Voter unrest in Anthony Albanese’s seat of Grayndler

One-in-three voters in the PM’s seat – a long-time Greens target – believe it’s time for someone else to represent their electorate.

Anthony Albanese in front of a packed crowd at Marrickville Town Hall in June. Picture: Supplied

One in three voters in Anthony Albanese’s inner-west Sydney seat of Grayndler – a long-time target of the Greens – believes it’s time for someone else to represent their electorate, according to new polling.

A federal electorate spot poll obtained by The Australian reveals only 18 per cent of voters in the Prime Minister's electorate feel the Albanese government has effectively responded to their priority concerns.

The polling, commissioned by the Australian Automobile Association, focused on Labor-held seats targeted by the Coalition and Greens including Lyons, Hasluck, Chisholm, Eden-Monaro, Hunter, Fremantle, Moreton, Cooper and Grayndler.

Mr Albanese – who has held Grayndler since 1996 representing increasingly affluent Sydney suburbs including Balmain, Rozelle, Summer Hill and Annandale – has come under political pressure in recent months over rising cost-of-living pressures.

The voice referendum defeat in October, the cost-of-living crisis and 13 rate hikes since May last year have triggered a plunge in support for both Labor and Mr Albanese.

Mr Albanese, Sally Sitou and partner Jodie Haydon, with dog Toto, after last year’s federal election. Picture: Chris Pavlich

The AAA poll of 5400 voters, conducted by Morrow Sodali from November 21-23, showed only 13 per cent of voters across the nine Labor seats had “seen, read or heard from the federal government on their top issue of concern” over the past month.

Asked if they thought their local MP had done enough to deserve re-election, 33 per cent of Grayndler voters said Mr Albanese had “not done enough”.

Just under 60 per cent of voters in the Melbourne seat of Cooper, held by Ged Kearney, said the former ACTU president had not done enough. Labor MPs in the seats of Hunter, Moreton, Eden-Monaro, Lyons and Hasluck also were reported to be facing high numbers of disaffected voters.

The poll reveals deep cynicism among voters about Labor’s promise to “end the rorts on road funding”, with only 30 per cent of Grayndler voters agreeing the Prime Minister had delivered on his election pledge.

Across all seats, that falls to 20 per cent, and as low as 14 per cent in Lyons.

Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King, who last month slashed projects valued at $7bn, will meet with state and territory counterparts in Hobart on Wednesday to discuss a new five-year National Partnership Agreement on Land Transport Infrastructure Projects determining how $50bn in federal road funding is allocated.

The AAA poll found 61 per cent of voters across the Labor heartland seats believe politicians prioritise spending public funds on road projects to boost re-election chances and “not for the communities they are meant to serve”. The majority of voters “mistrust the government’s motives on road investment heading into the next election”.

The Australian Medical Association on Tuesday endorsed the AAA’s push to link road safety data transparency with federal road funding to help reduce the country’s surging road toll.

The AAA, representing motoring bodies including RACQ, RACV and NRMA, has used its Data Saves Lives campaign to target marginal seats and heap pressure on Labor to back its proposed measures. AAA managing director Michael Bradley said the AMA’s support sent transport ministers “an unambiguous message to end secrecy and utilise data to produce more effective road safety policies”.

“Despite billions spent each year on our roads, deaths are increasing – and the data can tell us what is going wrong. Using data to save lives is not a political issue. It is simple common sense,” Mr Bradley said.

The Coalition is hopeful of re-claiming Hasluck, Chisholm and Eden-Monaro at the 2025 election, while the Greens have long-term ambitions to win the Labor-held seats of Cooper, Fremantle and Grayndler.

Mr Albanese has fended off successive Greens challenges since entering parliament, and claimed a dominant victory at the 2022 election. While the Greens are unlikely to unseat the Prime Minister, they believe they can win Grayndler when Mr Albanese retires.

Labor MP Brian Mitchell narrowly won his central Tasmanian seat of Lyons by 1344 votes after Liberal candidate Susie Bower secured a primary vote swing of 13 per cent at last year’s election.