Campaigns get rolling in enemy territories as both leaders target marginal seats
A meticulously plotted battle to pick off marginal seats in NSW is at the heart of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s bid to hold power. Read here to see if your electorate will be a battleground in this Federal Election.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A meticulously plotted battle to pick off marginal seats in NSW is at the heart of Scott Morrison’s bid to hold power, as the Prime Minister prepares for the likelihood of Bill Shorten making gains in the Labor leader’s home state of Victoria.
Mr Morrison forged into the Labor-held Western Sydney seat of Lindsay yesterday as both leaders started the election campaign’s first battle in enemy territory.
Mr Shorten fired his own starter’s gun in the Victorian seat of Deakin, held by conservative warrior Michael Sukkar on a 6.4 per cent margin. It’s considered to be a seat that would only change hands in a landslide — a clear show of confidence from Mr Shorten.
Both men used the day to draw their own battlelines.
MORE NEWS
Folau terminated: Rugby to sack Wallaby star
Single mum stole Centrelink data for nappies and food
Veterans blocked from Anzac march
After Mr Morrison addressed the nation at an 8am press conference from Canberra, Mr Shorten moved quickly to set himself apart from the PM by selecting a suburban family’s backyard as the venue for his first media event.
“My feet are firmly planted in the backyard of a Mitcham house because I understand that politics should be about the people,” he said.
“It’s about cost of living, education, health, good jobs and renewable energy.”
Sharpening his election messaging, Mr Shorten cast Labor as being united versus “division and chaos” under Mr Morrison’s Coalition government.
Mr Morrison, though, cast his own election pitch with a focus on trust and economic security.
“Now is not the time to turn back,” he said.
“Keeping our economy strong is how we secure your future and your family’s future.”
After the address, Mr Morrison quickly headed to Lindsay — currently held by Emma Husar, who is retiring after being disendorsed by Labor — but held no major media events.
The Prime Minister’s own history as a Liberal campaign boss is intrinsically linked to this piece-by-piece marginals tactic.
In NSW, the government hopes to pick up Lindsay, Wentworth in the eastern suburbs and, at an outside chance, Macquarie.
Macquarie was lost to Labor at the last election, but internal polling in recent weeks has the government in with a chance.
Support in the northwest Sydney electorate is mixed — the government performs strongly in the Hawkesbury but has a tougher time in its Blue Mountains areas.
The government is banking on high-profile Liberal candidate Dave Sharma to wrestle Wentworth back from Kerryn Phelps in a reversal of last October’s by-election loss, and it will also need former prime minister Tony Abbott to hold on in Warringah in the face of a Get Up!-backed assault from independent Zali Steggall.
But Lindsay is seen as the government’s strongest NSW chance.
First-term Labor MP Ms Husar, who won the seat from the Liberals in 2016, announced yesterday she would not run as an independent.
Labor has preselected former state MP Diane Beamer to run in the seat.
In Tasmania, the government will target Lyons, Bass and Braddon.
There is a belief that the Hodgman state government has bolstered the strength of the Liberal brand across the state.
In Victoria, the Liberals hope new candidate Steve Martin can win back Indi, which was lost to independent Cathy McGowan in 2013. Mr Martin has launched a strong online advertising offensive, including one ad where he is on a skateboard.
In Queensland, the government will target Herbert, where it hopes Mr Shorten will be wedged on the Adani coal mine.
The Northern Territory seat of Solomon is also considered winnable, as is Cowan in Western Australia.
Labor, meanwhile, will wage its NSW war in Gilmore, where Warren Mundine was PM Morrison’s captain’s pick for the battle.
Labor will also target Reid in Western Sydney, but there is some concern Michael Daley’s anti-migrant comments will hamper the bid.
Labor believes its best chance is in Victoria, where it wants to win Latrobe, Corangamite, Dunkley, Chisholm and the new seat of Fraser.
WESTERN SYDNEY SEAT ON A SWING AND A PRAYER
A month out from the polls the Western Sydney seat of Lindsay has once again become the city’s blue-collar battleground between the two major parties for swinging voters.
Business owner Maria Ahmad, 23, said she appreciated pledges from both Labor and Coalition, but was leaning more towards Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his focus on small businesses.
“Labor hasn’t announced any policies yet that would benefit the company,” Ms Ahmad said. “The Liberals have shown that they are trying to reduce the amount small businesses pay in tax and offer the instant asset write-off.
“It would be great to see more local businesses around as a result.”
However, she said she supported Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s electric car policy and changes to negative gearing.
“By abolishing negative gearing, it will be easier for first home buyers to purchase. I think introducing more conditions to negative gearing would be a better solution before completely abolishing the policy.
“With electric cars people should have the right to still drive petrol cars unless they can make electric cars affordable for everyone.”
And if Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s NSW election win is anything to go by Ms Ahmad believes the Liberal Party will be “a strong contender to win”.
“But at present it’s anyone’s game,” she said.
THE KING-MAKERS
A new generation of political operatives are heading up the Coalition’s campaign machine while Labor is pinning its hopes on the 2016 team that got Bill Shorten within a whisker of the Lodge.
Key figures in the Coalition’s war room, which is being run out of Brisbane, include Liberal campaign director Andrew Hirst, senior figures with the Prime Minister’s office John Kunkel and Yaron Finkelstein as well as Nationals campaign director Ben Hindmarsh.
All have political pedigree, having worked for past PMs and party leaders — or in the case of Mr Finkelstein running campaign dynamo Crosby Textor.
They are hoping to fill the void left by veterans such as Mark Textor, Brian Loughnane and Tony Nutt, who led Liberal campaigns for about two decades.
Mr Hirst, who has worked for four party leaders, has also brought on other former key Tony Abbott operatives, including press secretary for the former prime minister Adrian Barrett, to head up communications for the campaign.
Given Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s former experience as a state director, polling will be central to the Coalition strategy with daily tracking providing guidance on where and what to campaign on.
Labor insiders told The Daily Telegraph they were anticipating a tougher campaign against Mr Morrison, who they believe would more willing to throw dirt than predecessor Malcolm Turnbull.
But Labor, which boasts a long history as premier dirt diggers and ruthless tacticians, are warning the Coalition forces they are ready.
With the exception of George Wright, who left politics after Mr Shorten’s loss in 2016, Labor’s line-up has remained relatively unchanged.
National secretary Noah Carroll is the campaign director flanked by Paul Erickson and Seb Zwalf are heading up strategy, while Mr Shorten’s chief of staff Ryan Liddell will join his boss on the road.
Experienced campaigner Eamonn Fitzpatrick, director at Hawker Britton, has been deployed in Canberra as Labor’s key spinner in the press gallery.
Labor set up its headquarters in Parramatta months ago and has already run two full campaign trials war- gaming different political scenarios.