GREEN VOTE DEAL DOGS IEMMA

NSW premier Morris Iemma is facing charges of hypocrisy after
yesterday launching an all-out attack on the Greens' drugs policy -
but still clinging to their crucial preferences.

He slammed the Greens as "absurd and disgusting" after it was
revealed their policy to decriminalise all drugs - including the
exceedingly dangerous ice - for personal use.

But he said Labor would still happily do a preference deal with the
minor party in almost every seat up for grabs at the state poll.

The move has even boosted the ALP's chances. The Liberals yesterday
decided to pull preferences for the Greens over the drugs policy,
effectively guaranteeing Labor the seats of Balmain and Marrickville.

Mr Iemma, on the campaign trail in Broken Hill, said such a drugs
policy would never go ahead because fair-minded people would not
support it - even though the ALP was supporting the party that put it forward.

He also accused the Greens of trying to score "a cheap bit of
publicity" with the policy.

"It is just an absurd, ridiculous and disgusting policy," he said.

Mr Iemma said any MP supporting such a policy was "completely out of
touch with reality".

"It's a ridiculous, ludicrous policy that nobody should have anything
to do with," he said.

In exchange, the Greens have preferenced Labor in 24 Lower House
seats, including vital marginal southern Sydney seats of Miranda and
Menai where Labor faces hostile reception over the desalination plant.

The deal also extends to the Senate for the Federal election this year.

Despite the deal boosting the likelihood of extra Greens in both the
state and federal Parliaments - where they are likely to hold the
Upper House balance of power and push for such policies - Mr Iemma
claimed there was no problem endorsing the minor party.

"There's no trade-off with preferences, we reject that totally," he said.

"We're not agreeing with the sweep of their policies."

It is even possible the Greens may become kingmakers in the Lower
House in the event of a hung Parliament.

Opposition Leader Peter Debnam accused Labor of putting putting
politics ahead of people's lives.

"It's time for Morris Iemma and Labor to wake up and realise that
protecting families from drugs is more important than securing
preferences from the Greens," he said.

"Ice is a scourge on our society. It's killing young people, it's
undermining a whole generation and yet you have the Greens Party
proposing decriminalisation."

Late yesterday the Liberal Party announced it would not give the
Greens any preferences in any seats.

In a repeat of the 2003 election gamble by John Brogden, Liberal
state director Graham Jaeschke said the party could not be associated
with the Greens because of their stance.

Christian Democratic Party leader the Reverend Fred Nile went even
further, calling on all MPs to be subjected to random drug testing.

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon defended the policy, saying treating ice abuse
and other drug problems as a health issue would prevent drug-related
crime in the long run.