A third of people in four marginal seats are less likely to vote Liberal because of the lobster controversy, ReachTel poll shows

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Victorian opposition leader Matthew Guy’s so-called “lobster with a mobster” scandal has cost him votes, a new poll shows.

Labor would have won convincingly if an election had been held at the weekend, with about a third of people polled in four marginal seats less likely to vote Liberal because of the controversy, according to the ReachTel poll commissioned by Fairfax media.

Lobster with alleged mobster scandal to be investigated by federal authorities Read more

In two-party preferred figures, Labor would build on the 2014 result, getting 56% of the vote in Bentleigh, 52% in Frankston, 55% in Mordialloc and 51% in Carrum. Guy admitted last week to sharing a dinner with accused mafia boss Tony Madafferi at the Lobster Cave in April.

He says he was invited to the dinner by long-term Liberal member and Madafferi’s cousin, Frank Lamattina, to discuss fruit and vegetable markets, not donations.

He also said he did not know Madafferi would be at the dinner until he arrived.

However, leaked phone calls made by Liberal figure Barrie MacMillan suggest the meeting was designed to direct donations to the cash-strapped party.

Guy and the Coalition have been running a tough-on-crime agenda against the Andrews government, but that campaign came under attack when parliament resumed last week, with robust pot shots from the government.

And the deputy premier, James Merlino, was issued with legal threats from Madafferi for comments made outside parliament.

Madafferi is accused of being a high-level organised crime figure but he has never been charged or convicted and strenuously denies any allegations.