United Australia Party win top spot in Watson ballot draw

Six candidates are competing to win the safe Labor seat of Watson, held by incumbent MP Tony Burke.

Tony Burke holds the very safe Labor seat of Watson on a margin of 17.6 per cent. He will be competing against five other candidates at this federal election. Picture: Kym Smith

• Age, disability no barrier for Payten
• Stacey St stage one complete

Six candidates are competing to win the safe Labor seat of Watson, held by incumbent MP Tony Burke.

Dean Wrightson of the United Australia Party won top spot at the ballot draw held today.

The Greens candidate for Watson, Emmet de Bhaldraithe.

The candidates in order of the position they appear on the ballot paper are:

1. Dean Wrightson, United Australia Party

2. Karl Schubert, Christian Democratic Party

3. Raymond Zeng, Science Party

4. Emmet De Bhaldraithe, The Greens

5. Tony Burke, Labor

6. Mohammad Zaman, Liberal Party

Liberal candidate for Watson, Mohammad Zaman, lays a wreath at the Lakemba Club on Anzac Day last year. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu

Watson is a very safe Labor seat with a 17.6 per cent margin. The mostly southwest Sydney includes the suburbs of Greenacre, Mount Lewis, Chullora, Wiley Park, Lakemba, Punchbowl, Roselands, Campsie and Belfield but also inner west suburbs Strathfield South, Enfield, Burwood Heights, Croydon Park and Ashbury.

Watson federal Labor MP Tony Burke. Picture: James Ross

Mr Burke, who was elected to Watson in 2004, held some key cabinet ministerial positions in previous Labor governments including agriculture, fisheries and forestry, population and immigration.

He is currently the Opposition spokesman for environment, water, arts, citizenship and multicultural Australia.

Pre-poll early voting starts on Monday, April 29, with the election to be held on Saturday, May 18.