Liberal decision will hurt Greens

THE Liberal Party has dramatically reshaped the state election contest by deciding not to preference the Greens in the inner city.

THE Liberal Party has dramatically reshaped the state election contest by deciding not to preference the Greens in the inner city.

State secretary Tony Nutt last night announced his party would put the Greens last in all 88 lower house seats and the eight upper house seats, reversing the long-held policy of putting Labor last.

This shock decision means the Greens are unlikely to win all four inner-city seats from Labor, instead perhaps winning only the seat of Melbourne.

If Labor retains Melbourne, along with Brunswick, Richmond and Northcote, it would make the Coalition's job of winning the 13 additional seats it needs to secure government far more difficult.

The Coalition's decision follows weeks of criticism it would even contemplate doing a preference deal with the Greens, concern being raised everywhere from the business community to senior Liberals such as John Howard.

It led to the Liberal Party's state president, David Kemp, issuing of a gag order stopping MPs discussing the topic in public. Liberal sources told The Australian last night the Greens would never give them preferences or enter into a minority government with them in the event of a hung parliament.

They said they were "confident" of winning a majority and now could "take a swing" at Labor for dealings with the Greens.

The Liberal Party had also feared a backlash among voters, party members and financial backers after the disquiet over the election of federal Greens MP Adam Bandt on the back of Coalition preferences.

Mr Nutt confirmed in a statement last night there would be no deal with the Greens. "This morning the Liberal and National Coalition lodged its Legislative Council voting ticket," he said.

"It put the Greens last. When the Coalition registers its Legislative Assembly how to vote cards with the Electoral Commission, it will put the Greens last in all 88 seats. The ALP will be second last."

Labor yesterday announced it had reluctantly come to an "arrangement" with the Greens, getting the third party's preferences in 13 marginal seats in the lower house, and in return preferencing the Greens in five of the eight upper house seats. Labor has preferenced two anti-Greens parties ahead of the Greens in three seats in the upper house.

Mr Nutt labelled Labor hypocritical, saying Premier John Brumby had criticised the Liberals for talking to the Greens but was prepared to do a deal himself.