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Gillard's west visit has negative effect

Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s controversial five-day visit to key Labor electorates in western Sydney could have had a negative effect on her election campaign.

Seven News has obtained exclusive survey results conducted by ReachTEL, indicating that 43 per cent of voters surveyed are now less likely to vote for Gillard.

ReachTEL surveyed 1,615 residents across eleven western Sydney electorates on the night of 1st March 2013, including Blaxland, Lindsay, Macarthur, Macquarie and Parramatta.

"The poll received a massive sample size of 1,615 giving the poll a Margin of Error of +/- 2.5 per cent," a spokesperson from ReachTEL said.

"The voting intentions breakdown shows some very interesting information."

43 per cent of voters say they are now less likely to vote for Gillard. Photo: ReachTEL
43 per cent of voters say they are now less likely to vote for Gillard. Photo: ReachTEL

Residents were also asked to indicate the issues that were most important to their families, with the cost of living (38.7 per cent) and asylum seekers (18.8 per cent) topping the list.

Crime and anti-social behaviour came in sixth out of seven with 10.2 per cent, even though the Prime Minister has just announced a joint police taskforce to try and stamp out organised crime.

Gillard says criminal gangs are operating across state borders and a joint approach between state and federal police is needed.

"Not only are they trading in guns and in drugs and causing shootings on the streets, it means they are moving a lot of money around," she told a joint press conference with Home Affairs Minister Jason Clarke.

"It also means that their activities span beyond the borders of any one state and indeed they have links overseas."

Ms Gillard has relocated to western Sydney today for a five-day mini-campaign through a string of marginal seats.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has been in western Sydney since yesterday, and this morning joined locals at the Duck River Reserve in Auburn for Clean Up Australia Day.

He also met with the president of the nearby Auburn Gallipoli Mosque and told community members it was important Australia remain an inclusive society.