Labor and the Greens are on the verge of a comprehensive preference deal that would boost the government’s prospects of holding on to power while helping the Greens achieve the balance of power in the Senate.
Sources said the deal was close to fruition and more comprehensive than the one at the last election, while the Greens leader, Bob Brown, indicated it was all but done.
The agreement would give Labor crucial Greens preferences for House of Representatives seats in all but a handful of electorates where Greens branches will exercise their right to choose otherwise. In return, Labor will direct its Senate preferences towards the Greens.
The Greens have 13 per cent of the primary vote and Labor needs the overwhelming majority of preferences to survive.
‘‘We’re really going to need them this time,’’ a source said.
Senator Brown said he was ‘‘aware of arrangements the party had been required to make’’ but stressed that voters should still feel free to make their own decisions as to whom they gave their preferences.
‘‘The important thing is to vote 1 Australian Greens and then make up your own mind. How-to-vote cards are only a recommendation and do not need to be followed,’’ he said.
Labor’s standing with Greens voters will be tested this week when it launches its back-up climate change policy designed after it shelved the emissions trading scheme.
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