Wentworth locals reveal why they vote for the same party every year

They’ve mostly voted Liberal for nearly two-decades. Wentworth’s ‘rusted-ons’ tell us why they won’t budge, while supporters of the independent movement remain hopeful of their influence.

The marginal seat of Wentworth is among the most closely-watched races in the upcoming federal election.

Independent Allegra Spender has proved serious competition for sitting Liberal MP Dave Sharma, who holds the seat by a thin margin of 1.3 per cent after claiming it back from well-known independent Kerryn Phelps at the last vote.

But there are some polling booths in the electorate which have stubbornly voted Liberal since 2004, a trend that’s earned them the term the “rusted-ons”. NewsLocal has spoken to residents in these areas to see if and why that support remains strong.

Morris Turner owns the Bold and Beautiful hairdressers in Double Bay. Photo: Clare Sibthorpe

Morris Turner owns the Bold and Beautiful hairdressers in Double Bay and said he had voted Liberal all his life, adding he “can’t change now”.

“I like what they do to help business people,” Mr Turner said.

“They encourage us to employ more people, they are better at handling finances. They helped us extremely during the pandemic. Labor would’ve run our country further into the ground.”

These thoughts were echoed by Rose Bay retirees Yolanda Stevens and Martin Gishen, as well as Eric Frencel, from Vaucluse.

(l-r) Yolanda Stevens, Martin Gishen, Bianca Trovato, Eric Frencel are all lifelong Liberal supporters. Photo: Clare Sibthorpe

Ms Stevens said the Liberal party were “for business and retirees” and would keep the cost of living down more than Labor or independents.

“The government has forgotten about us self-retirees. If you own a property other than the one you live in you don’t get a pension so we’re eating into our savings, but the alternatives would be even worse for us.”

Mr Frencel said he was impressed with the Coalition government, particularly Josh Frydenberg’s “cash splash” at the federal budget, adding it was a “budget for the people”.

While Mr Gishen mostly agreed with his friends and would also vote Liberal, he was not as vocal in his support.

“I think the government should have done more for flood affected communities,” he said.

The voting priorities of the retiree trio were starkly different to those of Point Piper student Susannah Feng.

Point Piper resident Susannah Feng thinks Labor prioritises younger people. Photo: Clare Sibthorpe

Labor’s Tim Murray was getting her vote, because she trusted him to prioritise affordable housing for younger people. While expanding the first homebuyer loan deposit scheme was one of the few policies both the Coalition and Labor agreed to expand on, she felt Labor held a better track record on the issue.

And it seemed the independent movement had gained at least some momentum in the traditionally-Liberal patches.

Alegra Spender’s commitment to climate change and integrity in politics made Waverley mother Helen Cang believe she was the woman for the job of Wentworth MP.

“I was a swinging voter and only recently became interested in independents,” she said.

“I don’t think this government has done enough long-term planning around climate change and fairness and all the pork-barrelling has increased my distrust on whether or representatives are representing us or their own vested interests.”

Waverley resident Helen Cang says she's shifted to independents because of all the ‘pork-barrelling’ in the current government. Photo: Clare Sibthorpe

Ms Cang said the fact many of Wentworth’s election booths have voted Liberal since 2004 could have influenced how much election spending they benefited from.

“I’m not sure how much of a swing seat this is considered and whether that changes things, but I haven’t heard of any particular commitments to this area,” she said,

Ms Spender had a very likely second supporter in Double Bay resident Paula Whitton, who said the problem was the Coalition government’s “male brain”.

“It’s a fresh eye and there is a sinking of ethics with the current lot that’s lost the plot,” she said.

“We want nurses paid better and teaches paid better – that’s not happening with the status quo.”

Waverley butcher Robert Grant says the Liberals are ‘the best of a bad bunch’. Photo: Clare Sibthorpe

But it was clear, at least in Double Bay, that many Coalition supporters were set in their ways.

Hairdresser Bianca Trovato said she believed the Liberals “always do the right thing.”

“I went to work when I was 14 but Labor would have had me on the ‘dole’,” she said.

Waverley butcher Robert Grant said he always voted Labor because they’re the best of a bad bunch. Like many others in his area, he said they’re pro-business, support the economy and are not “faux independents”.

“But the seat isn’t safe because a lot of people are slowly starting to get sick of the major parties” he said.

Then there was the odd local who’d become disillusioned with politics altogether.

Christopher Thomas, of Vaucluse, said he had no idea who he was voting for.

“I’m leaning towards Labor but only because my grandmother used to be a Labor candidate,” the 84-year-old said.

“But I really don’t know. None of them do much for us anyway, just whatever will help themselves.”

Here is the full list of Wentworth’s “rusted-on” polling booth locations:

Waverley College Hall

St Anne's Parish Hall

Rose Bay Secondary College (Dover Heights Campus)

Bellevue Hill Public School

St Mark's Church

Vaucluse Bowling Club

Double Bay Public School

St Joseph's Parish Centre

St George's Anglican Church

Holdsworth Community Centre

Cooper Park Community Hall

Mill Hill Centre

Rose Bay Public School

St Andrew's Scots Church Hall

St Michael's Anglican Church

Gunyah Scout Hall

Woollahra Public School