Childcare worker Catherine Whittick reckons her inner-Melbourne neighbourhood is not as safe as it was a few years ago and wants a local MP who is going to do something about it.

That is bad news for the Greens, which since 2014 has held the seat where Ms Whittick this week cast an early vote in a state byelection that is shaping as a test of whether the party is losing touch with inner-city, supposedly progressive voters.