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The fight for a marginal Melbourne seat has landed in the Supreme Court, with a Labor MP challenging the local council over the removal of election billboards.
Labor's Kat Theophanous and Greens candidate Campbell Gome are squaring off for the seat of Northcote, held by Ms Theophanous on a 1.7 per cent margin in 2018 despite a 4.3 per cent swing against her.
Nine billboards promoting Ms Theophanous have been removed by Darebin City Council officers from private properties in the lead-up to the November 26 election, Guardian Australia reports.
In response, Labor launched a legal challenge in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, with the matter adjourned until Wednesday to give the council time to prepare its case.
Labor has accused the "Greens-dominated" council of "blatant political interference", comparing the situation to Bayside council blocking the now-MP for Goldstein Zoe Daniel from erecting signs ahead of May's election.
"People have the right to campaign and seek community support without craven political interference from local councils," a Labor spokesperson told Guardian Australia.
Labor has been contacted by AAP for comment.
Darebin City Council is made up of three Greens councillors, three Labor councillors and three independent councillors, with mayor Lina Messina among the latter group.
Victorian Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam denied the state party directed the council to remove the billboards, and took umbrage with the suggestion it was Greens-dominated.
"When Labor gets desperate, they get dirty," she told reporters.
"These are misleading characterisations and comments that don't go into how local governments deliberate on these matters. These are matters for local council, and I urge everyone to follow local laws."
In a statement to AAP, the council said local laws were used to manage signage in the area, and councillors have no input in how and when they are enforced by its officers.
"While this matter regarding political signage removal is before the Supreme Court, it is most appropriate for Darebin council to refrain from further comments to allow for a full and proper process to take place," it said.
"We take these allegations seriously and respect the autonomy of the court, along with the importance of the electoral process."