and Nazi rally

25 March, 2023 - Background On March 18 2023, British campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull ("Posie Parker") held an anti-trans rally in Melbourne. Speeches by...

Halving spend on consultancies would save $1.5 billion over the next ten years

23 March, 2023 - With reports overnight that the Victorian Labor Government’s spending on consultancies has rocketed 200 per cent since Daniel Andrews was first...

Greens and Legalise Cannabis secure key integrity reform recommended by former IBAC commissioner

21 March, 2023 - The Victorian Greens and the Legalise Cannabis Party have secured a significant reform to Victoria’s integrity system that integrity bodies and...

Greens introduce motion to demand answers on brown-coal-to-hydrogen project

21 March, 2023 - The Victorian Greens will today introduce a motion to the Victorian Parliament that, if passed, would require the state government to produce a...

Victoria's anti-vilification laws must be expanded to protect LGBTIQA+ community

21 March, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have called on the Victorian Labor Government to urgently expand the state’s anti-vilification laws to protect LGBTIQA+ co...

Greens secure improvements to Health Information Sharing Bill

8 March, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have secured improvements to the Health Legislation Amendment (Information Sharing) Bill 2023 following constructive negoti...

Gas terminal must be rejected if Victorian Labor is serious about reaching emissions targets

7 March, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have called on the Victorian Labor Government to reject a Viva Energy application to construct a gas terminal in Corio Bay,...

Government must establish more safe injecting rooms to take pressure off North Richmond

7 March, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have welcomed today’s announcement that the Victorian Labor Government will make the medically supervised injecting room in...

Attorney-General must ensure bail reform is meaningful and doesn't 'tinker around the edges': Greens

6 March, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have welcomed reports that the Victorian Labor Government intends to move on bail reform in the coming months, but warn any...

'Spineless' Government must stand up to lobby and ban duck shooting once and for all

24 February, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have said the Victorian Labor Government needs to grow a spine and stand up to the shooting lobby, following reports th...

Greens to Labor: Stop keeping workers' wages low

22 February, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have called on the Victorian Labor Government to scrap its public sector wages cap. At a time when Victorians are st...

Greens' motion calling for review of group voting passes Upper House

22 February, 2023 - A Greens’ motion calling on the Victorian Labor Government to establish an independent review of the state’s group voting system has passed ...

Northcote MP must come clean on funding, Greens say

22 February, 2023 - The Victorian Greens have called on Northcote MP Kat Theophanous to come clean on the sources of the funding for both her 2018 and 2022 stat...

Native forest logging in Victoria would end from June, under Greens bill

21 February, 2023 - The Victorian Greens will today introduce a bill to Parliament that would legislate an end to native forest logging in June this year. ...

Greens push for short-stay regulations in a bid to fix the rental crisis

20 February, 2023 - The Victorian Greens will this week put pressure on the Victorian Labor Government to introduce short-stay regulations, in a bid to alleviat...