With the Greens having declared their intention to work with Labor to “strengthen” climate change policy, the preference deal between Labor and the Greens has enormous potential to control a future Labor government.

Labor’s Finance Minister Jim Chalmers recently lauded the preference deal and said he did not believe that the Green’s hard-line policy of closing coal mines was having an impact on Labor’s vote.

National Director of Advance Australia Gerard Benedet said in response: “That’s a worry because it should be having an impact. The Labor/Greens relationship and their preference deal deserves a lot more scrutiny than it’s been getting.”

“The links between Labor and the radical Greens go much further than preferences.  We see it in the ties they share in left-wing activist groups like GetUp and the AYCC. We see it in the direction that Labor policy is heading – like their plan to reduce emissions by 45% and ensure half of all cars are electric by 2030, without any regard for the cost.”

“We certainly see it in Labor’s irresponsible plan for Government-funding of private sector wages. These are not mainstream policies.  These are policies we’ve seen from the Greens for years.  Labor used to recognise how dangerous these radical left-wing policies are – now they’re adopting them!”

“The problem is, this is forcing the Greens even further to the left.  And they’ve already indicated they will make more demands if Labor wants their support in the Senate.”

In his address to the National Press Club just last week, Greens Leader Richard di Natale expressed a strong desire to work closely with a Bill Shorten-led Labor Government, as the Greens did with the Gillard Government.

“Australians should be under no illusions – if Labor is elected, their radical tax and spend policies will not only be passed with Greens support in the Senate – they will become even more radical.  That means we’ll all end up paying a lot more,” Mr Benedet said.

“The Greens have always devised policies without ever having to worry about paying for them. It’s how they think and how they operate – and it becomes seriously dangerous when they have real power, as they will under Labor.”

“The ties between Labor and the Greens have developed into a real symbiotic relationship, which is a serious concern.  They are so close, they take each other’s preferences as a given,” Mr Benedet said.

“There is no doubt that Labor preferences in the Senate will get Greens Senators across the line.  Those same Senators will then demand Labor move further to the left - further away from mainstream policies. ”

“The message is clear: if you wouldn’t vote Green, then don’t vote Labor.”