A lot of people are asking about how this state election on Saturday, March 25 will go.
And my answer is that while some elections in the past were easy to predict, this is not one of them.
Considering the Liberal-National coalition have been in power for 12 years you’d think the “it’s time’’ factor would kick in big time and the people of NSW will wake up with a Labor Government on Sunday, March 26.
There is a bit of that in play, but my sense is it’s not enough for the opposition.
It looks like Labor leader Chris Minns will need to come up with some show stopping policies in the next few weeks if he’s going to win.
Closer to home, I doubt if the status quo will be disturbed in Wollondilly or Camden (both Liberal Party MPs) and Campbelltown, Macquarie Fields and Liverpool (Labor or nominally Labor).
Holsworthy is a toss up because the sitting Liberal MP failed to win endorsement, while Labor has gone with Mick Maroney, the brother of the legendary long distance swimmer Susie.
The Liberals have selected the wife of the Liverpool mayor, so it will be interesting to see how that experiment at dynasty building goes.
The litmus test will be in the brand new seat of Leppington, which in many ways represents the future of the South Western Sydney region.
Camden mayor Therese Fedeli is up against local Labor heavy hitter Nathan Hagarty and whoever wins is more than likely to be sitting on the government benches.
The election is just a tad over 40 days away, but this is our Top 5 impressions from the campaign so far:
Number 1. The brilliant Westinvest [re-election] strategy by the government. It has been raining cash – and announcements – for weeks.
Number 2. The lack of impact, up to now, of the independents and smaller parties.
Number 3. Despite 12 years in office, the Liberal-National Coalition could easily win four more years on March 25.
Number 4. Another reminder that we have way too many safe seats in our region and we need more marginal ones.
Number 5. Labor yet to come in with policies targeted at just South Western Sydney, the forgotten part of “Greater Western Sydney’’.
