Following the resignation off
Tim Pallas who had been the MP for Werribee since 2006, Lister was preselected as the Labor candidate for the
2025 Werribee state by-election. Lister successfully held the seat despite a heavy swing against him. Shortly after his election, Lister spoke in parliament as "someone who was very recently on teacher wages" to argue that "our teacher wages match what we are doing". ==Personal life==