Hunter and Paterson candidates have a fight ahead of them to beat incumbent MPs Joel Fitzgibbon and Bob Baldwin.

Mr Fitzgibbon has a 12.5 per cent margin in the seat of Hunter, which has been held by Labor since 1910 and deemed a very safe seat.

In the 2010 election there was a 5.3 per cent swing against Mr Fitzgibbon and a 3.5 per cent swing to Nationals candidate Michael Johnsen, who has returned to challenge the MP.

After preferences, Mr Fitzgibbon had 50,803 votes and Mr Johnsen had 30,511.

Mr Fitzgibbon and Mr Johnsen were campaigning in Singleton yesterday.

Mr Johnsen was accompanied by opposition spokesman for immigration and citizenship Scott Morrison and together they criticised Labor over its Singleton detention centre contingency plan and Mr Fitzgibbon’s knowledge of it.

Mr Fitzgibbon hit back at the claims and said the plan was no longer an option because it was not needed. He said the money set aside for the plan had been returned to Treasury.

Mr Baldwin has a 5.3 per cent  margin in Paterson.  At the 2010 poll he had a 4.7 per cent swing toward him and there was a 4.7 per cent swing against Labor. 

Labor candidate Bay Marshall has been campaigning hard to win the  voters’ trust but has not announced any funding for local issues. 

Instead he has promised to fight for money to extend the M1 to Raymond Terrace, secure roads funding for black spots and improve public transport.