Key facts
- Victoria's parliament has abolished group voting tickets (GVTs) for its upper house.
- The change was passed by 33 votes to four and will take effect for the November state election.
- Under the new system, voters must number at least five parties above the line in order of preference.
- The GVT system allowed candidates to be elected with very low primary votes through preference deals.
- Four MPs, including Georgie Purcell, voted against the abolition of GVTs.
Victorian MPs, including prominent microparty members like Georgie Purcell, face an uncertain re-election future following the abolition of group voting tickets (GVTs) in the state's upper house. Parliament voted 33 to four to pass the electoral amendment bill, which will prevent the use of GVTs in the upcoming November state election.
The GVT system, unique to Victoria's upper house in Australia, allowed voters to select one party above the line, with their preferences then allocated by the party if that candidate was eliminated. Critics, including election analyst Antony Green, have long argued that GVTs enable candidates to win seats with very low primary votes through backroom preference deals, citing instances where candidates with as little as 1% of the vote have been elected.
The four MPs who opposed the bill—Purcell (Animal Justice), Rachel Payne (Legalise Cannabis), David Limbrick (Libertarian), and Jeff Bourman (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)—represent parties that have benefited from the GVT system. Electoral analyst Ben Raue suggested these MPs will struggle to get elected under the new system, which requires voters to number at least five parties above the line in order of preference, thereby giving voters more control over their preferences.
Purcell acknowledged the change significantly decreases her re-election chances but remains committed to a strong campaign. Payne and Limbrick also plan to run again, with Limbrick describing his party as underdogs. The trio expressed support for abolishing GVTs but argued for broader electoral reform, such as replacing the eight upper-house regions with a single statewide electorate, which would require a referendum. They contend that the government deliberately waited until the last minute to introduce a flawed system to silence diverse voices.
Payne stated that abolishing GVTs without broader reform benefits major parties and is motivated by self-serving reasons. Green anticipates that under the new system, the Coalition could win two seats per region, Labor might secure one or two, and the Greens could win up to six seats. He noted that One Nation might secure eight or nine seats regardless of GVTs due to their polling. Green also highlighted that even with a majority, the Liberal party would likely need One Nation's support to control the upper house.