Just how powerful is the Muslim vote this upcoming election?

ABC NEWS (Australia)

One of the biggest wildcards of this election will be the impact of the group ‘Muslim vote’. It is the grassroots movement aiming to unseat two cabinet ministers over the government’s handling of the war in Gaza. It would be an enormous task to topple Jason Clare and Tony Burke from their multicultural electorates. But the movement has already caused headaches for Labor – forcing it to divert time and resources into defending usually safe territory.

Transcript

00:00At this supermarket in the heart of Lakemba, there's plenty of work to be done, but always

00:08time for a chat.

00:10Everybody of every community comes here, so they talk about the politics.

00:17Abab Hussein will be voting in Australia for the first time.

00:21My person is Tony, Tony is number one.

00:24Tony Burke is the local Member of Parliament, but the Cabinet Minister is facing a new challenge

00:29at this election.

00:30His seat of Watson is being targeted by the Muslim vote, a grassroots movement trying to

00:36topple Labor MPs over the party's response to the war in Gaza.

00:40No problem, it's an overseas problem, that doesn't matter for us.

00:45But some here say the issue will change the way they vote.

00:48It doesn't matter Muslim or not Muslim, we're not going to vote for Liberal or Labor.

00:55I've always been a Labor supporter, very disappointed that they aren't taking the humane attitude

01:01to things.

01:02The frustration I've never seen on this level, the anger I've never seen on this level.

01:05The Muslim vote is backing independent candidate Dr Ziad Basuni in his bid to claim the Home

01:11Affairs Minister's seat.

01:13Today, both were out greeting early voters in the electorate.

01:17We have seen the Honourable Tony Burke here nearly every day.

01:22This is no longer a safe seat.

01:23I've never taken the seat for granted this election, I'm handling it the same way I always

01:27have.

01:28Education Minister Jason Clare also told the ABC he's taking no vote for granted, as the

01:33Muslim vote eyes his seat of Blacksland.

01:36The group is endorsing independent candidate Ahmed Oaf in his bid to claim it.

01:42Some argue there have been some mixed messages coming from the Muslim vote movement.

01:46On one hand, it's trying to oust Labor MPs in favour of independence because it's unhappy

01:50with the government's response to Gaza, but in the seat of Parramatta, it's encouraging

01:55people to back the Liberals over Labor, despite being more critical of the Coalition's position

02:01on the issue.

02:02This is certainly not a vote for the Liberal Party, so we definitely want to keep Dutton

02:05out.

02:06The Liberal victory in this marginal seat would increase the chance of Peter Dutton getting

02:11from the

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