Labor Party sends cavalry to marginal Sydney seat Banks but Liberal leadership absent

Coalition strategists may say western Sydney is the key to winning the election, but Malcolm Turnbull is nowhere to be seen in his party’s most marginal Sydney seat.

The fight for Sydney’s most marginal Liberal held seat is on for Labor, but the Liberal support for sitting MP David Coleman has been lagging behind.

COALITION  strategists may say western Sydney is the key to winning the election, but Malcolm Turnbull is nowhere to be seen in his party’s most marginal Sydney seat.

The Prime Minister spent much of the first week of his election campaign in the region, even attending a televised debate with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in Windsor on Friday.

But Mr Turnbull or his ministers are yet to appear in the seat of Banks, held by Liberal backbencher David Coleman on a slim 2.8 per cent margin — the lowest for the Liberal Party in Sydney.

A Galaxy poll of 501 Banks voters on May 10-11 reveals Liberal and Labor are 50-50 two-party preferred.

While Mr Shorten spent most of the week in Queensland, Labor is already throwing star party room players behind political unknown union stalwart Chris Gambian.

Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek has visited Banks two times since the election was called. Photo: David Moir/AAP.

Last week, Labor’s foreign spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek joined Mr Gambian for a community round table in Riverwood. It is understood the unpublicised drop-in was intended to woo community leaders.

It was the second time Ms Plibersek had visited Banks in the past two months, after joining Mr Shorten to launch Mr Gambian’s candidacy in March.

Last Saturday, Opposition finance spokesman Tony Burke dropped in at a campaign barbecue at Riverwood Community Centre.

On Monday, Labor environment, climate change and water spokesman Mark Butler visited to announce a $300,000 funding promise to eradicate noxious weeds from the Yeramba Lagoon, a hot issue among voters in Banks.

Federal Banks Labor candidate Chris Gambian with shadow environment minister Mark Butler overlooking Weed infested Yeramba lagoonal Picnic Point. Picture: John Appleyard

Early childhood education, childcare and youth spokeswoman Kate Ellis is pencilled in to host a forum to discuss Labor’s school funding promises at Revesby Workers Club on May 26.

Mr Coleman would not comment on whether the lack of Coalition leadership attention on his electorate so far concerned him.

“I am focused on continuing my work of the last three years,” Mr Coleman said.

“In terms of local issues like the environment of the Georges River, local roads ... and obviously the big issue here at the election is the economy and Australia’s economic plan and that’s what we are interested in talking about,” he said.

Mr Gambian said he believed it was important for Labor’s senior leaders to listen to voters one on one.

“There’s a reason Banks is a marginal seat, it is a cross section of the Australian community,” he said.