The byelections resulting from the resignations of Steve Bracks and John Thwaites from State Parliament will be held on 15 September. The Greens candidates for these seats are Janet Rice and John Middleton. Janet Rice grew up in Altona and lives in Footscray. She has a Meteorology degree and has worked for Bicycle Victoria, environment groups, as a forest campaigner and now as a professional facilitator. Janet has been a Western Suburbs activist for twenty years, involved in everything from the multicultural choir and her children's school council to the Save the Footscray Pool Campaign, the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group and the Bicycle Users' Group.

Janet was Mayor of the City of Maribyrnong last year, and is serving her second term as a Councillor. She is highly regarded in local government circles as Chair of the Metropolitan Transport Forum, and a key critic of the government's transport performance, and as a Vice President of the Victorian Local Governance Association.

John Middleton has lived in the St Kilda-Middle Park area since 1983. An engineering graduate from Melbourne University, John is a Fellow of the Australian Institution of Engineers and a former director of an international structural and civil consulting engineering firm. Building projects within the Albert Park electorate that he was involved with include the Victorian Arts Centre, Concert Hall and ABC Radio studios.

John has been a local activist for many years, focussing on planning issues and the campaign to defend residents' rights against the encroachment of the Grand Prix.