Liberals could vacate contest for inner Melbourne seats at state election

THE Victorian Liberal Party is to decide whether to withdraw from contests for five inner Melbourne seats at the next state election, leaving Labor and the Greens to fight over the Lower House territory.

THE Victorian Liberal Party will decide this month whether to withdraw from contests for five inner Melbourne seats at the next state election.

The unprecedented move would leave Labor and the Greens to fight over the Lower House territory, which includes Brunswick, Melbourne, Richmond, Northcote and Footscray.

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If adopted, the controversial tactic to “vacate” Lower House seats would mean Liberals would not stand candidates and only hand out how-to-votes for the Upper House at polling booths.

The proposal, first floated by party state director Nick Demiris last year, is gaining momentum after party polling exposed weaknesses in Labor’s vote within inner Melbourne.

But it is likely to create intense debate within Liberal ranks, as it could result in more Greens being elected to the Legislative Assembly.

The Liberals may withdraw from contests for five inner Melbourne seats, which includes Richmond. Picture: Sarah Matray

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Senior Liberals are now set to argue that “we only help Labor” by running in inner Melbourne, and would be better off spending money in key battlegrounds.

“We either stand and prop them up or we vacate and let them fight it out,” one source said.

Labor would also be forced to spend more defending its own seats, rather than investing in other marginal electorates or in Liberal-held seats.

Polling done by the party shows Daniel Andrews as a “drag” on the Labor vote within inner Melbourne.

It also shows a primary vote in the 30s in some of the more marginal seats, meaning preferences would be important to Labor candidates getting over the line. Late last year at the Northcote by-election, candidate Clare Burns got 35 per cent of first preference votes and lost the seat.

Premier Daniel Andrews may have a stiff battle against the Greens on his hands. Picture: AAP Image/Alex Murray

A recommendation will be put to the administration committee when it meets late this month, and a decision will then be made formally.

If the Liberals stand down from contesting in inner Melbourne, the party would also save hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaigning, at a time when it is battling to raise more money for the ­election due to a stoush with key benefactor, the Cormack Foundation.

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Local branches in the affected areas will be consulted in the lead-up to the recommendation being made late this month.

The idea had been previously criticised by some ­Liberal heavyweights for ­giving the perception it was “cutting and running” from certain seats.

But some MPs have changed their mind on the plan in the past few months, and now view the idea as worthy after it was used at the Northcote by-election.

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