Seat ‘safe’ for MP amid Gillard woe

TOM BENNETT
LABOR Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman believes he will retain his marginal seat at the next federal election despite his strong support of embattled Prime Minister Julia.
Mr Cheeseman said he was “strongly confident” of holding Corangamite despite Ms Gil-lard’s poor showing in the latest polls.
Newspoll this week put the Prime Minister’s personal approval rating at 23 per cent, the second lowest on record.
Mr Cheeseman said he was “staunchly supportive” of Ms Gillard despite the polls and speculation of a leadership change. He was the first Australian federal MP to publicly back Ms Gillard’s prime ministerial credentials in the lead up to her replacement of Kevin Rudd last year.
Mr Cheeseman was confident his alliance with Ms Gillard would not cost him votes in at the next election.
“The PM is looked on very favourably in the electorate as she is throughout Victoria”.
Mr Cheeseman said Corang-amite would remain in Labor hands despite being one of Australia’s most-marginal electorates.
“The seat is not in jeopardy.
“We’ll come back from this (current voter dissatisfaction) to win the seat and the government”.
Mr Cheeseman described the latest polls as “pretty meaningless” given the next federal election was due in 2013.
But he conceded the figures reflected community concerns over the Gillard Government’s handling of issues including immigration, the proposed carbon tax and the Craig Thompson credit card affair.
“I see a lot of concern and anxiety out there among the voters,” Mr Cheeseman sad.
“But when we sit down and explain our agenda to them they become much more supportive of us”.
Mr Cheeseman said the Government’s fortunes would change once it had “bedded down” key initiatives such as immigration reform, its climate change package and the proposed mining tax.
He believed the Government faced an “extremely trying and difficult time”.
“We still have a lot of hard work to undertake but, despite everything, Julia Gillard is still the best person to lead the nation.
“She’s undertaking a very significant program of economic and social reform.
“The polls are not good but, in any case, the Prime Minister is not poll-driven.”