Stark lessons for Governments in Parramatta Swing

Julie Owens, the Federal Member for Parramatta since 2004, suffered a 5.6% swing against her despite a redistribution that nominally favoured her. This was a better result than federal Labor recorded across its supposed Western Sydney heartland and the rest of NSW; it would appear that State issues also played a part. That would go some way to explaining why a government credited with holding the global financial crisis at arm's length and with many Parramatta residents employed in government funded building projects, suffered significant rejection.

Ms Owens has been an able and active member for Parramatta but the lesson for the Labor Party is the stark reality that she suffered a reduction in votes with a swing against her, even in booths where she was well known. What was better known was the infighting at the federal level and the neglect of Western Sydney at the State level.

State Labor has been shown emphatically that it has disappointed the people of Western Sydney and Parramatta and the seemingly last minute desperation of the promise to do something about the Parramatta - Epping rail link showed appalling ignorance of the electorate. The announcement just opened up a wound and brought the State government into the campaign as an issue. This could explain the greater rejection of the sitting member in the outer and new booths.

The federal parties have their attention focused on matters other than Parramatta at the moment and the recriminations in Labor will extend to the State government and take their eyes off other matters, including Parramatta.

The one thing they must know from the results is that the people and businesses in Parramatta never take their eyes off the performance of either level of government.