Battlers in Kelly country changing their tune: [1 All-round Country Edition]
Stapleton, John.
The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 29 May 2007: 6.
Abstract
"Interest rates have gone up, petrol prices have gone up, mortgages, house expenses, everyone is coming in complaining, people don't have money to spend any more," he said.
"The IR laws have gone too far," Ms [Kim Mestroni] said. "I have four children, two are in the age bracket affected by IR, trying to get casual jobs."
Mark Morgan, 39, was begging in the streets of Penrith yesterday. He has been sleeping in his Commodore station wagon with his four children for the past four months. "What have they ever done for me? Bring back Bob Hawke. At least then a blackfella had a go."
Full Text
And with local member Jackie Kelly getting out of politics at the next election, the seat of Lindsay has just got a lot tougher for the Liberals to retain without one of Howard's heroes of 1996.
The most striking thing about the interviews The Australian conducted yesterday in the streets of Penrith, in the heart of Lindsay, were the number of people who had previously voted Liberal but would not be voting for John Howard at the election due late this year.
Nima Nicholas, 44, owner of Exclusive Hairdressing, said while politicians talked about how wealthy the country was, small businesses right across the electorate were doing it tough and business had got progressively worse over the past three years.
"The average income around here is about $35,000," he said.
"Many of my customers ring me up and apologise but say they just can't afford to get their hair professionally coloured any more.
"The Government talks about the economy going up, but every day our business gets worse. I have had to drop staff.
"Interest rates have gone up, petrol prices have gone up, mortgages, house expenses, everyone is coming in complaining, people don't have money to spend any more," he said.
"A lot of people say they voted Liberal before, but not this time. I have had enough of the Liberals, I am trying something else and maybe it will get better."
The seat of Lindsay covers an area of 351sqkm across far-western Sydney. It is a bellwether seat, which Mr Howard -- who hailed Ms Kelly as a hero for wresting it from Labor in 1996 -- badly needs to retain.
Margaret Pirret, 68, and her daughter Kim Mestroni, 47, both voted Liberal at the last election, but won't be doing so this time.
"The IR laws have gone too far," Ms Mestroni said. "I have four children, two are in the age bracket affected by IR, trying to get casual jobs."
Ms Pirret said she was not happy about Work Choices, the "shocking" treatment of asylum-seekers or Iraq.
Mark Morgan, 39, was begging in the streets of Penrith yesterday. He has been sleeping in his Commodore station wagon with his four children for the past four months. "What have they ever done for me? Bring back Bob Hawke. At least then a blackfella had a go."
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