Muslims in Watson to toss out Burke, going to bottom of ballot paper

The Daily Telegraph understands Muslim Vote-backed candidate Dr Ziad Basyouny and representatives of the Liberal Party have been in talks with a view to both Dr Ziad and the Liberals putting Labor last on their how-to-vote cards in the Home Affairs Minister’s seat of Watson.

The seat — named after Labor’s first prime minister — is centred around Punchbowl and Lakemba and more than one in four voters are Muslim.

Sources have told the Telegraph that while no final decision has been made, there have been “ongoing discussions” and “a lot of discussions in the background” and that the Liberals were expected to put The Muslim Vote candidate ahead of Labor.

“Labor will be most likely last on the (Liberal) how-to-vote card,” one source said.

The Daily Telegraph has been told influential Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun is acting as the go-between for the Liberal Party, at the behest of moderate factional leaders. Cr Mannoun could not be reached for comment.

Sources close to The Muslim Vote movement believe that even if Mr Burke survives at this election he will be ousted at the next, cruelling his leadership ambitions.

The movement is determined to put Labor last, but only in seats where it thinks its candidate can win. It is understood it will not support candidates in seats where so-doing could result in the Liberals being elected — such as Andrew Charlton’s seat of Parramatta.

Another source from a different camp said: “They talked strategy and exchange of preferences and putting Labor last.”

This could be potentially catastrophic for Labor, with sources saying Dr Ziad was polling at about 15 to 20 per cent of the vote.

If Dr Ziad polls higher than the Greens candidate, he will knock them out and likely receive the bulk of their preferences.