Victorian Labor abandons preference deals in Prahran and Caulfield as Liberal-National coalition and One Nation trade mutual backing
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Labor says it will leave preferences open in two inner-city seats, while the Liberal-National coalition and One Nation line up behind each other ahead of Labor in a move that could shape the contest in Prahran and beyond.
Victoria's Labor Party announced it will run open tickets in the inner-city electorates of Prahran and Caulfield in the upcoming state election, leaving voters to rank candidates without the party steering preferences toward its own political advantage. The decision follows requests from local campaigns and mirrors Labor's approach in the 2025 federal contest for the overlapping seat of Macnamara.
The Liberal-National coalition confirmed it will place One Nation ahead of Labor in its preference order, while party officials said One Nation is unlikely to appear in the second position on the ballot. The coalition also indicated it will rank the Victorian Socialists and the Greens lower than other parties, a cynical strategy that could damage Green candidates in seats such as Richmond, Pascoe Vale and Preston.
"The Coalition will be putting Labor, the Greens, the Socialists at the bottom of the ticket, and all other parties above that," said Liberal MP Jess Wilson to reporters.
Labor minister Anthony Carbines described the party's stance on preferences as a "principled stand" and said Labor will place One Nation last on its ticket.
"Jess Wilson has made it clear, because they want to form government with One Nation, they are also going to preference with One Nation. It’s all nudge-nudge wink-wink, we can all see it," Carbines said.
One Nation's James Ashby reiterated the party's intention to rank Labor last.
"We want them gone. That’s why we put them last," Ashby told Guardian Australia.
The Greens, who lost Prahran in a 2025 by-election, are fielding Angelica Di Camillo again and remain hopeful of regaining the seat, which is now held by Liberal MP Rachel Westaway with a narrow margin. Recent polling has shown an increase in the Greens' primary vote, but Labor's open-ticket approach may influence the flow of preferences and blunt that momentum.
The seat of Caulfield, held by Liberal deputy leader David Southwick, includes Victoria's largest Jewish community, a demographic that featured prominently in the recent by-election campaigns.