Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone and Fowler MP Dai Le to form Western Sydney-focused ‘anti-teals’ party

Major parties have been put on notice by Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone and Fowler MP Dai Le, who have are forming a Western Sydney-focused ‘anti-teals’ party.

High-profile western Sydney leaders Dai Le and Frank Carbone will start their own political party in a bid to take the fight to Labor in the city’s west, in what they’ve described as an ‘anti-Teals’ movement.

While the Teals took on the Liberals in its heartland North Sydney seats, Fairfield Mayor Mr Carbone and Fowler MP Ms Le will form the Dai Le and Frank Carbone Network as a Federal Party, with plans to field candidates at the next election in Labor’s traditional western Sydney base.

“Western Sydney needs a voice … That’s why me and Dai are coming together, so that our communities living in the western suburbs get their fair share of funding,” Mr Carbone said.

“For far too long we’ve been overlooked for health, transport and general infrastructure. We are the engine room of Australia and me and Dai want to ensure our local communities get their fair share.”

Mr Carbone said the party would target the major parties in Labor and the Liberals in the west.

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone and Independent Fowler MP Dai Le.

“I want to make it clear – we are just two simple people from the western suburbs taking on the goliaths. We are the anti-Teals – we’re here to help families and people with cost of living pressures,” he said.

Ms Le, who last year won the western Sydney seat of Fowler in a major upset over Labor’s pick of former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally, said the new party would fight for more support for her region.

“We’re champions of south west and western Sydney – for far too long we haven’t had a voice at state or federal government level to fight for the things we need,” she said.

“We pay for the (road) tolls, but we don’t get a fair share of it when it comes time to allocate it back.”

“We deserve more. That’s why we’re coming together to make a stronger point.”

Ms Le said the move meant her and Mr Carbone could endorse candidates at the next election, following her success last year when popular Mayor Mr Carbone backed her as an independent in last year’s federal election.

Mr Carbone previously backed Ms Le in her successful tilt against former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally in the seat of Fowler.

“It’s early days – but our aim is to set it up to make sure we’ve got...a foundation to start building something,” Ms Le said.

Mr Carbone, who came close to running as an independent in this year’s state election, said the move to register the party meant it was likely he’d run in the next federal election.

“It’s very likely I’ll either run (in the next federal election), or people will run under my branding,” he said.

Their application to form the party will be advertised for several weeks before it is officially approved.

Originally published as Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone and Fowler MP Dai Le to form Western Sydney-focused ‘anti-teals’ party