Michelle and Jonathan Mascorella, with son Kieran, are most concerned about education, immigration and spending. Photo: Jon Reid
JONATHAN and Michelle Mascorella, parents of two young children, Lucia, 4, and Kieran, 1, are at the epicentre of the election campaign.
As residents of the western Sydney electorate of Lindsay, and both swinging voters, they will be courted assiduously by both Labor and Liberal as the five-week campaign unfolds.
Labor's David Bradbury holds Lindsay - which covers most of the City of Penrith, stretching from Londonderry in the north to Mulgoa in the south - by a 6.3 per cent margin.
But the government is concerned because of the perceived volatility of its voters, particularly on the issues of asylum seekers and the economy.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard illustrated the importance of Lindsay when she took Mr Bradbury with her to Darwin on July 7. The pair toured Customs and Border Protection patrol boats, sending a clear message to the people of Lindsay that their man would be decisive on the hot issue of boat people.
Labor's fears for the seat were raised when the party was dealt a savage blow at the recent byelection for the state seat of Penrith, brought about by the departure of disgraced Labor MP Karryn Paluzzano. The swing against the party was a huge 25 per cent.
Both the government and the opposition are expected to bombard western Sydney with election promises and funding pledges.
A senior ALP strategist confirmed Lindsay was regarded as the nation's electoral thermometer.
''There is a saying in the ALP that holds water and it is: 'You can't win the election if you don't win Lindsay,''' the source said. ''It was true last election and it is just as true now. This time, the heat in the debate is all about asylum seekers and the economy and these are core issues for electorates just like Lindsay. I can tell you, if we lose on these issues, you'll see the same right around the nation in the marginals.''
Mr Mascorella, a teacher at Southern Cross Vocational College, said proper investment in education, improved spending of public funds and a tougher stance on asylum seekers mattered most to him as a voter.
''I am bothered and very disappointed by the way our government mismanages and misuses public funds,'' he said. ''Policies need to be written and adhered to and they're not at the moment. Governments, right down to local council level, haven't been using funds with the public's best interests at heart. Mostly gross spending is for their own benefit - the Liberals did it and Labor does it just the same.''
On asylum seekers, Mr Mascorella said the issue troubling him was not the location or form of a processing centre. Instead, it was Labor's softer approach to policy that rankled.
''It is not about the processing of the people or where they do it; it is about dealing with the massive influx of foreign people to our country,'' he said.
''We have a strong economy but not a large one. We need to make a strong statement to overseas that Australia is a country that we want to protect while still taking into account the humanitarian, genuine cases. But wholesale welcoming of people into the country is not right. And assimilation is an important issue rather than whole communities just settling as one.''
On education, he said: ''I'm a huge advocate for technology in the classroom but I think the laptop for every child policy was the biggest waste of money I have ever seen.''
And both leaders might do well to consider Mrs Mascorella's views on health. She was forced to deliver Lucia in Nepean Hospital rather than Katoomba hospital as no anaesthetists were available.
