Left-Wing Greens Party Issues 5 Demands If They Win Balance of Power at State Election

Leader of the Greens Samantha Ratnam addresses the crowd during the Victorian Greens campaign launch in Melbourne, Australia on Nov. 16, 2022. Victorians go to the polls on Nov. 26. (AAP Image/Diego Fedele)

The left-wing Australian Greens has listed five demands or priorities if it holds the balance of power after the next election if the Victorian state Labor government fails to win enough seats to form a majority government.

It follows an announcement from Premier Daniel Andrews who ruled out any dealmaking with the Greens, as well as Independent MPs, amid concerns of a hung parliament.

“This has been my position for 12 years … No deal will be offered and no deal will be done,” Andrews told ABC News Breakfast on Nov. 14.

According to a statement from the Greens, the party’s priorities include: banning onshore and offshore gas exploration and production, capping rent increases, reforming the state’s integrity and anti-corruption Bill, raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14, and banning logging across the state in 2023.

According to a poll by the Herald Sun newspaper, the Victorian Labor party is facing significant challenges at the polling booth, which could see it struggle to meet the required 45 of the 88 seats to form a majority government.

If this were to eventuate, the Greens could hold the balance of power compelling the current Premier Andrews to partner with the Greens to form a coalition.

Labor must lose 11 of its current 55 seats for a hung parliament to result.

Greens Confident of Voter Support

Leader of the Victorian Greens party, Samantha Ratnam, said Victoria could be heading into a “historic state election.”

“It’s clear more and more Victorians are moving away from the major parties and indicating they intend to vote Greens this year,” Ratnam said.

“This is because they’re fed up with the two-party system and want a strong, progressive crossbench that can hold the next government to account.

“If Labor isn’t able to form a majority government in the next term of Parliament, they will more than likely need to work with the Greens to ensure progressive reform.”

The Greens are eyeing off the electorates of Albert Park and Pascoe Vale in Melbourne, which are currently Labor seats.

The Greens are polling strongly in the three inner-city seats of Melbourne, Prahran and Brunswick they hold, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The state’s centre-right Liberal Party has also given its preferences to the Greens ahead of the Labor Party for the first time.

‘Absolutely Winnable,’ Liberals Say

While the Herald Sun’s poll predicts that Labor and the opposition Liberal-National’s primary vote would be tied at 38 percent, it also suggests that Premier Andrews could win a third term because Labor polls ahead of the ­Liberal-Nationals after preference flows—53.5 to 46.5 percent.

“Now every poll says our primary vote is either the same or better than governments,” Victorian Liberal leader Matthew Guy told 3AW radio.

“I’ve kind of been written [off] by everyone and yet here we are in a position where it’s absolutely winnable.

“If people want to invest in that, we’ll accept their vote on a confidence and supply matter but I’m not going to do backroom deals.”

Meanwhile, the opposition leader and his former chief of staff Mitch Catlin have been referred to the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) on Nov. 17 for allegedly circumventing donation disclosure laws.

It is alleged by the VEC that Catlin requested more than $100,000 (US$67,000) in payments to his private marketing business from a party donor this year. Guy has maintained that he and the Victorian Liberal party have fully cooperated with the VEC.

According to the Herald Sun poll, which recorded preferences of 1,189 people by research firm RedBridge, Labor showed a drop of 10 to 33.9 percent in its primary vote compared to the last election in 2018.

The Liberal-Nationals primary vote is also lower compared to the 2018 election but has recently climbed to 33.4 percent due to surging support for the Nationals.

The Greens are reported to have 12.3 percent of the primary vote, while undecided voters are expected to account for 10.4 percent.

Another 10 percent of voters say they prefer independent or minor parties. The list of registered political parties is listed on the VEC website.

The Victorian State election will be held on Saturday, Nov. 26.