IT is Liberal heartland and has been held by the party for 41 of the past 44 years years.
Scott Morrison, who is the Opposition's spokesman on immigration, holds the seat by a comfortable 12.7 per cent margin, making it officially a "very safe" Liberal seat.
The Liberals also swept through the shire in the last state election and gained an overwhelming majority in last year's local government elections.
A field of seven starters will line up to fight for the hearts and minds of Cook voters in 2013.
The Labor candidate is Sutherland Shire councillor Peter Scaysbrook, a former small business operator.
Other candidates are Palmer United Party, Matthew Palise; Greens, Mithra Cox; Australia First, Jim Saleam; Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) Beth Smith; and independent Graeme Strang.
The electorate encompasses 100 square kilometres from the heavy industry of Kurnell and beaches of Cronulla in the east to Kirrawee and Bonnet Bay in the west, and from Botany Bay and Georges River in the north to the Royal National Park and the Hacking River in the south.
Several candidates are focusing on the needs of small business.
Mr Morrison said main issues in the area were small business regulation and frustration with how the economy was going.
Mr Scaysbrook, who comes from a small business background, said small business was the "beating heart" of the electorate.
Palmer United candidate Matthew Palise also runs his own small business.
The issue of aircraft noise recently flared up again.
But a chat with voters in Cronulla Plaza and at Caringbah shopping centre failed to produce one overwhelming theme.
National debt, privatisation and the threat to workers' rights were all mentioned.
Overall, there appeared to be a frustration with quality of debate coming from both sides of the political divide, not from Cook candidates but from their leaders.
"I'm over all the jargon," said Doug Dekroo, 68, of Caringbah, while John Peters, 73 of Cronulla said: "I just hate them putting each other down".
What are the issues you would like to see candidates for Cook focusing on?
