NSW seats to watch in the election

SEATS TO WATCH - NSW

NEW ENGLAND

Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce may become the first deputy prime minister to lose a seat at a federal election if he doesn't win the battle for this rural northern NSW seat. Recent polls show former local member and returning independent Tony Windsor could clinch the seat with preferences. Mr Windsor held New England for 12 years and played kingmaker for the Gillard government before bowing out of federal politics in 2013. Joyce, who's declared himself the underdog, will be relying on a strong primary vote.

BARTON

Another contest which could change Australian political history, former deputy NSW Labor leader Linda Burney will become the first Indigenous woman to hold a seat in the federal House of Representatives if she wins this inner southern Sydney seat. Liberal Nick Varvaris currently holds the seat but a boundary change last year turned it notionally Labor on a margin of 5.4 per cent.

GRAYNDLER

Considered one of the safest ALP seats in Australia, leading frontbencher Anthony Albanese's 20-year reign remains under threat from the Greens because of recently redrawn electoral boundaries. At the 2013 federal election, Albanese received 47 per cent of the primary vote, while the Greens candidate received 23 per cent and the Liberals 25 per cent. The shift of boundaries has pushed the inner-western Sydney seat further into the city, notionally benefiting the Greens.

EDEN MONARO

Under electoral boundary changes, this famous bellwether seat saw its Liberal margin increase from 0.6 per cent to an estimated 2.9 per cent. New voters could change the profile of the seat and its continuing marginal status. The southern NSW seat is currently held by Liberal Peter Hendy, who won it from former Labor MP Mike Kelly in 2013.

MACKELLAR

Newcomer Jason Faliniski has already been through the hardest part of the battle to keep this safe seat for the Liberals. He beat Bronwyn Bishop in the preselection, ending her long parliamentary career. Bishop resigned as Speaker after a high-profile expenses scandal for her use of a $5000 chartered helicopter flight to attend a party fundraiser. Faliniski should Very safe Liberal seat with a margin of 15.7 per cent.