This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/01/west-could-be-won-sydney-rudd
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| How the west could be won: suburban Sydneysiders reveal love for Rudd | How the west could be won: suburban Sydneysiders reveal love for Rudd |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| If Kevin Rudd is to stand a chance of winning the next election, he will have to salvage the reputation of his party within the electorates of western Sydney. Julia Gillard went there in March, eager to rebuild the party’s reputation among its core voters in the region. But her visit was dismissed by many in western Sydney as a PR stunt. Labor’s standing in the polls dropped immediately after. | If Kevin Rudd is to stand a chance of winning the next election, he will have to salvage the reputation of his party within the electorates of western Sydney. Julia Gillard went there in March, eager to rebuild the party’s reputation among its core voters in the region. But her visit was dismissed by many in western Sydney as a PR stunt. Labor’s standing in the polls dropped immediately after. |
| But just a day after the momentous leadership change in Canberra, the voters of western Sydney already seemed to be changing their minds. The Rudd brand and persona chimes with them. Guardian Australia returned to a number of the places Gillard went to in her ill-fated visit in March. The message of western Sydney was loud and clear: Rudd is our guy. | But just a day after the momentous leadership change in Canberra, the voters of western Sydney already seemed to be changing their minds. The Rudd brand and persona chimes with them. Guardian Australia returned to a number of the places Gillard went to in her ill-fated visit in March. The message of western Sydney was loud and clear: Rudd is our guy. |
| A snap poll commissioned by Fairfax on the same day showed the return of Rudd had boosted Labor's support in key seats. The ReachTEL poll found McMahon and Blaxland – the electorates of the new treasurer, Chris Bowen, and rising star Jason Clare – would be likely to be retained by Labor after being in serious danger of falling to the Coalition on previous polling. | A snap poll commissioned by Fairfax on the same day showed the return of Rudd had boosted Labor's support in key seats. The ReachTEL poll found McMahon and Blaxland – the electorates of the new treasurer, Chris Bowen, and rising star Jason Clare – would be likely to be retained by Labor after being in serious danger of falling to the Coalition on previous polling. |
| In Marica Matinac’s Penrith cake pop shop a special green chair sat in the corner. Hung over the back was a sign declaring: “Prime Minister Julia Gillard sat here.” On the opposite wall hung a photo of Matinac with her daughter and the then prime minister Gillard smiling broadly next to them. “Great coffee,” a note autographed by the former PM read. | |
| They were all relics of a press conference Gillard held at the cafe during her stay. And yet, despite the personal meeting and the compliments on the coffee (Gillard was unable to eat any cake because of a lactose intolerance), Matinac was thrilled to have Rudd back. | They were all relics of a press conference Gillard held at the cafe during her stay. And yet, despite the personal meeting and the compliments on the coffee (Gillard was unable to eat any cake because of a lactose intolerance), Matinac was thrilled to have Rudd back. |
| “Oh I love him. I like him as prime minister more than Julia,” she said. “He cares. He genuinely cares.” | “Oh I love him. I like him as prime minister more than Julia,” she said. “He cares. He genuinely cares.” |
| Even in the aftermath of Rudd's brutal ousting of Gillard, it was the 2010 spill that saw Rudd deposed which rang in the memory here. | Even in the aftermath of Rudd's brutal ousting of Gillard, it was the 2010 spill that saw Rudd deposed which rang in the memory here. |
| At Mount Druitt shopping centre, Margaret Hollingworth, a school librarian from Plumpton said: “I couldn’t stand Julia. The people voted Kevin in and she stabbed him in the back. We might as well not vote at all if that is what is going to happen.” | At Mount Druitt shopping centre, Margaret Hollingworth, a school librarian from Plumpton said: “I couldn’t stand Julia. The people voted Kevin in and she stabbed him in the back. We might as well not vote at all if that is what is going to happen.” |
| Hollingworth did not see the Wednesday night spill as a similar backstabbing. According to her husband, Brook, it was the righting of a wrong: “Kevin will be much better for western Sydney. He gets things done, he wants things to go well and he cares about us,” he said. “He is just better ... a people person, he is down to earth. | Hollingworth did not see the Wednesday night spill as a similar backstabbing. According to her husband, Brook, it was the righting of a wrong: “Kevin will be much better for western Sydney. He gets things done, he wants things to go well and he cares about us,” he said. “He is just better ... a people person, he is down to earth. |
| “The only reason he was voted out was the ones beneath him did not want to get off their backsides and do some work.” | “The only reason he was voted out was the ones beneath him did not want to get off their backsides and do some work.” |
| In the next breath Margaret named education as one of her most important election issues. So surely, as a school worker, Margaret welcomed Gillard’s Gonski reforms, set to bring about an unprecedented increase in education funding? “Well yes, I guess so. They are not bad,” she said, adding how close she came to voting for Pauline Hanson before Rudd took over the leadership. | In the next breath Margaret named education as one of her most important election issues. So surely, as a school worker, Margaret welcomed Gillard’s Gonski reforms, set to bring about an unprecedented increase in education funding? “Well yes, I guess so. They are not bad,” she said, adding how close she came to voting for Pauline Hanson before Rudd took over the leadership. |
| Western Sydney is home to 10 Labor electorates ranging in margins from 12.3% to 0.9%. It is considered a Labor heartland, and is now a key battleground for the upcoming federal election. | Western Sydney is home to 10 Labor electorates ranging in margins from 12.3% to 0.9%. It is considered a Labor heartland, and is now a key battleground for the upcoming federal election. |
| With a population of roughly 2 million and an economy worth about $95.6bn – larger than the whole of South Australia’s $92bn economy – it would be simplistic to try to define the area along any wealth, ethnicity or cultural lines. According to government data, about 40% of people who live in the area were born overseas, with the most common countries of birth in that population India, Vietnam, China and England. More than a third of the inhabitants are aged 24 or under and 70 different languages are spoken with the most common apart from English being Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese and Indo-Aryan languages. | With a population of roughly 2 million and an economy worth about $95.6bn – larger than the whole of South Australia’s $92bn economy – it would be simplistic to try to define the area along any wealth, ethnicity or cultural lines. According to government data, about 40% of people who live in the area were born overseas, with the most common countries of birth in that population India, Vietnam, China and England. More than a third of the inhabitants are aged 24 or under and 70 different languages are spoken with the most common apart from English being Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese and Indo-Aryan languages. |
| But one thing seems to unite western Sydney's inhabitants: they never really liked Julia Gillard. Polling done by ReachTEL in March showed even the seats Labor held with the biggest margins in the area could fall and internal polling had eight of the Labor-held seats in severe danger of going to the Coalition at an election. | But one thing seems to unite western Sydney's inhabitants: they never really liked Julia Gillard. Polling done by ReachTEL in March showed even the seats Labor held with the biggest margins in the area could fall and internal polling had eight of the Labor-held seats in severe danger of going to the Coalition at an election. |
| At the Rooty Hill RSL complex, where Gillard stayed for five nights, the sentiment was echoed. Customers said Gillard was never about families. “Everything is much better with him [Rudd]. He’s more about the family, he cares more. He interacts with people more,” said Kellie Girdham. | At the Rooty Hill RSL complex, where Gillard stayed for five nights, the sentiment was echoed. Customers said Gillard was never about families. “Everything is much better with him [Rudd]. He’s more about the family, he cares more. He interacts with people more,” said Kellie Girdham. |
| Her mother, Donna, agreed. Donna had been a Labor voter all her life and was considering a vote for the Liberals for the first time. She said: “Everything was going good when he [Rudd] was in. I don’t understand why they got rid of him. He helped families when they needed help financially.” | Her mother, Donna, agreed. Donna had been a Labor voter all her life and was considering a vote for the Liberals for the first time. She said: “Everything was going good when he [Rudd] was in. I don’t understand why they got rid of him. He helped families when they needed help financially.” |
| But which of Gillard’s policies does she feel made it more difficult for families? “The carbon tax,” she said. | But which of Gillard’s policies does she feel made it more difficult for families? “The carbon tax,” she said. |
| For Mary Cucciardi, a Bankstown local and staunch Roman Catholic whose federal electorate seat was held by the former prime minister Paul Keating for 27 years, it was clear she would never vote for Gillard the moment one word passed her lips: "Atheist." | For Mary Cucciardi, a Bankstown local and staunch Roman Catholic whose federal electorate seat was held by the former prime minister Paul Keating for 27 years, it was clear she would never vote for Gillard the moment one word passed her lips: "Atheist." |
| Cucciardi said: “When I heard her saying that on the television I said, ‘Nothing against you, but no.’ | Cucciardi said: “When I heard her saying that on the television I said, ‘Nothing against you, but no.’ |
| “Who does the prime minister have to turn to when she is in trouble? Everybody turns to God when they are in trouble. To whom was she going to turn?” | “Who does the prime minister have to turn to when she is in trouble? Everybody turns to God when they are in trouble. To whom was she going to turn?” |
| Her husband, Tony, vigorously agreed: “Everybody believes in God.” | Her husband, Tony, vigorously agreed: “Everybody believes in God.” |
| Mary interjected again: “And now, with the arrival of Kevin Rudd, thank God I do not have to change [my vote].” | Mary interjected again: “And now, with the arrival of Kevin Rudd, thank God I do not have to change [my vote].” |
| Christianity, family values, a caring nature, and an image as the victim of an unjust coup. These appear to be the qualities that keep Rudd in the hearts of those in western Sydney. The image was partly cemented during Rudd’s 2007 election campaign, said local political expert and teacher, Mark O’Sullivan. | |
| “He was a safe pair of hands," said O'Sullivan. "He was someone who was not that different to Howard. Friendly, approachable but also obviously really intelligent and had a clear idea of what to deliver." | “He was a safe pair of hands," said O'Sullivan. "He was someone who was not that different to Howard. Friendly, approachable but also obviously really intelligent and had a clear idea of what to deliver." |
| O’Sullivan said Rudd was still an effective campaigner who was also able to use media very well to come across to people as a normal and capable bloke in interviews and in his television press conferences. | O’Sullivan said Rudd was still an effective campaigner who was also able to use media very well to come across to people as a normal and capable bloke in interviews and in his television press conferences. |
| “People didn’t see [Gillard] as being as warm. The voice, the way she delivered in 2010 grated with a lot of people,” O’Sullivan said. | “People didn’t see [Gillard] as being as warm. The voice, the way she delivered in 2010 grated with a lot of people,” O’Sullivan said. |
| “She was also seen as connected to these faceless men, the faceless men [idea] really stuck. | “She was also seen as connected to these faceless men, the faceless men [idea] really stuck. |
| “She was distant ... I know Rudd was from Queensland but people seem to like Queenslanders here ... maybe it’s something to do with rugby league.” | “She was distant ... I know Rudd was from Queensland but people seem to like Queenslanders here ... maybe it’s something to do with rugby league.” |
| But will this leadership change be enough to swing things in time for the election? | But will this leadership change be enough to swing things in time for the election? |
| By O’Sullivan’s reckoning, the seats on a knife-edge, such as Lindsay (margin of 1.1%) and Greenway (0.9%) probably cannot be saved but Rudd’s ascension to the prime ministership may be enough to put others – Chifley (12.3%) and Werriwa (6.8%) – back into play. And that might be just enough to tip the majority of House of Representatives seats in favour of Labor. | By O’Sullivan’s reckoning, the seats on a knife-edge, such as Lindsay (margin of 1.1%) and Greenway (0.9%) probably cannot be saved but Rudd’s ascension to the prime ministership may be enough to put others – Chifley (12.3%) and Werriwa (6.8%) – back into play. And that might be just enough to tip the majority of House of Representatives seats in favour of Labor. |
| While the discussions around what went wrong for Gillard continue, as does the examination of just why she could not connect with the people in western Sydney, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: Rudd’s appointment is a reckonable game changer. | While the discussions around what went wrong for Gillard continue, as does the examination of just why she could not connect with the people in western Sydney, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: Rudd’s appointment is a reckonable game changer. |
| Voters in western Sydney discuss their key policy concerns: | Voters in western Sydney discuss their key policy concerns: |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. |