The controversial party will also get third preferences from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which itself could mop up votes across the state from the Liberal Party because of the similar name. The Shooters and Fishers Party, in turn, will benefit from a stream of second preferences in the Eastern Victoria region, with backing from the LDP, the Palmer United Party (PUP), Rise Up, the Liberal Party, the Australian Christians, Family First, People Power and the Australian Cyclists Party. The Australian Christians have stitched up second preference flows in the Eastern Metropolitan region, with backing from the Liberal Party, the DLP, Family First, Rise Up, the Shooters Party and People Power. The complex web of preference arrangements, which is believed to be unprecedented in Victorian politics, was partly coordinated by Glenn Druery, the so-called "preference whisperer" responsible the election of Motoring Enthusiast Party's Ricky Muir, who won a federal senate spot with a record-low primary vote of 0.51 percent. Mr Druery confirmed he had helped facilitate discussions among the minor party mix, predicting Victoria could see a "very colourful" upper house with a range of minor parties elected.

"No doubt minor parties have a very good chance of being elected given the right circumstances," Mr Druery said. The Democratic Labour Party, which is getting preferences from the Labor Party, the Shooters, the Australian Christians, Rise Up and People Power in the Western Victoria region, flags on its website it would use an upper house spot to attempt to wind back Victoria's abortion laws. Rise Up leader Daniel Nalliah, who is releasing a book this weekend railing against multiculturalism, said he was confident of winning one of five positions in the South-Eastern Metropolitan regions. He said he was disappointed he had not been placed higher up the Liberal Party's preference list after months of negotiations, claiming it was because he had refused to stop speaking out about Islam and multiculturalism. "If I would stop speaking about Islam and multiculturalism would be placed higher up the list," Mr Nalliah said. Meanwhile, the Greens have infuriated some supporters by placing the Palmer United Party ahead of the Labor Party in four of the eight upper house regions. Greens Leader Greg Barber said the Greens were one of the few parties distributing preference flows to parties with similar policies as a main consideration.

"After policy the second most important consideration is that neither the Labor nor Liberal parties control both houses of parliament," Mr Barber said. Labor has refused to enter into blanket preference deals with the Greens, while the Liberal party has placed the Greens last. Opposition small business spokeswoman Fiona Richardson said the Greens' behaviour in Victoria would make even the NSW right of the Labor Party blush. "Five minutes ago the Greens were screaming foul of Labor's preference decisions," Ms Richardson said. "Now we discover they've jumped into bed with mining magnate Clive Palmer whose interests includes expanding coal mining."