Ludlam blasts WikiLeaks over preferences IF the leading WikiLeaks WA candidate wanted to make a tribute to Nationals Senate hopeful David Wirrpanda, he should have sent a card instead of diverting preferences from the Greens. That was the response of worried Greens WA Senator Scott Ludlam to WikiLeaks Senate candidate Gerry Georgatos. Mr Georgatos explained the preference move by saying he wanted to give symbolic recognition to Mr Wirrpanda, a former champion footballer who is vying to be the state's first indigenous senator. A National Indigenous Times journalist, Mr Georgatos also believes Senator Ludlam "has always been secure of a Senate spot, despite the sad statements put out that apparently the Greens are on a knife-edge in the three Senate spots they're contesting." He believes Sarah Hanson-Young and Peter Whish-Wilson in South Australia and Tasmania are also secure, dimissing talk by the Greens' of the balance of power being handed to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott as a ploy to garner more voters nationally. "Gerry is the only person in the country who thinks I'm a shoe-in - I have absolutely zero confidence in his analysis," Senator Ludlam told AAP. If he was after a symbolic gesture, he should have sent him (Mr Wirrpanda) a card. Preferences are not symbolic. They are actually quite a serious part of our electoral system. Reflecting on the fate of jailed US soldier Bradley Manning, Senator Ludlam said he would like to get back to the business of sticking up for whistleblowers "with whoever is left standing at the end" of the election. That's been occluded in Australia by the debacle that WikiLeaks have imposed on themselves. WikiLeaks has blamed an administrative error on its preferencing of right-wing party Australia First in NSW. While Georgatos has described it as a poor judgement call by well-meaning people, he said the party didn't "hold people hostage to mistakes." Senator Ludlam said he didn't have a plan B if he loses his seat, saying he was throwing everything at the election campaign.