Victorian State Election: Reports of One Nation and Coalition deal to target Carroll Labor goverment

There are fresh reports the Coalition in Victoria and One Nation are looking to preference each other ahead of Labor on their how-to-vote cards in a new strategy aimed targeting the embattled Labor government at the state’s looming election.

The Australian reports that the Victorian Liberals are looking to follow the state Nationals in preferencing Pauline Hanson’s minor party on how-to-vote cards following the draw of ballot positions on Monday.

The newspaper reports that the alignment is only being made on a seat-by-seat basis depending on the stance of the One Nation candidates in question, suggesting there is yet to be a formal overall deal reached on the move.

However, it is expected in the majority of cases that Coalition and One Nation candidates would be preferencing each other over Labor in yet another looming blow to the Carroll government.

The reports come months after Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson’s declaration in March urging Coalition voters to shun minor parties in her state’s November 28 election.

“So let me be really clear upfront about this: we cannot risk, in November this year, for people to go into the ballot box and to vote for parties that are not parties of government,” she told 3AW Melbourne on March 27 this year.

“Only the Liberals and Nationals can form government here in Victoria, and the only way to change the government is to put a number one.”

Her comments at that time followed calls for the Victorian Opposition to forge a deal with One Nation after the latter’s open preference tickets at the South Australian state election resulted in a landslide win for Labor.

The Australian’s new report suggests that One Nation was also ready to run a similarly open ticket in Victoria if the Coalition made any move to preference the party below Labor.

Senator Hanson also warned the Victorian Opposition Leader in October that without One Nation’s support “you’re going to struggle to win in your own right”.

“And if it means you actually have to get your tail between your legs to get rid of Labor in this state, then do it Jess. Get rid of your ­arrogance,” she said.

Victorian Labor has seized on the suggestion of a Blue-Orange alliance, with ALP social media ads focusing on Ms Wilson’s reluctance to rule out a potential coalition with One Nation.

The Australian suggests that in the how-to-vote deal, the Liberals and Nationals could help One Nation jump ahead of Labor by preferencing the minor party in seats in which Coalition candidates had little hope of victory.

A similar how-to-vote move by One Nation would allow a flow of votes to Liberals and Nationals in several crucial battles with Labor.

The Coalition is currently on a primary vote of 33 per cent across Victoria, according to the latest Newspoll conducted for the Australian. That’s well ahead of Labor’s 24 per cent and One Nation’s 20 per cent.

Those figures would suggest a majority government for Ms Wilson’s Coalition, but One Nation’s strong polling in several crucial electorates has likely spurred negotiations between the two parties.

The Australian also reported from ALP sources that Labor figures have looked at the option of punishing the Coalition - and in particular the Nationals - for a possible preference deal with One Nation by running an open ticket in regional electorates.

However, senior sources from within Labor ruled such a move out on principle: “Jess Wilson should take a leaf out of her hero John Howard’s book, and preference Labor above One Nation,” a senior Labor source told the newspaper. “One Nation is a plague on both our houses and she alone can stop it.”