Liberal candidate preferences Labor over Greens in key seat before backflip

Liberal candidate Lucas Moon bucked the directive from central headquarters on Monday morning, handing out how-to-vote cards which directed preferences to Labor ahead of the Greens in the key seat of Richmond.

Hours later, he switched to handing out the Liberal Party’s official how-to-vote cards putting Labor last, declaring himself “a team player”.

The Coalition announced on the weekend it would direct preferences to the Greens over Labor. But the decision enraged some senior Liberals, with administrative committee member Ian Quick labelling it a “dangerous” move that could get more Greens elected.

At an early voting centre on Johnston Street in Fitzroy on Monday morning, Moon handed out how-to-vote cards – which were authorised by himself rather than a party official – putting Greens candidate Gabrielle de Vietri last out of eight candidates in preferences, and Labor’s Lauren O’Dwyer ahead at sixth.

But he later backflipped, handing out the Liberal Party’s official how-to-vote cards authorised by state Liberal director Sam McQuestin, which preference the Greens ahead of Labor.

Before switching to the party’s official cards, Moon said: “At all my town hall meetings, I’ve always said I’ll do the right thing by the people of Richmond, and in this case, the Liberal branch has done the right thing, which I support.”

“They did character checks. They looked into the character of candidates, and based on the Yarra Greens Council, they’ve made this decision,” he said, referring to the branch’s apparent decision to preference the Labor candidate over the Greens’ candidate.

Richmond is held by Labor’s Richard Wynne, who is retiring from the seat he has held for 23 years. De Vietri has long been the favourite to win the seat, which Labor holds by 5.8 per cent.

But that could change if voting is tight and comes down to preferences.

The Age has contacted Opposition Leader Matthew Guy’s office for comment.

Explaining the decision to put the Greens ahead of Labor on the weekend, Guy said: “While the Greens are bad, Daniel Andrews and Labor are worse.” He said exceptions would be made only in cases where candidates had “significant character or policy issues”.

The approach results in Liberal preferences flowing to Greens candidates in Richmond, Northcote and Albert Park, where Labor is trying to fend off Greens challengers.

It stands in contrast to the position taken by party elder Ted Baillieu, former party president David Kemp and former state director Tony Nutt in 2010 to “put the Greens last” in all 88 lower house seats, a move repeated at federal and Victorian elections since.

De Vietri said the Greens were running to win in their own right, without the need for Liberal preferences.

“What other parties do is a matter for them,” she said.

Meanwhile, former Victoria Street Traders Association president Meca Ho, who is running as an independent, confirmed he would direct preferences to Labor before the Greens.

Ho, a Fitzroy restaurateur, was nominated as a candidate the day after Premier Daniel Andrews made an unannounced visit to Victoria Street to announce $400,000 in funding for the Luna Festival.

Ho, who was at the announcement, denied he was running solely to send preference votes to Labor. He said he would send preferences to the Liberals after Labor, and wanted to support the major parties.

“I want Labor to get in,” he said. “They are helping the community.

“I only run to give people a voice. It’s not about the funding, it’s about giving a voice to the community.”

This story is part of our in-depth local coverage of the key seats of Melton, Hawthorn and Richmond at the November state election.

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.