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Labors Plot To Crush The Australian Greens. (Read 713 times)
imcrookonit
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Labors Plot To Crush The Australian Greens.
Oct 24th, 2010 at 7:32am
 
Labor plot to crush Greens


THE Labor Party has been caught trying to set up a shadowy anti-Green front group aimed at destroying the minor party's chances in the state election.

This comes as The Sunday Age can reveal that Labor's network of powerful lobbyists has been talking up the risks of a minority government with business clients, encouraging some to pressure Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu not to preference the Greens in four Labor-held inner-city seats.

Liberal and Labor figures have confirmed that former Brumby adviser Bill Bolitho, who is running three of Labor's marginal-seat campaigns, has approached senior political and business people about setting up a bipartisan body based on Tasmanians For a Better Future, the controversial front group that urged voters in that state to spurn the Greens in the 2006 state election.


Mr Bolitho, a former union official who has taken leave from his public service job at Regional Development Victoria to campaign for Labor, said: ''I've had a range of conversations with prominent Liberals and Nationals about private issues and I intend to keep those private.''

Mr Bolitho denied he had set up any group but said ''what I do on my leave is my business''.

The Sunday Age believes the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Master Builders Association support Mr Bolitho's strategy. Chamber spokesman Chris James denies this. The builders association's Brian Welch said he ''had lots of conversations with people'' but declined to comment further.

In the past few weeks, a series of business people and industry associations have approached the Coalition's parliamentary leaders and key office-holders, urging them not to preference the Greens in the inner-city seats of Richmond, Melbourne, Northcote and Brunswick, where the minor party needs Liberal preferences to oust Labor.

It is believed that Labor briefed several business figures about the risks of a minority government and encouraged them to raise the issue of Greens preferences with the Coalition.

The Sunday Age has confirmed that the aggressive Labor lobbyist David White, a former Cain and Kirner government minister, has been approaching his clients - and other businesses - to remind them that, through their preferences, the Liberals have the power to keep the Greens out of the lower house. Another Labor-linked lobbyist said it was important that business clients were aware of the Greens' threat.

InsideOut Strategic lobbyist Philip Staindl, the former head of Labor fund-raising body Progressive Business, said that since the federal election result there was a heightened awareness among the business community about minority governments.

''I am sure there are business people who are trying to exert pressure on the Liberals not to go down that path,'' Mr Staindl said.

One of Mr Staindl's clients is Allan Blood, founder and chairman of Australian Power & Energy Corp.

Mr Blood, whose brown coal energy projects could come under Greens' scrutiny, called on Mr Baillieu to do a deal with Labor to lock out the Greens.

''Sir Robert Menzies would roll in his grave if he even suspected that a deal with the Greens is being considered,'' he said.

The Victorian chief executive of the Australian Hotels Association, Brian Kearney, said he had spoken to the Coalition about the matter. ''We see the potential for unstable government and unpredictable policy and it does not bode well for the Victorian pub industry,'' he said.

One senior Liberal figure said the Coalition was aware a campaign was being orchestrated by figures inside the ALP. ''We're surprised that a number of business representatives did not realise they are being used by the ALP, who are at the same time engaged in secret preference negotiations with the Greens.''

A Labor strategist said that if there was such a campaign it was spontaneous and not co-ordinated.

George Svigos, a spokesman for Mr Brumby, said: ''Mr Bolitho has said he is on leave. What he does in his private time is a matter for him.''

Greens upper house MP Greg Barber said Labor's actions showed how desperate it was.
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imcrookonit
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Re: Labors Plot To Crush The Australian Greens.
Reply #1 - Oct 24th, 2010 at 7:34am
 
Vote 1 - Australian Greens.  The fair and sensible people.
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aussiefree2ride
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Australian Politics

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Re: Labors Plot To Crush The Australian Greens.
Reply #2 - Oct 24th, 2010 at 10:02am
 
Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin
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