Working on two publications (Western news and nepean news) means I’m covering four different electorates around western Sydney and across those four electorates I’ve noticed a number of changes in the way politicians campaign, and the way in which government money is thrown around.

Take the marginal seat of Lindsay for example, which has been held by Liberal MP Fiona Scott since 2013. Across the last two weeks the Coalition has promised more than $20 million in funds for shiny new projects across the electorate if they’re voted back into office.

Ms Scott, who holds the seat on a margin of 3 per cent, is being threatened by not just the Labor candidate but also the countless other candidates vying for the electorate, including 4 other conservative candidates. To help fight off the opposition the Coalition is throwing millions of dollars at the electorate in a hope that it will help keep Ms Scott in power.

Now this is a big difference compared to electorates of Chifley and Greenway who aren’t getting much but recently the liberal candidate has started winning back votes to keep Ms Scott in her seat.

Chifley, which is a strong Labor seat held by MP Ed Husic, is home to some of the country’s poorest families and includes some of the most disadvantaged communities in the state. Yet there’s been no announcements regarding affordable housing or social welfare boosts for these communities.

Mr Husic and Labor are holding the seat strong without any need to throw any money at it, simply because the area is strong Labor territory, which means the people of Chifley are missing out on federal election sweeteners.

Another forgotten electorate in the famed ‘western Sydney heartland’ is greenway which runs all the way from riverstone down to Toongabbie. greenway is held by Michelle rowland, Labor MP, but of recent the Liberal candidate Yvonne keane has started winning back votes.

Due to Ms Keane’s recent flair up in the polls, Greenway has started receiving some campaign promises from the Coalition who think election sweeteners will help put Ms keane into parliament.

it seems unless you happen to live in a marginal seat you won’t receive any electoral bonuses or sweeteners from either side of the party. Which to me doesn’t seem fair.

Agree? Disagree? i’d love to hear where you sit on this issue.

#editorial