Labor and the Liberals to campaign heavily in Western Sydney
The battle for Western Sydney begins this week as the two men vying to be prime minister ramp up their job pitch ahead of next year’s federal election.
National
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The battle for Western Sydney kicks off this week as the two men vying to be Australia’s prime minister after the next election ramp up their pitches for creating jobs and post-pandemic economic recovery.
As Prime Minister Scott Morrison moves to shift the unofficial campaign trail from climate to national security and the economy – areas perceived as the Coalition’s strengths – Labor leader Anthony Albanese is also preparing a strong run on the issue of local manufacturing and jobs.
Mr Morrison will spend most of the week in Sydney, starting in the must-win seat of Lindsay on Monday, held by Liberal MP Melissa McIntosh by about 5 per cent on two-party-preferred.
The PM will attend a community morning tea, visit local businesses and promote the federal government’s four-year $1.5bn Modern Manufacturing Initiative.
At the same time, Mr Albanese will start Labor’s Sydney blitz in his own electorate of Grayndler, where he hopes to appeal to voters with his $15bn National Reconstruction Fund and Australia-made manufacturing plan.
Mr Albanese will take aim at the failures of the inner-west light rail line, which has been forced to shut down for up to 18 months due to major cracks damaging the new trams.
The Sydney seat of Reid will also be a focus for both parties this week, with Labor’s recently endorsed candidate Sally Sitou poised to challenge Liberal MP Fiona Martin.
On Sunday, Mr Albanese criticised the government for trying to “decouple economic growth” from what was needed for a “clean energy economy”.
“The truth is that those two things are linked,” he said. “The shift to clean energy is one of the major factors that will drive our economic growth that will drive job creation into the future.”
Labor is yet to announce its candidates for the Western Sydney seats of Lindsay and Parramatta, the latter becoming vacant following the announcement of Julie Owens’ retirement.
NSW Granville MP Julia Finn and former Labor candidate for Seven Hills Durga Owen have been touted as potential replacements, but it is understood neither have much support outside the “soft left” factional grouping. One view is that head office could avoid a stoush over a branch member ballot by installing Ms Owen as the candidate.
Liberal members in several other key seats are also getting anxious about sluggish preselections, with some sources blaming delays on the need to vet upcoming NSW local government elections first, while others believed there were deliberate moves to draw out the process to justify “captain’s pick” candidates.
It is understood the frontrunners for the seat of Warringah, won from former prime minister Tony Abbott by independent Zali Steggall, include barrister Jane Buncle and consultant Alex Dore.
Several state Liberal MPs are also in the frame for federal seats, including former NSW transport minister Andrew Constance vying for the south coast electorate of Gilmore, and NSW MP Melanie Gibbons in Hughes.
The preselection of state MPs would spark further by-elections, something both parties are increasingly wary of due to the drain on resources it would cause so close to the federal ballot, which must occur by May.
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