Victorian State Election: Greens would only support a Labor government

Date
    November 15, 2014


Battle lines have been drawn: Greens candidate for Melbourne Ellen Sandell says the Greens are ruling out supporting the Liberals.      

EXCLUSIVE

The Greens would seek an agreement with Labor to help form government in the event of a hung parliament, the party's Melbourne candidate has declared.    

In a bid to clearly state the Greens' intentions before people begin voting on Monday at early voting centres, Greens candidate for Melbourne Ellen Sandell told The Age the party would either enter into a coalition government or a Adam Bandt-style agreement to offer the government support, with the latter more likely, in the event the Greens secured the balance of power.

Ms Sandell said it would be up to Labor about the type of agreement but wanted to make it clear that the Greens were "ruling out supporting the Liberals."    

"We want to be clear that a vote for the Greens will not help re-elect the Napthine government."      

"We will seek an agreement with Labor for an effective, stable and progressive government that takes strong action on the big issues like public transport, climate change and education. It is what would be best for the future of Victoria," she said.

"We want a government that can stand up to Tony Abbott and his cruel cuts to hospitals and schools."      

Last week Labor leader Daniel Andrews instructed the party to reject a preference deal request from the Greens that would have seen the Greens preference Labor second in all lower house seats, with a few exceptions, in exchange for preference flows in the upper house.

"No deal will be offered and no deal will be done because the last thing I am ever going to sign up to is an unstable, minority government," Mr Andrews recently said.

The news is likely to be seized on the by the Napthine Liberals who have tried to paint the Greens and Labor as being in an alliance.

On Thursday Premier Denis Napthine said that the Liberals would put the Greens last on how to vote cards and in preference deals, even behind the anti-Islam anti-multiculturalism party Rise Up Australia.

Dr Napthine called on the ALP to follow their lead and also place the Greens last.

On 3AW radio on Friday senior Labor frontbencher Martin Pakula echoed his leader's comments.

"We have made it absolutely clear that we will be doing no deals post-election with them, there will be no talk of coalitions," Mr Pakula said.

But Ms Sandell questioned whether Labor would actually let government slip from their grasp.

"Daniel Andrews will have a clear choice to either choose to work with the Greens for a stable progressive government or he can try and form government with the Liberals and the Nationals, it will be up to him."

The Greens hold their formal campaign launch in the city on Saturday morning.    

This week's Fairfax Ipsos poll found the Greens primary vote across the state was 16 per cent, down one point on the previous poll. A Greens-commissioned poll last week also showed the party leading the incumbent Labor MPs in Melbourne and Richmond.

While Labor admit the inner-city seat will be tight, they are also upbeat about their chances.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victoria-state-election-2014/victorian-state-election-greens-would-only-support-a-labor-government-20141114-11mpqf.html#ixzz3J4n7UDba

The probability of the Greens having the balance of power are very small.

A bridge to cross if and when.

Not supporting the Liberals only proves that they are not reptilian.

Labor would be STUPID to rely on the Greens. They have proven they are not a party of government.

Greens are Libs in progressive dress.

Look to the results of their actions not their words.

talk about the obvious....  greens wont support the Libs????

Dsmithy70 wrote on Nov 15^th, 2014 at 11:04am:


not really the best example.  that was just the greens at their ideologically-driven worst.  truly amazingly bad politics.  but back to the point....  when have the greens ever supported the libs to form govt. NEVER.  when have they supported liberal legislation. ALMOST never.  to be fair, they don't support labor legislation much either.

St George of the Garden wrote on Nov 15^th, 2014 at 11:19am:



I see you haven't lost your touch for saying the utterly stupid.

St George of the Garden wrote on Nov 15^th, 2014 at 11:24am:



I couldn't stop laughing after you called the greens 'libs'.  you really are a very stupid person.  how's that $300B NBN going or that $30B database of pits?