Parramatta, in Sydney's western suburbs, is set to be a key battleground in the coming federal election.
The seat — held for the past 20 years by Labor — is being targeted by the Liberal Party, with the Prime Minister making it one of his first stops on his campaign trail.
As longstanding MP Julie Owens prepares to retire, the fight for Parramatta has turned personal, with Scott Morrison making comments on whether Labor’s Andrew Charlton is representative of the area, while introducing the Liberal candidate, Maria Kovacic.
"She's run businesses in Western Sydney. She's raised her family in Western Sydney. She's Western Sydney, through and through," Mr Morrison said.
"Her opponent used to work for Kevin Rudd. I have known him for some time. He's not from Western Sydney, he's not of Western Sydney."
Mr Charlton has been quick to respond, purchasing a property in North Parramatta.
"I've been spending every day since the preselection was finalised on train stations and knocking on doors, meeting and listening to as many people as I can," Mr Charlton said.
"Scott Morrison thinks that throwing mud is what this election is about. He is wrong."
Mr Charlton — the managing director of consulting firm Accenture — has this week brushed off criticism for holding a fundraising event in Sydney's CBD.
"I'm holding a lot of events in Parramatta. That particular event was one for my workmates, and lots of events get held in the CBD and we'll be having lots of events here in Parramatta as well," Mr Charlton said.
Voters will be given more choices in the seat, as a dark horse — and former Cumberland Council mayor — Steve Christou has thrown his hat in the ring.
Mr Christou, an outspoken Independent, quit the Labor party in 2019 on the night he was elected mayor of the Western Sydney council.
He was particularly vocal during Western Sydney's harsher COVID-19 lockdown last year.
"What would a millionaire from Bellevue Hill know about the struggles our community face to pay the mortgage, the rent, the bills and put food on the table, to feed their children?"
ABC's chief election analyst, Antony Green, said that, for Mr Christou to make an impact, he would need to allocate preferences.
"He would need to have himself and volunteers handing out how-to-vote cards along the electorate," Green said.
"It is a marginal seat and, if it swings away from Labor, it will be telling for the whole election."
Mr Christou said he decided to run after Labor failed to select a local candidate.
"There's so many good people [who] could represent and stand under the Labor banner here," he said.
Meanwhile, Ms Kovacic yesterday made her case for election clear.
"I can't say more than I'm totally committed to delivering for this community and that's why I have been out every day, talking to constituents, talking to small business owners ... people want to be heard and I'm here to listen," she said.
