The safe Labor seat of Werribee could face its biggest shake-up yet in next year’s state election, with locals vowing to overthrow incumbent MP Tim Pallas in the wake of the youth detention centre furore.
A Star Weekly online poll of 819 voters has shown that 53 per cent would vote for the Liberal Party at the next state election.
Fourteen per cent said their vote would go to an independent candidate, 10 per cent said they would vote Labor, while nine per cent apiece picked either the Greens or One Nation.
The numbers are in line with last month’s Star Weekly poll, when only 11 per cent of the 1252 respondents said they would vote Labor.
Residents took to the Wyndham Star Weekly Facebook page last week to vent frustrations after the state government announced it would build its $288 million prison along Wests Road at Werribee, rather than the original Hoppers Lane location at Werribee South.
Lesley said: “Nothing can save that man – we still have a jail in Werribee”.
Ben said the Labor Party had “totally lost the trust of the people that they’re elected to represent”, and Kapil called on voters to make Werribee a marginal seat.
“Safe Labor seat days are over,” Kapil said.
Sue, however, was doubtful that people would change their vote come 2018, noting: “People are too complacent. Let’s see if everyone has finally opened their eyes and give Labor a shake-up in the west”.
Western metropolitan MP Bernie Finn said he is confident the Liberal party could claim the seat in 2018, despite Mr Pallas holding a 15 per cent margin.
Last month, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy confirmed a couple of Liberal party members had already put their hands up.
