Illawarra's seat-by-seat voting guide - CLICK HERE
While it’s tipped there won’t be a change at the helm following Saturday’s state election, the Illawarra - particularly Wollongong - is again likely to be a battle to the very end.
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Recent Fairfax/Ipsos polling suggests the Coalition will be returned to government, but with its majority slashed.
Much of the debate statewide has centred around the partial privatisation of electricity “poles and wires”, while road and health infrastructure has dominated major-party pre-election promises in the Illawarra during recent weeks.
The biggest pledge came from the Liberals, who have promised $550million to start work on the fully-funded Albion Park Rail bypass and $251million for a major redevelopment of Shellharbour Hospital.
Varying infrastructure projects have also been earmarked for money under a Labor government.
Opposition Leader Luke Foley visited Wollongong in late January to promise half the proceeds from the long-term lease of Port Kembla port ($380million) would be spent in the region and a steady stream of announcements have followed.
The Illawarra’s five electorates are a mixed bag of Liberal and Labor representation.
The region is bordered to the north and south by Liberals Lee Evans (Heathcote) and Gareth Ward (Kiama) respectively.
The Labor strongholds of Keira, Wollongong and Shellharbour sit in the between.
After Gordon Bradbery came within a whisker of toppling Wollongong MP Noreen Hay last state election, many will be watching closely to see if 2015 Independent challenger Arthur Rorris can go one better.
There’s suggestion Kiama could be another seat to watch.
Meanwhile, an electoral boundary redistribution comes into effect this election and margins have shifted slightly as a result.
The region’s biggest winner, according to ABC election analyst Antony Green, is Heathcote MP Lee Evans, with the Liberal margin increasing from 12.9 per cent to an estimated 19 per cent.
There’s a lot at stake on Saturday and only time will tell what “rusted-on” Illawarra voters do when they put pencil to ballot paper.
Today’s guide gives each candidate the chance to make their best pitch to you.