Reported at www.abc.net.au: Concerns about rising crime and safety dominate discussions among voters in Prahran ahead of the upcoming by-election, triggered by the resignation of former Greens MP Sam Hibbins.

The Liberal Party, the Greens, and independent candidate Tony Lupton are major contenders, with safety and cost of living issues resonating deeply with local residents.

Victorians have reported increased violent incidents and a sense of disenfranchisement from politicians, leading to a shift in voter sentiments as early voting opens for the by-election scheduled for February 8.