Victorian state election 2018: Nervous wait for the Greens with key inner-city seats in doubt
The Greens’ march through inner-city Melbourne has seemingly come to a halt after a campaign of calamities and scandals dashed the minor party’s hopes.
Victoria State Election
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The Greens’ march through inner-city Melbourne has seemingly come to a halt after a campaign of calamities and scandals.
The minor party had hoped to increase its foothold in state parliament to claim the balance of power but its hopes were dashed with a strong Labor win.
A number of inner-city seats remained in doubt last night, including Prahran, Brunswick, Northcote and Melbourne.
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The Greens won the seat of Northcote at a by-election in 2017, taking its lower house tally to three after winning Prahran and Melbourne in 2014.
They suffered a defeat in Richmond — a seat it had targeted heavily but was comfortably retained by Andrews Government Minister Richard Wynne.
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The Greens had a horror campaign in which the party’s culture and policies on respect and equality were repeatedly called into question.
The campaign crisis began with revelations Northern Metro candidate Joanna Nilson had boasted online about shoplifting and taking drugs.
Things went from bad to worse when the homophobic and misogynistic lyrics of Footscray hopeful Angus McAlpine were uncovered.
The party stuck by Mr McAlpine, despite the fact he had rapped about date rape and violating women under the name FatGut.
Another serious scandal — allegations of rape against Sandringham candidate Dominic Phillips — hit the Greens with just days left in the campaign.
Some within the party said the scandals were political hits designed to erode trust in the Greens.
But others scoffed at such claims, saying the scandals were part of a broader problem within the Left-wing party.
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Both the Coalition and Labor seized on the trials and tribulations, with Premier Daniel Andrews claiming the Greens had “toxic cultural problems” and had refused “to call out denigration of women”.
Victorian leader Samantha Ratnam told the ABC tonight that Labor had targeted the Greens’ campaign with “dirty tricks and mud slinging”, although she admitted the allegations surrounding Mr Phillips were “very concerning”.
She deflected questions about whether she regretted standing by Mr McAlpine, instead saying that the Greens “have to be part of the change”.
Federal Greens leader Richard Di Natale also said the party had battled through “an onslaught of negativity”.
He defended Ms Ratnam’s leadership and said the party was filled with “strong women”.
“Sam is the leader of a party of eight MPs, seven of whom are women,” he said.
“Sam made a very clear statement about having real people put their hand up for office and backing them in.”
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“When it comes to toxic culture, the Labor Party knows a thing or two about that.”
Mr Di Natale said the Greens would review its campaign, as every party did following an election.
Ms Ratnam — an Upper House MP — cast her vote in Brunswick where candidate Tim Read was hoping to claim the seat from Labor.
Former emergency services minister Jane Garrett vacated the seat in a move to the Upper House, leaving union organiser Cindy O’Connor to defend it for Labor in the inner north.
She was polling strongly early tonight but Mr Read tonight said he was “cautiously optimistic”.
The two candidates were neck and neck when, about 11pm, about 37 per cent of votes had been counted.
“There was lots of enthusiasm from the voters and it feels like there is a mood for change in Brunswick,” Mr Read said.
“It is a well-informed and young electorate with plenty of concerns about the environment and climate.”
THE GREENS’ SHAME FILE
DOMINIC PHILLIPS
■ Sandringham candidate Dominic Phillips was accused of rape in a complaint sent directly to Greens leader Samantha Ratnam. The claims rocked the party 40 hours before the polls opened on election day. Mr Phillips stood down pending an investigation.
ANGUS McALPINE
■ Mr McAlpine — also known as rapper DJ FatGut — performed lyrics that referenced domestic violence, drug dealing, homophobic slurs and date rape, including “date rape drugs in her drink then have my way”. He said sorry and claimed to have escaped “toxic masculinity” when he gave up his rap career, but the apology didn’t wash when hours later video emerged of him discussing “topless chicks giving me coconuts”.
JOANNA NILSON
■ The Upper House hopeful posted online tips on stealing groceries and bragged she was “the baddest shoplifter there is”. She bowed out of the election race and apologised for the comments, which also included calling federal Liberal MP Michaelia Cash
a “f---ing disgusting smug parrot”.
PAUL McMILLAN
■ The Greens staffer — working for Northcote MP Lidia Thorpe — offered to resign over social media posts littered with messages about porn, fat fetishes and misogynistic slurs. His tweets also discussed paedophilia and glorified public sex acts.
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