Greens preference deal revealed ahead of election

The Victorian Greens leader has blasted the “transphobic and homophobic campaigns” of other parties as she announces where her party will direct preferences.

The Victorian Greens will preference Labor ahead of the Liberals in every seat in Victoria, calling on the party to prioritise progressive politicians above conservative minors.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam on Wednesday confirmed the arrangement, which comes after the Herald Sun revealed discussions this week of a preference deal with Labor.

There has also been speculation the Coalition could direct voters towards the Greens in some inner-city seats to weaken Labor’s chances in key battlegrounds.

The minor party will put One Nation, United Australia Party, Freedom Party, Family First and the DLP last in its how to vote cards and has called on Labor to do the same.

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam says the party will prioritise progressive politicians above conservative minors. Picture: David Crosling

Ms Ratnam said these groups were disliked by the majority of Victorians.

“The Greens-initiated inquiry into the far right earlier this year exposed how their conspiracy-driven Trumpian politics is a danger to our political system,” she said.

“Family First and DLP are running on explicitly transphobic and homophobic campaigns and their politics of hate has no place in the Victorian Parliament.

“The failure of Labor to reform the corrupt group voting ticket system means a party can get elected into parliament on as little as 0.5% of the vote.

“To keep these hateful parties out of our parliament they need to be put last on everyone else’s group voting tickets this year.”

Ms Ratnam said Labor must preference the Greens and other left-leaning groups if it was serious about a “progressive parliament”.

“What the Liberals do is up to the Liberals,” she said.

“We have not met with them and there is no Greens-Liberal deal.

“We’ll direct preferences to Labor and progressive parties across the state, and we’re calling on Labor to do the same.”

Earlier this week, the Herald Sun revealed the Labor and the Greens were weighing up a preference arrangement.

This discussion included a deal that would see Labor receive support in key lower house seats while the minor party could receive their support in upper house areas such as North East Metro, Northern Victoria and Eastern Victoria.

This would weaken the chances of candidates from so-called micro-parties who were elected based on complex preference arrangements, including flows from Labor.

The Greens announcement delivers part of this arrangement but no deal has yet been announced by Victorian Labor.

Preferencing the Greens in certain upper house seats may also create headaches for Labor candidates.

In 2018, Labor’s second MP in Northern Victoria was elected above the Coalition candidate only after preference flows from Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party.

These votes could move elsewhere if micro-parties do a new deal with the Liberals and Nationals out of frustration Labor favouring the Greens.