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Shorten walk ambushed by protester

Labor leader Bill Shorten took a jibe at Malcolm Turnbull as he hit the western Sydney streets of Penrith.

Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten on a street walk at a shopping centre during the 2016 election campaign in Penrith in Sydney. (AAP)

Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten on a street walk at a shopping centre during the 2016 election campaign in Penrith in Sydney. (AAP) Source: AAP

Bill Shorten's run of successful street campaigns is over after second Sydney airport protesters ambushed his walk.

The Labor leader hit the footpaths in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith on Friday to woo voters in the marginal seat of Lindsay.

But as soon as he stepped off the Labor campaign bus, Mr Shorten and his local candidate Emma Husar were met with a young protester brandishing a banner and shouting: "No western Sydney airport!"

The 18-year-old, who did not want to be named, followed the duo around the shopping centre.

The protester was later joined by passers-by who added their voice to their campaign to block the Badgerys Creek airport.

Mr Shorten carried on, shaking hands and talking to locals about housing affordability, schools funding and TAFE fees - he was even offered some chocolate and coffee by a local cafe owner.

The Labor leader also couldn't resist a dig at Malcolm Turnbull after the prime minister cancelled a street walk in the same suburb last week.

"Nice to see you," he told a local.

"Pity I couldn't get the other bloke to come out."


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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