Can ‘Howard’s battlers’ rise

More than 25 years ago, in 1996, John Howard did the unthinkable and turned the Labor heartland of Penrith and its surrounds Liberal blue. Generational shift, a feeling of being taken for granted and the aspirations of ‘Howard’s Battlers’ would turn Lindsay into a bellwether seat. State seats would follow, and this part of Sydney became its own political island.

Now aged 83 and 16 years since he was Prime Minister, John Howard still sells well in Penrith – and the Liberal Party knows it. Howard has joined the campaign trail in its final days as sitting Penrith MP Stuart Ayres fights tooth and nail to retain his seat at Saturday’s State Election.

The former Prime Minister made two appearances in Penrith in the space of three days, and while the spring may no longer be in his step, his popularity has not wavered... Shopping centre with fond memories

It is on the shiny floors of Westfield Penrith, or The Plaza, where ‘Howard’s Battlers’ were initially won over by Jackie Kelly in 1996.

Grabbing a bite to eat at Nadia’s Café last Friday, Howard proved quite popular with shoppers who wanted to stop for a chat with the former Prime Minister.

While Opposition Leader Chris Minns remains favourite to take out the top job on Saturday, Howard told the Weekender that NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet still has what it takes to lead.

“I think Dom Perrottet has gained ground during the campaign. I’ve been on a lot of campaigns, and I think he started behind, but he has picked up and people like that,” Howard said.

“He’s got momentum and I think what people are attracted to is he has new ideas.

“Nothing wrong with the other fella [Minns] but they don’t seem to have anything new, they are just hoping because they have been in opposition for a long-time people will feel sorry for them and give them a go, well that’s not enough, it really isn’t.”

Howard praised the incumbent member Ayres as he looks to protect his seat from Labor candidate Karen McKeown.

“Stuart is an extremely talented Member and he was an extremely good Sports Minister and he had other jobs as well,” Howard said.

“Whenever I went to sporting events, and I would go to a lot of them, I would bump into people and they would say the good thing about Ayresy is that he listens to you. He doesn’t always do what you want but he listens to you.”

With Howard serving as Prime Minister from 1996 to 2007, Ayres said he aspires to achieve the political impact that he did during his career.

“John is the reason so many people in western Sydney have moved over to supporting the Liberal Party and I think that is because we stick to the basics whether that’s education,