Election 2016: Julie Bishop to the rescue for the government in marginal seats
POPULAR Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has emerged as the government’s chief weapon to drum up support in marginal Liberal seats in NSW.
NSW
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POPULAR Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has emerged as the government’s chief weapon to drum up support in marginal Liberal seats in NSW, following a swing against the Coalition in the opinion polls.
Even though Ms Bishop hails from Western Australia, her popularity among Liberal voters across the country has led several Sydney MPs to ask her to visit their electorates during the election campaign.
In fact, The Daily Telegraph understands the Deputy Liberal Leader has more requests than any other minister for electorate visits.
The Foreign Minister’s new “meet and greet” role comes as public opinion has swung against Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, whose approval rating has plummeted since he swept to the Liberal leadership as part of the political execution of Tony Abbott.
Ms Bishop spent yesterday on the NSW south coast with Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis, and Eden-Monaro MP Peter Hendy. Both would lose their seats on current swings in national polls.
Eden-Monaro is regarded as a “bellwether” seat because the party that wins it normally goes on to win the election.
The government faces the prospect of losing up to 11 seats in NSW if the national swing in the two recent Newspolls is extrapolated throughout the state. The government currently trails Labor 51-49 in the two-party preferred vote.
That would see the government lose the Western Sydney seats of Reid, Macarthur, Lindsay and Macquarie. The Sydney seats of Banks and Barton, the Central Coast seats of Robertson and Dobell, the northern NSW seat of Page and the Newcastle seat of Paterson would all also fall to the opposition.
Labor strategists believe Western Sydney is where the election can be won or lost.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten visited Badgerys Creek yesterday and has made multiple visits to Western Sydney in the past three months.
Ms Bishop spent most of yesterday in Batemans Bay, where she visited St Bernard’s school and received a rock star welcome from the children.
She also visited the new Moruya Airport.
The Foreign Minister is understood to have no major international trips planned prior to the election to maximise her time travelling between WA and the east coast.
Ms Bishop said she was always happy to assist her colleagues.
“I’m here as deputy leader of the Liberal Party,’’ she said.
She said voters she met had voiced concerns but were generally receptive to the government’s message.
“We spoke about small business challenges, we spoke about foreign investment — a whole range of issues,’’ Ms Bishop said. “They tell you their concerns, but they are also very receptive to the government’s message.”
SLICK BILL CALLED TO EXPLAIN $40,000
Alicia Wood
OPPOSITION Leader Bill Shorten is being pressured by the government to appear before a hearing into political donations over a $40,000 payment examined by the trade union royal commission.
The push for Mr Shorten to appear before the hearing comes after the Senate passed a motion to force Malcolm Turnbull’s Cabinet Secretary Arthur Sinodinos to answer questions about his role in the Liberals receiving donations from so-called slush fund the Free Enterprise Foundation.
It is understood the Senate committee cannot force Mr Shorten to appear because he is a member of the House of Representatives. However the government says if he doesn’t appear it is proof the Senate hearing is a stunt.
The move comes as Labor revealed it had hired an image consultant to polish up Mr Shorten’s appearance.
Darren Moss, the head of the Moss Group, was credited with overhauling Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ image ahead of his victory in the state’s 2014 election.
Since Christmas, Mr Shorten has lost weight, improved his wardrobe and polished his public speaking style.
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