Federal Election 2025: Libby Coker, Darcy Dunstan make their pitch to Corangamite

They sit on opposite ends of the political spectrum but they’re both vying to win Corangamite. Share which candidate deserves your vote.

Labor’s Libby Coker and Liberal’s Darcy Dunstan want your vote for Corangamite.

Every Monday, the Addy asks two people sitting on opposite ends of an argument to share their views, so you can decide who would get your vote.

With the federal election almost upon us, we thought it was timely to ask Corangamite candidates, Labor incumbent Libby Coker and Liberal’s Darcy Dunstan, to make their pitch to the electorate.

Scroll down to share with us in our poll who you think won the debate.

Darcy Dunstan

Liberal candidate for Corangamite

I decided to run for parliament because my mother could barely pay her bills.

She works hard – in a local hardware store and I was angry with the current government.

Like so many other families, Mum was also struggling to buy her weekly groceries and meet skyrocketing power costs.

In three years, the Albanese government’s reckless economic mismanagement and cost-of-living crisis has caused so much damage, made worse by the disastrous Allan Labor government which is sending Victoria broke.

This election, our community has an important choice to make.

Between a coalition Government, which will build a strong economy and get Australia back on track.

Or a Labor government, which has hit us hard with the biggest fall in living standards in the developed world.

That is why, as part of our Liberal team, I am fighting hard to win the trust and faith of the people in our region.

I know something about fighting for our country and our way of life.

I embarked on a carpentry apprenticeship when I was 16, then at the age of 21, I joined the Army, becoming an SAS soldier, fighting for our country on the other side of the world.

Now, I am putting myself forward to fight for struggling families and hardworking Australians in our community.

Liberal Corangamite candidate Darcy Dunstan says he wants to make a difference. Picture: Alison Wynd

We live in one of the fastest growing regions in the country, but I don’t believe residents across Corangamite benefit from the same opportunities others are granted across Australia.

That’s because Labor has continued to overlook our community and our tremendous workforce – labourers, tradies, and hands-on professionals who are always ready to roll up their sleeves and make a difference.

If Geelong is to move toward a stronger future – the kind that offers any resident a fighting chance to pursue their ambitions – we must have a circular economy where those who choose to live in our fantastic part of Victoria don’t have to leave it to earn a crust.

But the Albanese government has failed to incentivise business and manufacturing – the engine room for our region and the driver of jobs growth.

Perhaps this should come as no surprise.

Labor has thrown away the kind of infrastructure investment that could make an enormous difference, axing $2 billion for Geelong faster rail and failing to deliver any new major projects in four federal budgets.

Libby Coker would not even fight for crucial local health services.

She refused to stand up for women over the closure of Epworth’s maternity ward, turned a blind eye to the axing of the Torquay hospital, and heartlessly failed to act over Labor’s $940,000 funding cut to Anam Cara Geelong which provides vital end-of-life care.

Contrast this with massive investments delivered by the former Coalition government, including the Waurn Ponds rail upgrade, the Geelong City Deal, Stage 1 of the Barwon Heads Road Upgrade and the Howitzer Defence

Project at Avalon, which has revived local vehicle manufacturing and given us Hanwha’s armoured vehicle centre of excellence.

If elected, I will leave no stone unturned to ensure our region gets its fair share.

Another key focus of mine will be at-risk youth.

Underpinned by our significant commitments to headspace and youth mental health, I will establish the Geelong Region Youth Summit.

This will bring together schools, youth organisations, domestic and family violence support centres, and local businesses, driving one co-ordinated effort to stop kids falling through the cracks.

Darcy Dunstan. Dunstan is an ex-SAS veteran who served in Australia, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Picture: Alan Barber

As a teenager, I left school and home early, joined the military, and knew I was slipping through the cracks. I don’t want any young person in our region to feel like they don’t have support or a future.

Working together, I am determined that every young person across our region is properly supported, no matter their circumstances.

The Coalition has also committed $50 million to food relief charities Foodbank, SecondBite, and OzHarvest.

We’ll also deliver $3.5 million for a new food distribution centre for Feed Me Bellarine, which provides 4,000 meals for families across our region every week.

Food security is a growing crisis, and it’s very disappointing there is not bipartisan support for such an important organisation.

I am not a career politician, rather a hard working former tradie and soldier, and now a proud dad and small business owner.

I love my country and genuinely want to make a difference.

On election day, I respectfully ask for your support because only a Dutton Liberal Government will get Australia back on track.

Libby Coker

Labor Member for Corangamite

Every day, I’m talking to people across my electorate to hear what matters to them – whether it’s out doorknocking, at a market, with a business, a school community or local environmental group.

It’s these conversations that shape our shared priorities for this region – investing in health, education, roads and rail, and importantly, cost of living relief for you and your family.

Whether it’s through a new tax cut for every taxpayer, more energy bill relief, Free TAFE, cheaper medicines, or practical measures to ease financial pressures while keeping inflation down, the Albanese Labor Government is working hard to help make life more affordable.

And as our region continues to grow, so too must the infrastructure that connects us.

That’s why the Albanese Labor Government is delivering the next stage of the Barwon Heads Rd upgrade, with more than $190m in federal funding locked in to make journeys smoother and safer.

Extra lanes, better intersections, and new traffic signals will mean less time stuck in traffic and more time doing what we love – whether it’s a morning surf or cycle, catching up with friends, or making it home to our families that little bit quicker.

LIbby Coker says her priorities are based on her conversations with people in the community.

Strong, connected communities also need great local facilities, and for so many people, that starts with grassroots sport. Our local clubs are more than just places to play – they’re where friendships are formed, where kids learn teamwork and resilience, and where people of all ages stay active and connected.

That’s why, the Albanese Labor Government is delivering courts at a new Armstrong Creek Sports Centre, delivering an indoor pool at the Drysdale Aquatic Centre, and upgrading the Leopold sport precinct.

And if re-elected, $1 million will go towards upgrading Grovedale Football Netball Club’s courts at Burdoo Reserve, ensuring netballers have safe, high-quality courts.

Because when we support our local clubs, we strengthen the heart of our communities.

A thriving region also needs access to quality healthcare.

No one should have to travel long distances or wait hours in an emergency department just to see a doctor.

Member for Corangamite, Libby Coker, has spruiked Labor’s many achievements during her term. Picture: Alan Barber

That’s why a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic is coming to Torquay – open seven days a week, fully bulk-billed, and providing urgent care when and where locals need it. It means fewer hospital visits, less pressure on families, and better access to care close to home; and it’s free – all you need to access care is a Medicare card, not your credit card.

Alongside healthcare, investing in skills and job opportunities means more young people can build a future right here in our region.

Whether it’s a family-run cafe, a new start-up in Armstrong Creek, a local manufacturer, or a young apprentice learning their trade, our region is full of people having a go. Supporting them is key to our future prosperity.

That’s why a new $10,000 incentive for apprentices in construction and clean energy will help young people get into a trade while ensuring we have the skilled workforce needed to build the homes our growing community needs.

It’s a win-win – good jobs for locals and more homes for families.

Supporting locals and backing in families is at the heart of Labor’s agenda and that’s exactly what’s at the core of our recent federal budget.

It’s about investing in what matters: more affordable childcare, stronger Medicare, game-changing investments in public education, environmental protections, and the infrastructure and housing our region needs.

The best results don’t come from one person alone – they come from a community working together. That’s why my focus will remain on working alongside local clubs, businesses, and community and environmental organisations to deliver what’s needed for our region to thrive now and into the future.

Because when we back in one another, we strengthen our future. By coming together and focusing on what truly matters, we can continue to build a region that thrives – where people are supported, where opportunity is within reach, and where no one is left behind.

Originally published as Federal Election 2025: Libby Coker, Darcy Dunstan make their pitch to Corangamite