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No preference deal with Labor: Shaw

Victoria’s balance-of-power Independent Geoff Shaw has ruled out swapping preferences with the Labor party at the November state election.

Mr Shaw intends to recontest his marginal seat of Frankston, despite being unlikely to win.

He has voted with Labor in the Parliament as recently as last week, but Mr Shaw says he will not be doing any kind of preference deal with the party’s candidate, Helen Costas.

“My stance in terms of the Labor party is well know, an s far as their socialist and communist background is concerned,” he said.

“So I would have conservative parties above the socialist parties.”

After last year’s electoral redistribution, Frankston is notionally a Liberal-held seat, with a slim margin of just 0.4 per cent.

The Liberal Party pre-selection nominations closed

The candidates in the mix include the current Mayor of Frankston Darrel Taylor and the Liberal candidate for the Federal seat of Melbourne at last year’s Federal election, Sean Armistead

Premier Denis Napthine says in the battle of Frankston, the Liberal Party is in it to win it.

“Driven by the local membership and the local people, I’m sure we’ll get a very good Liberal candidate to represent us in Frankston,” he said.

The Frankston City Council has drawn up a wish-list to deliver to all of the candidates contesting the seat.

It wants to see upgrades to the train station and foreshore precincts and is hopeful the seat’s marginal status and high-profile sitting member will benefit the community.

Shaw’s plans

Mr Shaw says he is keeping his options open about joining a minor party like the Palmer United Party or the Katter Australia Party.

“I haven’t really thought to much about that,” he says

There were chaotic scenes is State Parliament last week when Mr Shaw voted with Labor twice.

He complained that he was not being properly briefed by the Government on its legislative agenda.

But he says that has improved in the past week.

“The phone calls have started to increase,” he said.

“I haven’t been briefed yet but there’s been opportunity to be able to be briefed.”

Geoff Shaw says if he is re-elected he will push for more major Government departments to move their offices to Frankston.

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