Federal Labor faces a wipeout in western Sydney, losing several seats previously considered safe unless the party switches back to Kevin Rudd, a poll has found.
The results raise the prospect of double digit swings in NSW, meaning even MPs on margins of 12 per cent could fall at the September 14 election.
According to the Fairfax Media/ReachTEL automated poll of 664 voters, taken in four safe Labor electorates in Sydney's west, much of Labor's collapse can be directly linked to negative perceptions of the prime minister, Julia Gillard.
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It also shows that the seats could be saved if former prime minister Kevin Rudd were reinstalled as leader.
The electorates include Chifley and Blaxland, the two safest on healthy margins of 12.3 and 12.2 per cent respectively, as well as McMahon and Werriwa, on normally solid margins of 7.8 and 6.8 per cent.
The snapshot comes ahead of Ms Gillard's five-day visit of marginal electorates in western Sydney from Sunday.
