Cranbourne Park voters have their say before federal election

For decades voters from a booth in Cranbourne have proudly waved the red flag of Labor — and it doesn’t look like they are for turning.

Plenty of shoppers at Cranbourne Park shopping centre have told Leader they are backing Labor at the federal election.

While the race is tightening as we head towards election day on May 21, in one booth in the seat of Holt its always been a one horse race.

The Holt electorate has had a Labor MP since 1980, with the sitting member Anthony Byrne winning with 58.7 per cent of the two party preferred result in 2019.

At the bustling Cranbourne Park shopping centre, just around the corner from the Cranbourne Park Primary School booth, residents were eager to have their voices hear.

Cranbourne resident Cheryl Rose, 32, said she has been voting Labor since she was 18, and wasn’t about to change.

“ScoMo has done a shit job to be honest, even if I was thinking about changing my vote, he’s not very good,” Ms Rose said.

“There are so many reasons, but the biggest one for me was the bushfires. You just shouldn’t be going on a holiday during a time like that I reckon.”

Krystal-Lynne Jones agreed.

The 26-year-old single mum said she “wouldn’t let him buy me a drink in a bar, why would I vote for him to be prime minister?”

Labor MP Anthony Byrne has held the seat of Holt since 1999.

Elderly couple Graham and Kerri Patrikson are rusted on Labor voters and are not about to change.

“We have both worked and been Labor voters for a long time. The only time I’ve voted differently was for John Howard,” Mr Patrikson said.

“Our grandchildren always show us different things on social media about what the Liberal Party is planning to do, and we just want them to have a decent future,” Mrs Patrikson said.

However, it was all about Labor.

“I always vote for who I like and I do like ScoMo, I can’t lie,” Samuel Greene said.

“I’m not really sure who I’m voting for yet this year. I think I will stay with Labor, but I can’t be sure until the day.”

First time voter and politics uni student Alison Loney said she thought the lack of focus on the voice of young voters was really alarming.

“I can’t believe that the current government just continuously ignores the climate marches and even the women’s march on parliament last year,” she said.

“Especially Scott Morrison, he always talks about having daughters, but does nothing to benefit their future environmentally.”

Ms Loney said she would be voting for the Greens in this election.

“I know they are unlikely to be majority, and that their votes go to the Labor Party, but I just think that it will give us more diversity in parliament.”

Originally published as Cranbourne Park voters have their say before federal election