Overview
- Matthew Collins resigned his candidacy after media obtained posts on X showing highly sexualised comments and material promoting anti‑Muslim rhetoric and COVID conspiracies, with reports showing a February 2020 post that said he had “never once asked any woman for any form of consent, ever.”
- Collins issued a public apology saying the comments were “unacceptable” and that he deeply regretted making them.
- One Nation Victoria confirmed it accepted Collins’s resignation, said it does not condone the remarks, and described it as too early to name a replacement candidate.
- The party can still nominate a new candidate because the Victorian Electoral Commission allows nominations until midday on November 9 and the state election is scheduled for November 28.
- The exit matters for voters because recent polling shows One Nation polling strongly in Victoria and the party’s late vacancy could affect campaign plans and voter choices in the Greens‑held seat of Melbourne.