Report warns candidates not to treat western Sydney as 'electoral battleground' this election

Electoral politics will be ignored by voters in Sydney's west, a new report says. (AAP: Bianca De Marchi)

Liberal and Labor candidates vying for crucial western Sydney seats at the state election have been urged to take the region seriously rather than as an election battleground, as a new report shows the rising cost of living is the key concern for voters in the area. 

There will be no path to victory for either of the major parties if they do not retain or win a swag of seven seats in Sydney's west, according to the Centre for Western Sydney report.

Of the seven seats, the Liberal Party holds East Hills, Penrith, Holsworthy, Riverstone, Parramatta, and Winston Hills. The other seat of Leppington is a new seat and is considered notionally Labor.

Centre for Western Sydney director Professor Andy Marks said the politics that takes the region seriously will win the area's votes.

"Not as an electoral battleground, nor as a work-in-progress, but a region that has its own distinct identity, with unrivalled global connections, and even closer community ties," Professor Marks said.

"The key to addressing western Sydney's challenges lies in understanding and amplifying its strengths."

Western Sydney should not be treated as a electoral battleground, Professor Marks says. (ABC Radio Sydney: Declan Bowring)

Soaring costs of living, rapidly rising mortgages, and rental costs were tipped to heavily influence votes, the report said.

It also found rising costs of living had a disproportionate impact on western Sydney residents due to car dependency and lower average incomes.

This meant everyday concerns of voters would drown out electoral politics and overarching visions, Professor Marks said.

"The approach that succeeds will be the one that best speaks to the lived experience of western Sydney voters," he said.

Cost of living is a high priority for voters in western Sydney, a report says. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)

Cost of living top of mind

The report said both parties had tried to address the issue of cost of living, but neither party had delivered "a knockout punch".

Uniting Church Reverend Alimoni Taumoepeau told ABC Radio Sydney that rising electricity prices were discouraging people from turning on air conditioning on hot days.

Reverend Alimoni Taumoepeau says residents need greater access to rooftop solar to help with energy costs. (ABC Radio Sydney: Declan Bowring)

"They know that it will double the already costly electricity," Reverend Taumoepeau said.

Reverend Taumoepeau, who is with advocacy group The Sydney Alliance, would like to see the government assist people to get rooftop solar to help with their energy costs.

"It will help all of the cost of living for them," he said.

Madan Subramanian is concerned about rising rents. (ABC Radio Sydney: Declan Bowring)

Parramatta local and parent of two Madan Subramanian is particularly concerned about rising rents.

He said in the past seven years he had gone from spending $400 a week to $680 — around half of his salary.

"I'm spending a lot on petrol expenses at the same time and spending a lot on the groceries. So everything is increasing," Mr Subramanian said.

Marsden Park social worker Gagan Kaur is also feeling the pinch of rising interest rates.

She said her family had to factor in toll costs whenever they drove.

"Everything is expensive; I have to budget a lot," Ms Kaur said.

Edward Jennings says family members have had to make sacrifices amid rising costs of living. (ABC Radio Sydney: Declan Bowring)

Chipping Norton local Edward Jennings runs a corn fritters market stand.

He was most concerned about the impact rising costs were having on families.

"Quite a few of my family members have to make sacrifices for their lifestyle," Mr Jennings said.

"But also so that they will not go into further debt."

Addressing the rental crisis

Lawyer Katie Mullens is running for the Liberal Party in Parramatta, hoping to replace retiring Liberal MP Geoff Lee.

Labor has nominated current Lord Mayor of Parramatta Donna Davis to try to flip the seat their way.

The candidates were asked about rising rents on ABC Radio Sydney in a broadcast held in Parramatta's Centenary Square. Analysis by advocacy group Everybody's Home suggested rents had risen by around 30 per cent in Parramatta over the last 12 months.

Liberal candidate Katie Mullens says she understands rental issues as a renter herself. (ABC Radio Sydney: Declan Bowring)

Ms Mullens said she was also a renter and sympathised with the issues, pointing to the government banning rent bidding and tightening rules around evictions.

"I'm a renter, so I really do understand the pressures that we're facing. I am a true representative of what a Parramatta resident looks like," Ms Mullens said.

Cr Davis told ABC Radio Sydney the state government had failed on social housing.

Labor candidate for Parramatta Donna Davis says the state government has failed on social housing. (ABC Radio Sydney: Declan Bowring)

"They don't have an affordable housing policy and legislation that actually works," Cr Davis said.

"As a result of that, there's nothing to mandate affordable housing across our city."

Cr Davis said a Labor government would not sell off more public housing and would create a new agency — Homes New South Wales — to address the state's housing crisis.

Where the state election will be won and lost? Antony Green joins Sarah Macdonald and Ashleigh Raper to analyse the key seats.