The Liberal Party candidate for the south western Sydney seat of Fowler was refused permission today to participate in a community forum run by SBS.
The western Sydney electorate of Cabramatta is the heart of multicultural Australia.
It has more residents of a non-English speaking background than anywhere else.
The Vietnamese community is the largest.
Today candidates vied for their vote, at a community forum organised by SBS Radio.
But there was one noticeable absentee.
The Liberal Party's Andrew Nguyen.
His opponents say it's not the first time he hasn't shown up for forums.
"I think that it's really poor," says Greens candidate Benjamin Silaphet.
This has been Labor territory for as long as anyone can remember.
But the party's overall slide in the polls isn't phasing sitting candidate Chris Hayes.
"I honestly believe that if the community think I've done a half decent job they'll reward me with their vote," Mr Hayes says.
The Liberal Party was clearly trying to make a dent in Labor's hold on this seat by picking a candidate with Vietnamese background.
But today SBS was given no other reason for his refusal to speak other than he wasn't authorised.
Van Khuc runs Cabramatta's oldest fabric shop and says many of his customers will stick with what they know.
"I think (voters will stay with) Labor. Why? I think they feel safe," he says.
The days of this area as the heroin capital are gone.
Cost of living, education and childcare are a bigger concern.
Many of the community are former asylum seekers and have mixed views about the current tough approach.
"We came here by boat very small flimsy boat and I think for someone to go on a boat they have to have a very strong reason," says Tri Vo, President of the Vietnamese Community Association.
But in the nation's second most disadvantaged seat one issue dominates: unemployment.
"A lot of people are frustrated," says Greens candidate Mr Silaphet.
"What the Greens will try to do is we do try to promote business in the area but not at environmental cost."
Katter's Australian party says a second airport at nearby Badgery's Creek is the answer.
"Badgery's Creek will create jobs of 20,000 just for the Liverpool area," says Darren McLean, who is standing for Katter's Australia Party.
That's a debate that's almost as old as this community.
