A DEAKIN politics lecturer has predicted the \u201cshrunken\u201d borders of Corangamite will improve Labor\u2019s chances at the next federal election, potentially changing its marginal status.<\/p>\n
Dr Geoff Robinson said the boundary changes, which take effect from Monday, July 26, would see the electorate become more of a Geelong-based seat that he believed would favour Labor at the next election.<\/p>\n
Despite no election date set, Liberal candidate Stephanie Asher and incumbent Labor MP Libby Coker are already committed to strong campaigns for the \u201cnew\u201d seat, which will take in the the south-east corner of Golden Plains Shire as well as Bellarine, south-west suburbs of Geelong, Torquay and a greatly reduced area of the Surf Coast Shire.<\/p>\n
Dr Robinson said he expected Corangamite, which was traditionally a safe Liberal seat and had become marginal when Labor\u2019s Darren Cheeseman won in 2007, would follow the political leanings of the Corio electorate and other major regional cities such as Ballarat and Bendigo.<\/p>\n
Dr Robinson said Corangamite would probably still receive \u201csome interest\u201d during the Federal campaign but the loss of marginal status could impact election commitments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve been promising the world to Corangamite but I\u2019m guessing we\u2019ll see less of that this time and hear more about railways on the Central Coast of New South Wales rather than around Geelong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Robinson said he believed the pandemic and vaccination rollout would be an election issue, regardless of when the election was called, with \u201cthe New South Wales situation making it hard for the government.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the way things are going, it\u2019s not going away; I\u2019m guessing it will be significant issue at the election,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLocal issues also favour Labor; it\u2019s a Victorian seat with young families and unionised organisations. There\u2019s staff losses at the uni and the Federal Government is not stopping those job losses. Labor will use that in their campaigning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Robinson said he believed several minor parties such as the Animal Justice Party and the Greens would have representation on Corangamite\u2019s ballot, with a \u201csmall right-wing party\u201d standing for the anti-vaccination movement having \u201csome sort of political representation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot will depend on the national trend but I predict Labor would have to be doing pretty bad to lose Corangamite,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A DEAKIN politics lecturer has predicted the \u201cshrunken\u201d borders of Corangamite will improve Labor\u2019s chances at the next federal election, potentially changing its marginal status. Dr Geoff Robinson said the boundary changes, which take effect from Monday, July 26, would see the electorate become more of a Geelong-based seat that he believed would favour Labor […]<\/p>\n