A RECORD of speaking without fear or favour would help retain the critical marginal seat of Corangamite for Labor, according to incumbent MP Darren Cheeseman.
“I think people like the fact I’ve got a lot of bollocks,” he told the Independent.
Mr Cheeseman, who backed Julia Gillard to overturn Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister only to later call for her resignation during Mr Rudd’s failed bid to return as PM, said speaking out for constituents was critical to his re-election.
“People need to speak out without fear or favour. I’ve got a track record of doing that.
“People know what they’ll get. That’s what I know.’’
Corangamite is Australia’s most marginal federal seat, with Mr Cheeseman holding it by 771 votes.
Liberal candidate Sarah Henderson expected the battle for Corangamite to again go down to the wire.
She cited job security, health funding, infrastructure, safer borders, carbon tax abolition and the economy as the issues she would champion.
Deakin University politics expert Dr Geoff Robinson said the eyes of Australia would be on Corangamite during the election on September 14
“I think the government thinks that with the long election period the media won’t be preoccupied about the date and will think more about the issues and scrutinise of the opposition.
“They hope that under more intense pressure Abbott might struggle…that Abbott will be seen as light on policy or a dangerous extremist.”