Vote 2016: Battle for multicultural votes heating up

Migrant voters are shaping up to be a key battleground leading up to the July 2 Federal Election, and politicians have been out courting the so-called ‘multicultural vote’ across Australia.

Bill Shorten's campaign advertisements translated into different languages Source: SBS

The battle to win over voters from diverse backgrounds is heating up ahead of the July 2 Federal Election. 

The ALP is running a series of campaign ads with subtitles in languages such as Arabic, Tamil, Korean and Mandarin, while the Liberal Party has translated some of its print ads.

NSW and Victoria hold some of Australia's most marginal and multicultural seats.

In NSW, electorates which hang in the balance and look to be decided by multicultural voters include the Sydney seats of Banks, Barton, Lindsay and Reid.

In Victoria, 'key multicultural seats' are Deakin, Dunkley, Bruce and the seat of Melbourne.

Greens Leader Richard Di Natale took the fight to the seat of Batman in Melbourne's north, where he spoke to voters in Italian.

Home to many post-war migrant communities, Batman is traditionally a Labor stronghold, but has become the battleground for a Greens-Labor tussle.

"People from this community have helped forge the nation that we enjoy today,” Mr Di Natale told the crowd.

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek also made her pitch for multicultural Australia.

"It's terrific to think about how we've benefited in Australia by having a strong multicultural society,” she said.

“My parents came here in the early 1950s and my parents always instilled in me that same sense of service and reciprocity- you've got to give something back."

Political Historian University of Western Sydney Dr David Burchell, explained the battle to win migrant votes.

"Following successive waves of migration ever since World War II, the parties have bid, as it were, for migrant communities,” he said.

“Seeing them as communities to be won or lost. Of course, sometimes that's exaggerated - migrant communities don't vote as a bloc necessary.

“And I think the longer migrants are in Australia, the less likely they are to do that."

Mr Burchell said people do tend to vote and remain loyal to parties which make an effort to hear their concerns.

The issues of health, immigration and youth employment were the key concerns for those who attended an event targeting Arabic speaking communities in the Sydney suburb of Liverpool tonight. 

Arabic speaking communities are some of the fastest growing in Australia.