How Victoria's upper house could hold the balance of power
Recent polling suggests One Nation or the Greens may hold crucial balance-of-power seats in Victoria's Legislative Council.
Victoria's upper house, the Legislative Council, can reject bills and initiate new laws, though it cannot block the government's budget. The Legislative Council has real power over policy.
Current polling shows the Coalition on 12 of 40 seats, Labor on ten, the Greens on eight, and One Nation on six, with four still undecided. Because no major party is forecast to win a majority, smaller parties could wield significant influence.
The voting system changed this year to require voters to preference at least five parties, which is expected to limit how small parties win seats through preference flows.
- 40
- Total upper house seats
- 12 seats
- Coalition polling
- 6 seats
- One Nation polling
- 8 seats
- Greens polling
Why it mattersThe upper house shapes what laws pass, so minority control means any government must negotiate with smaller parties to pass policy.
AustraliaVictorian voters' preference choices will determine whether the upper house blocks or enables the lower house government's plans.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
