By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
MP Sarah Henderson has enjoyed senior Liberal support from visiting Foreign Minister Julie Bishop after polling detected a four per cent swing away from her in Corangamite.
Ms Bishop attended a community morning tea in Grovedale before a speaking engagement at Deakin University.
The visit followed a ReachTel poll for the ACTU finding that voter support for Ms Henderson had dropped from 48.3 to 44.8 per cent.
Labor was also down, 32 to 31.5 per cent.
Corangamite was the country’s most marginal seat at the last election when Ms Henderson needed a swing of 0.3 per cent to win.
The latest poll showed a one per cent moved from the Liberals to the Greens and three per cent to an enlarged group of undecided voters.
Almost 50 per cent of respondents expected more cuts to health and education and 62.5 per cent thought the government had not done enough to create jobs. Almost 30 per cent of Liberal voters agreed the Abbott Government was not doing enough on job creation.
Deakin University politics lecturer Dr Geoff Robinson said Ms Henderson had always been thought of as a Malcolm Turnbull supporter “but Julie Bishop could be a good fit”.
Ms Bishop has been a regular visitor to Corangamite, unlike Mr Turnbull.
“Socially and based on their expressed political views, they seem to be a good fit,” Dr Robinson said.
“They’re both middle-of-the-roaders, whereas Tony Abbott’s on the conservative right of the party.”
Dr Robinson said Corangamite provided an accurate reflection of the national mood.
“The poll seems to match what’s happening nationally. The nation’s mirrored pretty closely in Corangamite, with its mix of city, country and urbanising coast.
“The Abbot Government recovered somewhat from its self-inflicted wounds but has still not excited voters.
“It will be interesting to see what happens as we get closer to the federal election (due after August next year).”
Dr Robinson said consumer confidence rose after the last federal budget but dropped again quickly.
