Small businesses in Parramatta have accused the state government of unequal treatment over light rail compensation.
Parramatta business owners say those in Sydney's CBD were offered compensation for light rail financial losses, while they have received nothing.
The state government offered more than 150 small businesses in Sydney's CBD tens of millions of dollars in compensation after owners fought for recognition of the impact of the light rail build, which was completed in 2020.
But despite the government touting Parramatta as Sydney's second CBD, small businesses along the multi-billion-dollar Parramatta Light Rail route say their desperate calls for a lifeline have been ignored.
"It feels unfair and I'm disappointed," fabrics store owner Thihang Lam said.
"In the city they give them some [compensation] so why can't they give us some here?"
The Vietnamese refugee and her family have owned their Church Street fabric shop for more than 30 years.
The light rail will run right outside her shop when it's complete, but the construction site that has remained for years has decimated her livelihood.
And with a history of budget blowouts and construction delays since the project began in 2018, Ms Lam feels defeated.
"My customers can't see that I'm open in here … they blocked [my store]," Ms Lam said.
"If they keep going like this, take time, not finish everything, I don't think I can survive. I don't know my future."
Across the other side of the site, barber shop owner Hass Chini is holding out hope the government will offer help.
"The construction — too much noise every day. Business is coming down and down and down. It doesn't get better," Mr Chini said.
"If I get that money [compensation] … money absolutely helps pay rent and pay electricity,"
"If [there's] no business how can I pay that? How can I pay wages? How can I pay [for] everything?"
Nearby, Brishna Azizi is facing similar pressures at her accountancy practice next to Centenary Square, in the heart of Parramatta.
"The tram is coming and it's taking so long and it's so noisy around we can't even open the door," Ms Azizi said.
"It's good … we're having more buildings and railways opening but it's taking so long we're losing staff, we're losing business and it's hard to get clients back."
Ms Azizi set up her business in 2019 after coming to Australia from Afghanistan as a refugee 20 years ago.
She has urged the state government to listen to the voices of people in Parramatta, many of whom are migrants.
"A lot of my community they're coming to me because of a lack of English or either they trust me more because I have the same community so they talk to me openly and I try to help them," Ms Azizi said.
"Maybe they just forget about us.
"We're happy for any of them to win the election but as long as they work for us and we work together."
The state election is less than eight weeks away, and with Liberal Parramatta MP Geoff Lee retiring, the battleground seat is up for grabs.
Labor candidate Donna Davis, the City of Parramatta mayor, has made her stance on the issue clear ahead of March.
"If I'm elected as the local member, I will definitely be talking to our Labor government about what we can do to support businesses across Parramatta, but particularly those that have been impacted by the Parramatta light rail," Ms Davis said.
Liberal candidate Katie Mullens, a local lawyer, has shared a similar sentiment.
"It's absolutely important for me to work with small businesses and make sure they can keep in business and up and running. Any concerns that people [who] have any small businesses have, I will be taking to the government and advocating for them," Ms Mullens said.
The state government has set the completion date for stage one of the Parramatta light rail project for 2024, although stage two won't open until 2031.
The ABC understands Transport Minister David Elliott is looking into the issue.
Transport for NSW declined the ABC's request for comment.
