TONY EASTLEY: Western Sydney is seen as a key election battleground with several marginal electorates crucial to Labor's hold on power.
Recent polling suggests the party is headed for a wipe-out in Sydney's west unless there's a change in leadership.
Last night, reporter Jane Norman returned to the Rooty Hill RSL where Julia Gillard stayed for a week in March and found that amongst disenchanted Labor voters, there was support for a change at the top.
JANE NORMAN: About 10 men are sitting at the bar on this public holiday evening and it becomes clear why many consider this Labor heartland.
JOSEPH: I am a Labor supporter and I've always been a Labor supporter and I will always support Labor.
GEORGE: Doesn't matter who's the leader, doesn't matter who's the leader, I still vote Labor.
JANE NORMAN: But Labor knows its grip on Western Sydney is tenuous. There are 12 electorates in this region, four of them marginal.
Maria is a teacher who's voted Labor her entire life and she's losing hope.
MARIA: I don't think their fortunes are going to turn around. It might get some people moving back to Labor. I'm not sure that there's anything we can do about Labor at the moment. I think it's I think they're pretty well landslide.
JANE NORMAN: Health worker Warren is a self confessed swinging voter. This September, he'll be voting for the Coalition regardless of who's leading the Labor Party.
WARREN: It's not going to change the way I vote, it wouldn't matter who they put in as leader now. I've totally switched off.
JANE NORMAN: But some think a change is exactly what's needed. Nick works in retail and wants to see a change at the top of Labor.
NICK: If she stays in I won't be voting for her, that's for sure.
JANE NORMAN: So if Kevin Rudd is installed as the Prime Minister you would consider voting Labor once again?
NICK: Yes I would. Yeah, definitely.
RAMIN ADYIN: Barbecue meatlovers, chicken kebab with barbecue, lettuce, tomato, onion.
JANE NORMAN: Down the road at the Mount Druitt shops is kebab shop owner Ramin Aydin. He's owned the store for 15 years and while he's always voted Labor, he's considering his options.
RAMIN ADYIN: The way things are going I think I'm going to change to Liberal. If Kevin Rudd comes back, yeah he's got my vote.
JANE NORMAN: What do you think of Kevin Rudd?
RAMIN ADYIN: Well I was pretty shocked when I heard they took him out of power. Yeah, I reckon he's alright. He knows what he's doing.
JANE NORMAN: Hilmi Yucelm is sitting with Ramin outside the shop, keeping warm drinking some Turkish tea. A retired mechanic, he too is a rusted on Labor voter - or was.
Labor is behind in the polls at the moment but there is some talk of a leadership change. Do you think that a return to Kevin Rudd would benefit the party?
HILMI YUCELM: Definitely 100 per cent. Kevin Rudd has had more opportunity than Julia Gillard.
JANE NORMAN: Taxi driver Michael Rahmi, also a Mount Druitt local, was born in Lebanon and migrated to Australia more than 20 years ago. He's torn about his voting intentions.
MICHAEL RAHMI: I usually always vote for Labor but this time if I vote I have to vote for Liberal.
JANE NORMAN: What do you think of Kevin Rudd?
MICHAEL RAHMI: Kevin Rudd is very good man, when he come as a prime minister, he helped a lot of people, he gave plenty of money for everyone and he tried to do the best. But he couldn't continue.
JANE NORMAN: Would you vote for Kevin Rudd in September if he was the leader of the Labor Party?
MICHAEL RAHMI: If he come back, I will vote for him.
TONY EASTLEY: Taxi driver Michael Rahmi ending that report by AM's Jane Norman.
No comments:
Post a Comment