Southern Metro: Liberal Party Preferences Deceitful Politics

The Liberal Party has placed the Greens last on their registered Group Voting ticket for Southern Metropolitan.

UPDATE: The Liberal Party have bowed to pressure from its membership and have decided not to risk the fall out and have placed the Greens last behind labor:  See The Age Blow to Greens  - a noted sigh of relief from Labor. Now the campaign really begins.

This goes in complete the opposite direction in inner Melbourne where the Liberal Party is expected to preference the Greens ahead of Labor, which could quite possible elect the Greens to three inner city lower house seats (Melbourne, Richmond and Brunswick).


The Liberal may yet live to rue the day as the Greens could hold the balance of power in the Lower house in what is currently looking like shaping up to be another hung parliament and a minority government.

The Liberals preferencing the Greens in inner Melbourne may work against them. Particularly when they are now seen as having placed the Greens behind Labor on the upper house. Punters will not see this as being even handed or principled - it will be seen for what it is - Political gamesmanship;.


Northcote

Fiona Richardson is also under attack by the Green/Liberal alliance but she is campaign strongly on Labor's values and record of delivering economic stability and jobs.

Melbourne

The member for Melbourne, Bronwyn Pike is set to lose her seat, her campaign is lack luster and boring having failed to inspire Melbourne's inner city voters. (Whoever came up with the slogan Pike likes Melbourne should be sacked)


The Greens on the other hand have employed deceitful but effective slogans such as "make your vote count" implying that only a vote  for the greens will count.  This is not true of course as every vote will count.  Pike is on a narrow margin just above 2% all expectations is she is gone.

Richmond (Line Ball)

Dick Wynne has a greater margin of just over 3% he unlike Pike is a seasoned politician and his campaign has been stronger then Pike's in Melbourne.  The odds are against him and its too close to call at this stage of the campaign.