THE chances of the State Government retaining the seat of Ryde at this month's byelection has receded further, with the Greens directing that no preferences be directed to any of the major parties in all four October 18 state byelections.

In closely fought tussles, preferences from the Greens have played an important role in helping Labor candidates get across the line. And with a swing against the Government expected to exceed the 10.2 per cent margin that the Labor Party holds Ryde, this means the ALP is facing defeat. Ryde was held for the ALP by John Watkins, a former deputy premier and minister for transport.

The Greens are also not directing preferences at the other three byelections in the seats of Port Macquarie, Cabramatta or Lakemba, held by the former premier Morris Iemma.

The Greens Legislative Council member Lee Rhiannon said: "The Labor Government's record on public service delivery, power industry sell-off plans and poor performance on environmental protection highlight that they do not deserve preferences."

The swing against the Government in Ryde is expected to rival the 23 per cent primary swing against the Labor government in 1986, when the former premier Neville Wran quit his safe former seat of Bass Hill, in Sydney's west. That swing was reduced to 17.5 per cent after preferences.

"The substantial loss of Labor votes to the Liberals will be the trend" in Ryde, the ABC election strategist Antony Green said, "not the direction of Green preferences".