Chris Minns, the Labor candidate for the electorate of Kogarah, is the man charged with leading the party to victory and ending the Coalition’s 12-year reign in the upcoming New South Wales (NSW) election. While the Labor Party is optimistic about the prospects for Minns and his campaign, one of the greatest hurdles to becoming the next premier of NSW could come from his own electorate of Kogarah.
Minns’ slim 0.1 per cent margin of victory in the southern Sydney seat, down from 5 per cent after the 2021 redistribution of electoral boundaries, was evident during the 2019 election when Minns won only 69 more primary votes than the Liberal candidate Scott Yung. This extremely narrow margin of victory emphasizes the significance of Minns’ own electorate in the upcoming election.
NCA NewsWire reported when asked if he would take a safer seat in order to become the next premier of the state, Mr Minns stated he was not interested in being transferred, even if that meant the potential of being unemployed.
Small business owners in Kogarah’s main street, close to Mr Minns’ store, are worried. With the effects of the pandemic still being felt, the increasing cost of living is a major concern for the local people.
For the past two decades, Iliana Koleva has resided in the suburbs. Prior to the onset of the pandemic, she decided to leave her corporate job in the city, as well as her daily commute, in order to open a health food cafe known as The Nutrition Hub.
“I had intended this to be a safe haven for my retirement, however due to the occurrences of the past three years, it has not become what I imagined,” she said.
Cameron Ly, the proprietor of FishoHolics, a fish and chip shop a few stores down, has reported the price of fries has gone up from $30 for 5kg to $45 in the past 18 months.
“As a business owner, it is your responsibility to manage fluctuations in prices. If they go up, you will have to adjust your prices accordingly, which may result in dissatisfied customers who have to be mindful of their spending,” he said.
Easing the cost of living pressures, which are largely within Mr Minns’ control, is a big priority for both major parties, despite the global pressures of inflation.
