Also present was Labor’s candidate for Brunswick, Cindy O’Connor, who is taking on Greens candidate Tim Read in the traditional ALP stronghold. She was selected after the departure of sitting Labor member Jane Garrett, who will now run for the upper house, and the shift of the original replacement candidate, Ged Kearney, to successfully contest the federal seat of Batman.

Labor has held several inner-city seats against the Greens in recent elections with the help of preferences from the Liberals, who will decide on Wednesday evening whether they will abandon the field in five crucial seats, making Labor’s task even more difficult.

Mr Shorten said on Wednesday that the Greens were out to disrupt Labor in inner Melbourne electorates.

“I get that the Greens are going to try to cause some disruption in the inner city,” he said.

“[But] only a Labor government can deliver the progress that communities want.”

Mr Shorten nominated state Labor’s decision to build the gay and lesbian Pride Centre in St Kilda and its championing of minority rights as some of the reasons why progressive voters should stick with Daniel Andrews’ government.

“Only a Labor government can do that ... and people who think that a protest vote is the way to go, well that’s up to them,” Mr Shorten said,

“But Matthew Guy and the Liberals are the real threat to Victoria’s progress.

“What Matthew Guy and the Liberals don’t want is they don’t want to see Labor win seats like Brunswick because that makes their job easier to cause disruption and political mischief.”

Greens candidate for Brunswick Tim Read returned fire at Mr Shorten, accusing Labor of "random cash presents to lucky schools in marginal electorates".

"If Bill Shorten thinks the Green vote in Brunswick is a protest, he doesn't know the people of Brunswick," Mr Read said.

"Forty per cent voted Green in the last election, more than the ALP, and they know their vote is powerful.

"Victorians shouldn't have to wait until their electorate is under threat for Labor to take notice."