6 August, 2026 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Legalise Cannabis Victoria will move amendments to delay the abolition of Group Voting Tickets (GVTs) until after the November state election, arguing that while the current system needs reform, the Carroll Government’s proposal would make Victoria’s Upper House less representative.
The move follows the registration of the Free Palestine Party, whose founder has openly said the party was created to exploit Victoria’s Group Voting Ticket system to direct preferences to One Nation.
David Ettershank MP said the case demonstrated why GVTs should be abolished, but warned the Government was using one example to justify reforms that would make it far harder for legitimate minor parties to win representation.
“The Free Palestine Party is exactly the sort of abuse of the current system that needs to end. We support abolishing Group Voting Tickets,” Mr Ettershank said.
“But the Government is using one loophole to justify changes that will entrench the major parties and shut out genuine community movements.”
Under the current system, political parties to choose where preferences go not the voter. When a voter chooses to only vote ‘above the line’ they are allowing that political party to decide where their preferences should go.
The practice has given birth to preference brokers who can negation deals for payment, essentially buying seats in the Victorian Upper House.
However, Legalise Cannabis says the proposed reforms would effectively require parties to win more than 16 per cent of the vote in a region to secure representation, creating a significant barrier for emerging parties despite strong public support.
In the 2022 Victorian election, Legalise Cannabis won around five per cent of the statewide Upper House vote and secured representation broadly in line with that support.
Proposed changed will entrench ‘old parties’
Mr Ettershank said Victoria should abolish the Group Voting Ticket system only as part of broader electoral reform, including changes to Upper House electoral regions, to ensure proportional representation is maintained.
“Removing GVTs without electorate reform simply shifts the advantage from preference brokers to the old parties,” he said.
“Victorians deserve an Upper House that reflects the diversity of opinions across the state, not one dominated by Labor, the Liberals, the Greens and One Nation.”
Legalise Cannabis will move amendments to the Electoral Amendment (Miscellaneous Matters) Bill 2026 that would : Delay the abolition of Group Voting Tickets until after the 2026 election. Allow time for broader electoral reform, including reform of Upper House regions. Ban payment for preference deals.
“We don’t trust the old parties to promise broader reform later,” Mr Ettershank said.
“If these changes go through now, history suggests the conversation about genuine democratic reform will end there.”
“The simple solution is to implement all electoral reforms together after the election not cherry-pick changes that benefit major parties”
[ENDS]
