The Federal Court has ordered the removal of campaign posters designed to imitate Greens signage and telling voters to "put Labor last".
The bright green signs have been put up in the Melbourne seat of Higgins, where Liberal MP Katie Allen is facing a tight contest to retain her seat, and have also been spotted in McEwen and Hawke.
Labor went to court on Saturday morning to apply for a court order to remove the signs, arguing they are a bid to confuse voters and conflate the party with the Australian Greens.
The signs read "For our future put Labor last," and were apparently authorised by Hendrick Fourey, of the Business Owners and Contractors Union.
Labor claims they were erected by Liberal supporters and says they are located next to banks of Liberal signage.
At the last-minute court hearing Justice Mark Moshinsky ordered them to be taken down by Australian Electoral Commission officials and Labor's solicitors at Holding Redlich.
Justice Moshinsky said he hoped a solicitor could explain the situation if any disputes arose while the campaign material was being removed.
He noted that there could be difficulties communicating the order to polling booths in time, with the hearing taking place at 12 noon and polling booths closing at 6pm.
Higgins takes in some of Melbourne's most blue-ribbon suburbs, including South Yarra, Toorak, Armadale, Malvern and Glen Iris.
Katie Allen holds the seat on a margin of 3.9 per cent.
Australian Associated Press
