In percentage terms, the chances of the ACT Greens governing in coalition with the Canberra Liberals are probably closer to zero than they are to one.
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Greens leader Shane Rattenbury did leave the door ever so slightly ajar earlier this year, refusing to rule out the prospect of forming the most unlikely of political unions if the option presented after October 17's ACT election.
But Mr Rattenbury has now slammed that door shut, turned the locks and tossed the key into Lake Burley Griffin.
"The Greens will not form a government with the Coe-led Liberals," Mr Rattenbury writes in the Sunday Canberra Times.
While the Canberra Liberals' election platform includes a number of distinctly green policies, including a promise to plant 1 million trees and create a city-wide cycling network, Mr Rattenbury isn't convinced Alistair Coe's team is serious about tackling the challenges facing this generation and the next.
The Greens' declaration will surprise no one, least of all the Liberals who struggled to contain their laughter when Rattenbury floated the idea of a Blue-Green alliance.
But Sunday's news, delivered on the eve of the ACT election voting period, does serve as a timely reminder of an inescapable political reality facing the Liberals.
In the absence of the unlikely event that a conservative-leaning independent wins a seat on October 17, the Liberals will need to win a majority of seats (13) to form the next ACT government.
As is well documented, only one ACT government has held a majority in the Legislative Assembly - Jon Stanhope's Labor from 2004 to 2008.
To lead the Liberals into government for the first time in 19 years, Coe's Liberals will need to topple not only Andrew Barr's Labor, but Andrew Barr's Labor and Rattenbury's Greens.
It's a steep mountain to climb, but as Coe told the Press Club last year: "If you're a Liberal in Canberra you believe in miracles."
While it's not explicitly stated, Rattenbury's declaration sends a not-so-subtle message that a vote for the Greens is a vote for another four years of Labor-led government.
The sniping between Labor and the Greens during this campaign is political theatre, a mostly hollow posturing which will give way to collegiality the moment the opportunity to seize government - and share the spoils of power - presents.
In that context, Mr Rattenbury has done Canberra voters a favour by declaring the Greens' hand.
The choice is clear. It's Coe's Liberals or Barr and Rattenbury's Labor-Greens.
Let the race begin.
