Western Sydney’s time as a ‘stronghold’ for either major party is over, expert says

A report from the Centre for Western Sydney says five of the region’s 14 federal electorates are now marginal: Reid, Parramatta, Greenway, Lindsay and Macquarie. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

There is a growing “electoral volatility” in western Sydney, with experts saying residents have “departed from the script” in a region which could prove critical to deciding the federal election.

A new study from the Centre for Western Sydney that analysed federal election voting patterns found a level of volatility above national trends.