FEDERAL shadow treasurer Joe Hockey was in Oakleigh last week to endorse John Nguyen, the Liberal candidate for the federal seat of Chisholm.
Mr Hockey told the Weekly that the seat, traditionally a Labor stronghold, was in the Liberal Party's sights. "It is a very winnable seat and this is a seat with a strong candidate and a strong Liberal presence," he said.
Mr Hockey walked the length of Eaton Mall, stopping to chat to several locals. He said community confidence had ebbed away in the past four years.
"They don't want any more surprises or decisions out of Canberra that are going to change their family budget. They want to get on with living," he said. "They want confidence back, they want hope back."
Mr Nguyen said he had been campaigning for five months: "It's absolutely winnable. This is our best opportunity. People are tired of the rising cost of living."
Although Labor suffered a 1.27 per cent swing against it in 2010, its candidate Anna Burke won on preferences.
Mr Nguyen said his strategy to take the seat from Ms Burke was simple. "It's just to go out there and say to people, 'what is it about this government that's going wrong'. What we're doing is we're trying to educate them to change."
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