The Muslim Vote-endorsed candidates who scored numbers at the polls say they're just getting startedBy Nabil Al NasharCBy Catherine HanrahanTopic:Australian Federal Elections13m ago13 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 6:19amSheikh Wesam Charkawi, The Muslim Vote convener, said the 2025 election was "only the beginning". (ABC News: Marcus Stimson)In short:Muslim Vote-endorsed independents in Western Sydney recorded huge swings in the federal election.Labor's frontbenchers saw their usually safe margins chipped away at in Blaxland and Watson.The surge in the polls is normally expected "over four or five election cycles", an expert said. abc.net.au/news/federal-election-results-western-sydney-muslim-vote-independents/105273452Link copiedShareShare articleLabor may have retained the Western Sydney seats of Blaxland and Watson with comfortable margins, but a closer look at the results reveals the party has lost some support.While the federal election was fought on many fronts including the housing crisis, cost of living and migration, the issue of Gaza loomed large in the two seats, where the highest concentration of Australian Muslims live.Independents endorsed by The Muslim Vote campaign secured enough of the primary vote to edge out the Liberal candidates and come second in the two-party preferred vote behind Labor frontbenchers Tony Burke and Jason Clare.Labor's Tony Burke was one of two frontbenchers to face challenges from The Muslim Vote-endorsed candidates. (ABC News)The Muslim Vote formed less than two years ago with a mission to unify Australian Muslims as a voting bloc to back independent candidates sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.The Muslim Vote has consistently accused the Labor government of complicity in the destruction of Gaza and attacks on its people.In Blaxland, independent Ahmed Ouf averaged 20 per cent of the primary vote across the electorate.ABC analysis of booth data reveals Mr Ouf dominated in suburbs like Guildford and South Granville with almost 46 per cent of first preferences.In Auburn Central he got as high as 46.6 per cent of the primary vote.Mr Ouf managed to bite into Education Minister Jason Clare's margin which went from 55 per cent at the 2022 election to about 46.5 per cent last Saturday.He seems to have also siphoned a similar percentage of primary votes from the Liberal Party, which had just over 27 per cent in 2022 but around 19 per cent this year.Independent Ziad Basyouny in Watson also chipped away at Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke's primary vote, which was down from 51.9 per cent in 2022 to about 48.5 per cent.Political scientist and the Centre for Western Sydney executive director Andy Marks said there was "no question" that Gaza and geopolitics played an outsized role in Western Sydney and the vote overall.Centre for Western Sydney executive director Professor Andy Marks. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)"This is the kind of surge you would expect to see over four or five election cycles, typically," Professor Marks said."For them to poll so strongly early on, I think says something about the broad base of their appeal."The Labor Party, Mr Burke and Mr Clare declined to comment.'They were rejecting Labor's politics'The Greens also experienced a significant upswing in their Senate votes in those seats.Voting data shows the Greens more than doubled their Senate vote in Blaxland from 6 per cent in 2022 to about 13.6 per cent this year.In Watson they rose from 9 per cent to about 14.5 per cent.NSW senator and Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi credited the improved vote share to Muslim communities backing the party's stance on Gaza."They were rejecting Labor's politics and politics of actually staying silent and [being] complicit on the genocide in Gaza," she said.Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi has been outspoken on the war in Gaza. (ABC News: David Sciasci)The International Court of Justice last January ruled Israel must do everything in its power to prevent its troops from committing genocide in Gaza.Israel rejected the genocide allegations levelled against it, brought to the court by South Africa.The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza said in March that since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians.The Israeli government said 1,200 Israelis were killed in an attack by Hamas.How Dutton's outer-suburban strategy failedPhoto shows Labor's Zhi Soon with prime minister anthony albanese who is holding a dog. They are both at a polling boothThe number of Sydney seats held by the Liberal Party has halved, as Labor captured the southern Liberal suburban seats of Hughes and Banks, and held onto Werriwa in the south-west.Professor Marks believes the Greens' Senate result is an indicator of how voters in the electorates engage with federal politics."I think the fact that the voters were able to discern a role for the Greens, if you like a guardian role for them in the Senate, says that the electorate is pretty sophisticated — they consider those checks and balances very carefully."The Muslim Vote convener Sheikh Wesam Charkawi said the results send a clear message to Labor."These are not passive voters. They're active voters who voted to basically reject their stance on Gaza, Palestine, their weak stance," he said.What happens next?Sheikh Wesam said the results in the 2025 election were only the beginning and vowed the community "will no longer accept broken promises"."We will no longer accept being taken for granted and we are here to vote and we are here to make a change," he said.Professor Marks said the vote share in these electorates signalled there was strong support for both independents should they contest the next election."It's a conundrum for Labor and for the Liberals but if you're in office, if you're Labor, you're thinking do I need to co-opt this group? Do I need to align and accept they'll be there much like the Greens are a continual force in that space in the electorate."Posted 13m ago13 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 6:19am, updated 6m ago6 minutes agoFri 9 May 2025 at 6:25amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesNationals leader faces Canavan challenge as Taylor confirms he'll contest Liberal leadershipLIVEPhoto shows Matt Canavan, in side profile, grimaces slightly during a press conferenceAustralia's political conclave theatrics feel blokey, but the future is femaleAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbPhoto shows Sussan LeyErin Patterson was building Lego hours after serving deadly meal, court hearsTopic:CourtsPhoto shows A close up photo of Erin Patterson looking over her shoulder wearing glases.China criticises Australia over joint exercises in South China SeaTopic:Defence and National SecurityPhoto shows A Philippine Navy AW159 helicopter with the the HMAS Sydney in the background. 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