Greens leader Richard Di Natale says his party prepared to strike a deal with Labor to form government

GREENS leader Richard Di Natale has defended the party’s push to triple its seats in Victoria and says he is prepared to strike a deal with Labor to form government.

Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale says they are prepared to strike a deal with Labor to form a majority government. Picture: Andy Brownbill

GREENS leader Richard Di Natale has defended the party’s push to triple its seats in Victoria and says he is prepared to strike a deal with Labor to form government.

Despite an unprecedented campaign across the state to challenge the seats of Batman, Higgins, Melbourne Ports and Wills, the Greens have not yet been able to call victory in any.

Senator Di Natale defended criticism the party had gone backwards, with analysts predicting the Greens will not pick up any lower house seats to add to Melbourne, held by Adam Bandt.

“I don’t think that anyone could suggest that a swing of 10 to 12 per cent is anything other than an extraordinary success and a great campaign,” he said.

Asked if the minor party was too ambitious in trying to challenge a handful of Victorian seats, as opposed to focusing on just one or two, he said: “No, not at all.”

He said the party was looking at the bigger picture and that significant swings across the country had set the foundations for its future.

“What we have seen is in some states, like Victoria, that swing is higher than our national average,” he said.

“The momentum is all our way.

Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale, Greens candidate for Melbourne Ports Steph Hodgins-May and Greens Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“Victoria clearly is a powerhouse for the Australian Greens right now. It is only a matter of time before seats like Higgins, Kooyong, Wentworth could turn Green.”

Senator Di Natale said the results were still too close to call and that they were “hopeful” of picking up Batman where their candidate, Alex Brathall, was just trailing embattled Labor frontbencher David Feeney.

The Greens’ Stephanie Hodgins-May is also a chance in Melbourne Ports, he said.

“I’m very confident we are still in the race in both of those seats,” he said.

Senator Di Natale said his mobile was charged and ready to take a call from Labor leader Bill Shorten.

“We may need to sit down and have constructive negotiations with the Labor Party to look at what a multi-party government arrangement looks like,” Mr Di Natale said.

But Mr Shorten yesterday reiterated no agreements would be made.

“We are going to keep to our word, we are not going to form any coalition or agreements with the Greens,” he said, adding Labor was committed to being constructive and making the 45th parliament work.

Senator Di Natale ruled out any deal with the Turnbull Government, saying it had an “appalling record” on climate change and the treatment of asylum seekers.

“It is inconceivable we could sit down and form any sort of co-operative gov­ernment with the Coalition,” he said.

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