Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone considers tilt for Labor heartland seats Cabramatta and Fairfield

A furious Western Sydney mayor could run a team capable of rocking Labor’s heartland, and shatter their dreams of a majority government in the process.

Furious Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone is seriously considering launching a last minute tilt for two western Sydney seats, in a disastrous blow for Labor’s plans to win majority government.

The Telegraph can reveal Mr Carbone is poised to run himself as an independent in Cabramatta, as well as running a candidate in the neighbouring seat of Fairfield.

The popular mayor’s entry into the election could result in Labor losing two heartland seats, coming after Mr Carbone helped independent Dai Le to a landslide win against Kristina Keneally in last year’s federal election.

Mr Carbone said he had nomination forms for Cabramatta – where he enjoys his strongest support – ready to go, but was still weighing up a final decision on whether to run as an independent.

He also confirmed he was considering running a fellow independent for the neighbouring seat of Fairfield.

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone may have a late tilt in the election.

“If our community isn’t treated equally, our team and community will mobilise and we will be contesting with our own candidate, who understands us, is one of us and cares for us. We will stand up … for our community,” Mr Carbone said.

Labor strategists are terrified that an independent backed by Mr Carbone could run in Fairfield, where they still don’t have a candidate. Labor’s fears over Fairfield began when sitting member Guy Zangari announced his retirement before the election.

Opposition leader Chris Minns on Monday addressed the delay in picking a candidate for Fairfield, alluding that boundary changes had made it difficult for local branches to choose a candidate.

“We’re looking at that really closely. We need to make sure that we’ve got candidates in the field with enough time to make the case for a Labor member of parliament,” he said.

Mayor Frank Carbone handing out how to vote cards at pre polling at St Johns Park Anglican Church in Sydney's Cabramatta. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“You’d appreciate that in those particular seats … (have) been the subject of boundary changes.”

Mr Carbone lashed both parties for neglecting his council area, saying Labor had only made one local promise – a pledge to put $115m towards upgrading Fairfield hospital – while criticising the lack of WestInvest funding received from the Coalition, saying it was among the lowest recipients of the funding blitz.

He also slammed the government for not accepting his council’s application for a major cultural festival grant, with his multicultural council area overlooked while areas like Wollongong, Willoughby and Maitland received it.

Frank Carbone and deputy Dai Le.

“This is Covid all again. We had Covid, ISIS brides, and now we have no funding from both parties. They better start … treating us better,” he said.

“Our area has some of the most disadvantaged communities in Australia who need assistance when it comes to cost of living, (so) both parties shouldn’t be splurging rivers of gold on marginal seats.”

Labor has tabled other broader measures alongside the Fairfield Hospital pledge, including a cap on tolls and pushing reform for renters and first homebuyers.

A NSW Government spokesman said 683 applications had been put forward for WestInvest funding, “however unfortunately WestInvest was only able to fund projects worth $1.6 billion”.

“Many of the projects will benefit communities across a regional scale and have a far greater reach than just an individual Local Government Area boundary,” he said.