The Give Western Australia Back To The People Action Group 
Support The Election of Mark McGowan 
As The Next Premier Of Western Australia

One of the demands of the Give Western Australian Back To The People Action Group is for the immediate resignation of  

(1) the Western Australian Police Commissioner, Karl O'Callaghan, 

(2) the Western Australian Deputy Police Commissioner Mr A Brown APM, M. St ( Cantab). Deputy Commissioner of Operations, for the Western Australian Police

and 

(2) Western Australian Deputy Commissioner Chris Dawson

for deliberatley running a corrupt and dis-functional police service and in particular for deliberately

 telling lies and misrepresentations to the media and the general public regarding the fact associated with the Claremont Serial Killings such as :

(a) misleading the  media and the general public as to place of  the last know sighting of Jane Rimmer before Jane Rimmer disappeared on early Sunday Morning the 9th of June 2016.

(b) misleading the  media and the general public as to the time of last know sighting of Jane Rimmer before Jane Rimmer disappeared on early Sunday Morning the 9th of June 2016.

(c) not professionally and properly investigating the disappearance and murder of Jane Rimmer who was abducted early Sunday Morning the 9th of June, 2016

(d) misleading the  media and the general public as to the circumstances of the last know sighting of Ciara Glennon before CIara Gennon disappeared on early Sunday Morning the 15th of March, 2017.

(e)  not professionally and properly investigating the disappearance and murder of Ciara Glennon who was abducted early the 15th of March, 2017.


(f) Misleading the media and general public about the investigation of the disappearance of Sarah Spiers on the 27th of January, 1996 

(g) not professionally and properly investigating the disappearance and murder of Sarah Spiers who was abducted early the 27th of January, 1996.

(h) By going out of their way to protect influential, well connected and powerful people involved in the Claremont Serial Killings, and other abductions, murders and serious crimes committed in Western Australia

The full facts and circumstances of the above are set out in detail ina new books being published and a new film be made called


Missing Abducted Murdered in Western Australia
 

for a free copy of  the book Missing Abducted Murdered in Western Australia please email

The Give Western Australia Back To The People Action Group at

missingabductedinwa@gmail.com

No Western Australian should vote in the Western Australian March state election  before reading a free PDF copy of the book

"Missing Abducted Murdered in Western Australia".

Email for free PDF copy:

 missingabductedinwa@gmail.com

The Give Western Australia Back To The People Action Group are purchasing 

a freehold hotel to be used as a permanent monument for the

 girls and boys that have gone missing, abducted murdered in Western Australia 

 Ministry of the McGowan Labor Government-elect
Mark McGowan 
Email contacts for the Western Australian Labor Party

info@walabor.org.au, 
leader@loop.wa.gov.au,
kwinana@mp.wa.gov.au,
john.quigley@mp.wa.gov.au

Ministry of the McGowan Labor Government-elect 

Western Australian State Election March, 2017
Mark McGowan and Labor set to sweep into power, says Galaxy poll

Joe Spagnolo, PerthNow - March 4, 2017 

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/waelection/wa-election-2017-mark-mcgowan-and-labor-set-to-sweep-into-power-says-galaxy-poll/news-story/12fdf40c1826722e3f030afd8a7af747

Mark McGowan (right) is set to succeed over Colin Barnett (left), according to a new poll. Picture: Mogens Johansen

MARK McGowan is poised to become WA Premier, with a new poll predicting Labor will win Saturday’s State election.

An exclusive Galaxy poll of West Australians, commissioned by The Sunday Times, shows Labor has a 54 to 46 per cent lead over the Liberal-National alliance on a two-party preferred basis.

The poll, which has a history of giving the most accurate prediction of voter intentions, suggests Labor would achieve an 11 per cent swing since the 2013 State election.

A swing of this magnitude on Saturday would see Labor pick up 14 seats from the Liberals to form a majority government.

Labor needs to win 10 seats from the Liberals to seize power.

With six days to the election, key poll findings included:

PRIMARY support for Labor has surged to 40 per cent. This is almost seven percentage points higher than in 2013.

SUPPORT for the Liberals has slumped to just 31 per cent, more than 16 points lower than four years ago.

STATEWIDE support for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation is at 9 per cent, while the Greens are steady at 8 per cent and the Nationals have slipped to 5 per cent. Support for other minor parties and Independents is 7 per cent.

ON THE question of preferred premier, Mr McGowan holds a commanding 46 to 33 per cent lead over Colin Barnett, who is now one of WA’s longest serving premiers.

The poll was conducted from Wednesday to Friday, based on the opinions of 1115 voters across WA.

This survey was conducted by Galaxy Research between 1-3 March 2017.
The results are based on the opinions of 1115 voters.
The data has been weighted and projected to reflect the population of Western Australia.

Galaxy accurately predicted the hung parliament of 2008 and the emphatic Liberal-National win of 2013. In contrast with other polls which only use robopolling, Galaxy also uses online surveys to better match the sample to the broader population.

With Labor’s primary vote at 40 per cent, Galaxy managing director David Briggs said the party would still be dependent on the flow of preferences from the 24 per cent of voters who support the minor parties.

But he said there was no reason to doubt that they would achieve the usual strong preference flow from Green voters.

As revealed last month, the Liberals struck a preference swap with One Nation in the hope the deal may save them from political annihilation.

The poll suggested that close to 50 per cent of One Nation voters would preference Labor ahead of the Liberals, Mr Briggs said.

If the predicted 11 per cent swing is uniform, Labor could pick up Perth, Forrestfield, Belmont, Swan Hills, Morley, Balcatta, Mount Lawley, Bicton, Kalamunda, Joondalup, Southern River and Wanneroo.

Labor would also win the notionally Liberal-held seats of Collie-Preston and West Swan.

This survey was conducted by Galaxy Research between 1-3 March 2017.
The results are based on the opinions of 1115 voters.
The data has been weighted and projected to reflect the population of Western Australia.

On the key issue of which party voters are more likely to trust to reduce State debt, the Liberals edged Labor 38 to 37 per cent.

Voters were also divided on Labor’s plan to cancel the Perth Freight Link and redirect some of the Commonwealth money to its Metronet rail plan and other road projects.

Overall, 42 per cent favour Labor’s plan, with 38 per cent opposed and another 20 per cent uncommitted.

Mr Barnett yesterday predicted West Australians may not know the results of some seats until after election night.

Mr McGowan insisted his party were the underdogs.

Premier Colin Barnett warns against voting One Nation

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-election-2017/premier-colin-barnett-warns-against-voting-one-nation-20170206-gu6y9t.html

Above Mark McGowan Pauline Hanson Colin Barnett . three of the major players in the March 20017 Western Australian Elections

Premier Colin Barnett has cautioned people against voting for One Nation, saying it would be bad if the balance of power in WA's upper house was controlled by candidates from a minor party.
A Newspoll released last week suggested Pauline Hanson's One Nation would be the third most popular party with 13 per cent of the primary vote and some political analysts think it could get a far higher vote and have the balance of power.

Pauline Hanson impersonator crashes press conference
A woman dressed up as Pauline Hanson in a wedding dress has yelled a rant at a Colin Barnett press conference. Vision: Nine News Perth.
"Yeah, I think that would be a problem," Mr Barnett told Sky News.
"When we've seen minor parties, sometimes with an odd assortment of candidates, it makes government very, very difficul
"Whether it be a Liberal or Labor government, to able to actually govern and do the things that are necessary.
"One of the things that I will be saying repeatedly through this campaign will be: who do you really trust to run your school systems, your hospitals, law and order, planning, development and the environment?
The Barnett government's eight-year reign could end at the March 11 vote, with Labor leading in most polls over the last 18 months, but the premier said while it would be tough he believed he could still win.
He defended the government against Labor's criticism over the state's record debt and deficit and suggestions it wasted the riches of the mining boom.
                      
                                 Will the major parties try to woo One Nation? 

He said the government had used the money on worthwhile investments that were needed due to WA's population growth of 500,000 in the last eight years - bigger than Tasmania's entire population. If WA had received the same amount of GST revenue that the other states received rather than its 30 cents in the dollar of the last couple of years the budget would be in surplus, he said. WA was "doing the job for Australia", with only 10 per cent of the nation's population it produced 40 per cent of its exports and that would rise to 50 per cent this decade, Mr Barnett said. - AAP

#

A stroll with Colin Barnett: Up close and personal with WA's incumbent Premier

FEBRUARY 27 2017   Brendan Foster

           

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-election-2017/a-stroll-with-colin-barnett-up-close-and-personal-to-was-incumbent-premier-20170223-gujg4i.html

"Maybe they thought I was John Howard?," Premier Colin Barnett laughs in a masterful moment of self-deprecation after hordes of boozed-up buffoons mobbed him at Elizabeth Quay.

The Premier isn't exactly regarded as a gregarious bon vivant and has been rumoured to have all the cheery disposition of the Hound from Game of Thrones, so his unique brand of zany is disarming.

WA Premier Colin Barnett takes an evening stroll with WAtoday Political Journalist Brendan Foster and discusses the issues heading into the State Election.

But his visceral humour isn't staged or forced. Unless he's some visionary robotics genius like Anthony Hopkins in the brilliant Netflix show Westworld and his fawning fans are robots?

As the crowd chants "Barnett", "Barnett", the Premier with a beaming smile strides towards them like a great leader entering the finals days of Sodom and Gomorrah.

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He is swamped by dozens of selfie-obsessed supporters lining up to get into the Embargo Bar.

"See, not everyone hates me," the Premier chuckles, trying to wrestle himself away from some drunk that smells like he'd been drinking moonshine made in gumboots.

Mr Barnett doesn't shy away from the fact he is on the nose with voters – even despised.

Only a few months ago, a Newspoll revealed his satisfaction rating of 27 per cent was the lowest ever recorded for an Australian premier.

Colin Barnett talking about the new vibrant Northbridge. Photo: Matt Neves

But what most people forget is he has survived eight years as leader of Western Australia during one of the most tumultuous periods in Australian political history.

He has seen five Prime Ministers come and four go, and more changes of governments on the east coast than Labor leader Mark McGowan has used the term "fresh approach".

Colin Barnett swamped by 'fans' At Elizabeth Quay. Photo: James Mooney

Remarkably, despite Mr Barnett's plummeting popularity he is in with a real chance of winning his third "premiership" with the election only three weeks away.

But what has he got left to achieve?

"Now I'm Premier I just pick up birds like that - they just flock to me."

Premier Colin Barnett

What is driving the 66-year-old to chase the elusive three-peat?

Not a political animal

"I'm not a political animal - I'm more interested in what I can achieve, not personally, but the government I'm in," he told WAtoday in an exclusive interview.

"In previous campaigns I felt the personal pressures. I'm not feeling it this time, but it's probably going to be the hardest one to win.

"This is the last roll of the dice and I just hope the people trust myself to lead the government in what's going to be an interesting period, then hopefully I would have someone to hand over to.

"I think I would like to feel there is somebody really ready to take it on. Being Premier is not an easy job."

The problem plaguing the Premier is there is no immediate heir to take over his reign.

There were two: accident-prone former Treasurer and close friend Troy Buswell who quit politics citing mental health issues, and the highly rated former Attorney General Christian Porter who hasstepped into the federal arena.

For now, the Liberal cupboard is looking a little bare.

The Premier and I are embarking on a tour of Perth, which he believes the Liberal party helped transform from a "dull as dishwater" city into a thriving, vibrant metropolis.

As he points to a number of big ticket items like Elizabeth Quay and the Perth City Link on our stroll, he doesn't want the infrastructure projects to be seen as his own legacy.

Legacies aside, he can't ignore his last months in office pivot around a nightmarish economy that is nothing short of a basket case.

In late December, the Barnett government forecast a surplus of $521 million in 2019/20 but that figure turned into a $535 million deficit when updated figures were released earlier this month.

For the current financial year, the projected deficit is expected to go beyond $3 billion.

The WA government has spent billions of mining boom money on Elizabeth Quay, hospitals, roads, city square and the new stadium at Burswood.

At one stage Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews accused the WA Liberals of spending money like "drunken sailors" when the Barnett government demanded a bigger piece of the GST pie.

But the Premier is adamant the unprecedented spending on capital works were necessary to drag Perth into the 21st century.

It's selfie time with the premier. Photo: James Mooney

"When I first became Premier in 2008 it coincided with the Global Financial Crisis which hit this state hard," he said.

"Then we had a surge in mining prices and a collapse of mining prices... nothing new in that.

"And our GST fell from 95 cents in the dollar to 30 cents. And at the same time our population went up by 500,000 people.

"So what was I meant to do? Not provide schools or hospitals for a growing population?

"Nevertheless, the level we have got to now is uncomfortable. It's not a catastrophe, but it's uncomfortable and therefore we are planning to sell half of Western Power to pay off $8 million of debt and the $3 billion will help keep building schools and whatever else is needed."
 

One Nation deal

One party that is planning to scuttle the Barnett government's plan to sell off the state's polls and wires is One Nation.

Ironically, PHON could be handed the balance of power in the upper house on a platter after the Liberals cut an unprecedented preference deal with One Nation.

Mr Barnett claims to have never met One Nation leader and founder Pauline Hanson and denies he was ever involved in any backroom deals.

"I'm not a person that gets involved in preferences and numbers and all the rest of it," he said.

"If its true One Nation gets around 10 per cent of the vote, they are going to get members elected into the upper house regardless of any preference deals.

"I'm not endorsing their candidates or their policies. I get asked about that everyday... go ask Pauline Hanson."

"We need to recognise they will be a factor in the election."

'Not everyone hates me', the Premier quipped. Photo: Matt Neves

As we head towards the Perth City Link project the Premier's lightning fast cadence is interrupted by some cursing, grunting man who is keen to have a crack at him.

The verbal bluster goes beyond your usual unfriendly banter and I can sense the Premier's protectors moving in.

I suddenly get the sneaking suspicion if things quickly turn ugly, one of the Premier's minder would simply pick me and hurl me towards the alcohol-fuelled agitator.  

Next to the Premier's minders, I look like a shrunken version of Hagrid from the Harry Potter movies.

I half expect to awaken from a coma in three weeks time, speaking fluent French.

I cowardly turn away waiting for an eruption of violence but the "muscle" shoves the man with all the gusto of helping an elderly person that has swilled one too many sherries across the road.

Mr Barnett nonchalantly shrugs his shoulder and says "I get a bit of that".

By the time we hit the Fringe Festival I am walking with all the grace of a man who has just touched soil for the first time in six months after hauling in tuna on a tiny boat off the coast of Scotland.

It's still 35 degrees and my back is gone.

But Mr Barnett isn't finished just yet.

Yagan Square

For the first time his relentless appetite for selling the "city" slows down and his thoughts appear more measured and calm.

He wants to talk about the $73.5 million Yagan Square, a social hub that will sit within the Horseshoe Bridge.

"Perth must have a central square and it must be called Yagan Square," he said.

"It raised a few eyebrows around the Liberal party probably. But Aboriginal people needed that respect and recognition in the heart of the city.

"Liberal governments aren't necessarily seen as dealing with Aboriginal issues, but we settled the South West Native Title – in terms of population of Aboriginal people and geographic area and value, it's the biggest Native Title settlement in Australian history and there will never be a bigger one."

Perth's new food and beverage precinct Yagan Square. Photo: Supplied

The Premier is astute, funny and erudite without flaunting it, and is lapping up the urgent vibrancy of Northbridge.

The following day at the Liberals' launch he tells the party faithful Perth "was pumping" when he walked around the city on Saturday night with me.

It's hard to argue. It wasn't that long ago you found booze hounds slumped in doorways sipping on boot polish.

"It was dullsville, now it's got vitality," Mr Barnett boasts.

When the Premier is hugged by a close female friend at Fringe he lets rip with another zinger.

"Now I'm Premier I just pick up birds like that - they just flock to me," he chuckles.

It's clear he's probably at his happier in the company of women, rather than talking politics, but I can't let him disappear without asking him about how the election will play out.

Election will be won in the bush

He feels the election could be won and lost in the country seats.

"All the analysts are tending to ignore country seats," he said.

"We hold Bunbury that could be at risk, equally Labor's at risk in Collie... Kimberley, Albany, Kalgoorlie can go to anyone. Pilbara could go to anyone.

"There hasn't been much analysis of those seats so it could be unpredictable.

"I don't like to use the word underdog but I think Labor is in front.

"There is still three [now two] weeks to go which is a long time in politics, and I think there is going to be unpredictable results and in some cases I think it will be the recognition of a local candidate that might go against the trend.

"I think it's going to be close".

When we finally sit down for a beer, the Premier has a curious habit of placing his hand over his beer.

I'm not too sure if he thinks I'll slip something into his beer and he'll end up back at my house tied to a chair and forced to watch episodes of Doctor Who.

The Premier and Brendan Foster at Fringe. Photo: James Mooney

Whatever happens the day after the election, the Premier's focus will shift momentarily away; it's his wife's Lynn's birthday.

"This is my last election for Lynn and I and we want to finish the job," he says.

"There are a lot of projects I'd like to see finished and I like to lead the state into what's going to be a different period of growth.

"Then I will step into the sunset."

1.      One Nation's Perth pub event 'unacceptable and unlawful'

2.     

Liberal candidates receive death threat posted to home addresses

3.     

WA election: An idiot's guide to preference

Western Australia State election to be held of 11th March, 2017
Labor pulls ahead to winning position in poll

Galaxy poll puts Labor ahead 54-46, a larger than expected margin that puts Mark McGowan on track to become premier

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/mar/05/western-australia-election-labor-pulls-ahead-to-winning-position-in-poll

Galaxy poll puts Labor ahead 54-46, a larger than expected margin that puts Mark McGowan on track to become premier

 Western Australia’s opposition leader, Mark McGowan, with Labor’s candidate for the seat of Morley, Amber-Jade Sanderson, campaigning in Perth on Thursday. Photograph: Rebecca Le May/AAP

Labor is on track to win Saturday’s state election in Western Australia, according to a Galaxy poll released on Sunday.

The poll, commissioned by the Sunday Times, shows Labor has a 54% to 46% lead over the Liberal-National alliance on a two-party preferred basis.

According to the poll, Labor has picked up a larger than expected swing that would result in Mark McGowan claiming a convincing win over the premier, Colin Barnett.

The managing director of Galaxy, David Briggs, said Labor’s primary vote was at 40% and it would have to rely on preferences from the 24% of voters who support the minor parties.

He said Labor would likely achieve the usual strong preference flow from Green voters but he said they could also pick up pick close to 50% of preferences from One Nation supporters.

If the predicted 11% swing is uniform, Labor could pick up Perth, Forrestfield, Belmont, Swan Hills, Morley, Balcatta, Mount Lawley, Bicton, Kalamunda, Joondalup, Southern River and Wanneroo.

Labor would also win the notionally Liberal-held seats of Collie-Preston and West Swan.

Barnett said on Sunday the Coalition party was still in the game because of undecided voters.

“I’m a little bit disappointed but I think it confirms what most polls have indicated, and while there’s been a great deal of variability within the polls, it’s clear that the Labor party has been in front,” Barnett told reporters. “There’s still the best part of a week to go and a large number of voters, maybe 15-20% have yet to decide how they’re going to vote so we’re still in this game.”

Barnett said of McGowan: “Mark’s OK, he works hard, but I tell you what, Western Australia is headed for mediocrity.”

The premier said the Labor campaign was being massively funded by the unions, helping the party outspend the Liberals on advertising five-to-one.

“Almost every second ad on television and radio is a union ad having a go at me or having a go at the Liberal party,” he said. “Probably two-thirds of a McGowan cabinet will be recent union officials.”

The campaign enters its final week on Sunday. The One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, is expected in WA for the final week.

Hanson took heart from the Galaxy poll that shows One Nation on 9%.

“I do believe we will win seats in the upper house, especially as the Libs are preferencing us before the Nats and Labor,” she told ABC TV on Sunday.

She also called the former One Nation candidate Ray Gould, who quit over the party’s preference deal with the Liberals, a Labor stooge for his public outburst.

“He has come across to One Nation as a disgruntled person,” she said.

The former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke campaigned with McGowan on Saturday, while the foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, attended a Liberal rally with Barnett.

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Western Australian state Election 11^th March 2017
 Labor leader Mark McGowan
vows to bring back budget surplus

               
Western Australian Labor leader Mark McGowan 

AAP, PerthNow February 1, 2017

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/wa-election-2017-labor-leader-mark-mcgowan-vows-to-bring-back-budget-suplus/news-story/1f1b9bfbdfcf85b04e13020e9a279c17

Western Australian Labor leader Mark McGowan has guaranteed that if elected he will bring the state budget's record deficit back to surplus in a first term as government.

A key strategy is cutting public service spending, including a 20 per cent reduction in senior managers, merging of departments, linking pay more to performance through a "strict wages policy" and shedding consulting and advertising costs

However he also would not rule in or out increasing taxes or charges if elected.

"We don't have any plans to do that but all I'd say is this; the finances will be difficult to manage because of the Liberals and Nationals," he told reporters at a press conference with his wife Sarah ahead of writs being issued on Wednesday afternoon for the March 11 poll.

"When I get requests from people to cut land tax for instance, I would love to be able to do that but it's very difficult in the current financial circumstances to do that."

"We will be making all our positions plain during the course of the election campaign."

The deficit is forecast to be $3.4 billion at the end of the financial year and general government debt is expected to be $33.3 billion.

"We will bring the budget back to surplus in the first term ... the first thing the state should do is vote out the government that created the problem," Mr McGowan said.

Mr McGowan, who lost the 2013 election to Mr Barnett, said he was now ready to govern with policies to diversify the state's economy, put local workers and businesses first on government projects, improve the public transport, health and education systems and continue the Royalties for Regions funding for the bush.

"I think West Australians are keen for change ... I'm ready to serve as premier of Western Australia. I've got the energy, enthusiasm and passion. This state has given me everything and I want to give this state back something," he said.

"Mr Barnett is the one who blew the boom. He failed to see at the end of the mining boom we needed a broader, more diversified state economy. Labor has a plan to do that."

Mr Barnett rejected that, saying the money was not squandered or lost.

"It has been invested in services for people today and then for their children and grandchildren into the future," he said.

He said Labor had no plan to deal with the state's debt or deficit and warned its pledge to tear up contracts for the flagship Roe 8 project would create nervousness about other contracts such as crucial mining state agreements.

WA election: The weirdest menage a trois is happening before our eyes

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-election-2017/wa-election-the-weirdest-menage-a-trois-is-happening-before-our-eyes-20170206-gu6dfd.html

An unsavoury political menage a trois is heating up a month out from the WA election, but both the major parties will be hoping the sex tape doesn't see the light of day. Only a few months ago, One Nation's dance card was all but empty, but now both the Liberals and Labor are lining up with bouquets and chocolates, trying to sweep Pauline Hanson off her feet.

                      
                                                    Politics makes for strange bedfellows.  

And with a recent Newspoll in The Australian showing PHON could get 13 per cent of the primary vote, the major parties will scramble over each other trying to be the first to jump into bed with One Nation.

We are constantly told politics makes strange bedfellows, but given both the Liberals' and Labor's open disdain for One Nation's policies in the past, the parties cutting a direct preference deal with PHON could mean the weirdest bedmates ever in a WA election.  

                       
                                            Mark McGowan hasn't ruled out doing a preference deal with One Nation

I mean, there had been moments of titillation and flirtation between Labor, the Liberals and PHON, but most of us just assumed it wouldn't turn into any hanky-panky.

But last week, the unlikely dalliance steamed up, with Labor and the Liberals refusing to rule out any preference deals.

Labor leader Mark McGowan even tried to seduce One Nation voters, claiming his party and PHON had a lot in common with their shared opposition to the $11 million sale of Western Power and the protection of local jobs. 

And with One Nation surging in the polls, the Liberal party will be wining and dining PHON over coming days, because without an agreement the Coalition cannot win a third term.

A report in an eastern states newspaper says the Liberals are expected to toss aside their policy of putting One Nation last on how-to-vote cards, placing it as high as second in some seats - ahead of their government partners the Nationals - under a swap.

Mr Barnett told reporters last week he hoped One Nation would preference the Liberals ahead of Labor at the March state election, but said he was not involved in preference deals.

"I imagine in some seats we will; I imagine in some seats One Nation will give their preferences to the Labor party ahead of the Liberal party," Mr Barnett said.

"As I've said several times, I expect in pretty well every seat, the Liberal party will either come first or second. In other words, our preferences will never be allocated."

If the Liberals do decide to walk down the altar with One Nation where does that leave their longstanding relationship with the Nationals?  That 'marriage' has been on the rocks over the past year over the Nationals' stance on the mining tax, but everyone expected the Liberals to kiss and make up before the election.

Notre Dame University political expert Martin Drum said it was fascinating watching Labor and the Liberals wooing One Nation, given both parties' criticism of PHON's racial and anti-immigration policies.

Dr Drum said of late, both parties had gone soft on One Nation.

He said the Liberals had always put One Nation last, so any direct deals with PHON would be unprecedented.

He said if the Liberals did place One Nation ahead of the Nationals across the board, the Coalition "coupling" was on shaky ground.

"It does show how worried they are by Hanson's rise," he told WAtoday.

"What I found most extraordinary about this report is the possibility that the Liberals could preference One Nation ahead of their own alliance partners in government. This demonstrates how strained the relationship is between the Liberals and Nationals."

Dr Drum said the biggest beneficiaries of any preference deal with PHON would be One Nation.

While he predicts One Nation would hold the balance of power in the Upper House, there is the real possibility PHON now could pick up as many as four Lower House seats.

"I'm tipping One Nation to win a seat in each of the three regional Upper House regions," he said.

"They are an outside chance in a number of lower house regional seats such as Pilbara, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie where the vote will be split three to four ways. They would have to outpoll the other conservative parties though, because I'm not sure they would get many preferences from Labor or the Greens.

"Long shot, but not completely impossible."

Nationals leader Brendon Grylls joked to reporters last week supporting One Nation was a bit like buying a Chiko roll.

"You look in the bain-marie, it looks sort of enticing, you decide to buy it ... you take a bite of it, you're disappointed and then you end up regretting it," he said.

Stale Chiko rolls aside, even Mr Grylls can't ignore the rise of the party that - ironically - was born out of a fish and chip shop in Ipswich, Queensland.

'Game on'-The buzz words WA pollies are using this state election

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-election-2017/game-on-the-buzz-words-wa-pollies-are-using-this-state-election-20170205-gu602y.html

FEBRUARY 6 2017

'Game on': The buzz words WA pollies are using this state election

Heather McNeill

F

If their opening speeches are anything to go by, here is the list of the buzz words you can expect to be hearing a whole lot more from WA's political party leaders as the March 11 state election edges closer. The words were said by Liberal leader Colin Barnett, WA Labor leader Mark McGowan and Nationals leader Brendon Grylls shortly after the signing of the writs on Wednesday marked the official start of the election campaign.

At a glance: what are the government and the opposition promising us? 

Or as Mr Barnett so eloquently put it, it's now "game on". And kicking us off was opposition leader Mr McGowan who used the term "fresh approach" during his speech more than any other phrase – reinforcing a key strategy for his party's campaign in that they are not the Liberals and he is not Colin Barnett. He came out with lines like, "It's a choice between an arrogant, tired, out-of-touch government whose time is up, or West Australians can choose a fresh approach under a McGowan WA Labor Government."
And, "We offer a fresh approach to jobs... we offer a fresh approach to health... we offer a fresh approach to education...  I want to give Western Australia a fresh approach, a fresh start, change from the last eight and a half years of a Liberal-National government."
Got it? McGowan is fresh, ok

WA Labor leader Mark McGowan's buzz words at the official launch on the election race.

But if you're still not sure, his party's McGowan-branded breath mints may help seal the deal (yes, seriously).

Failing that, the WA Labor leader has also recently taken to swapping his old faithful red tie for a much fresher green one to rid you of any minuscule doubt you may still have had that he is indeed the freshest. The Labor party leader spoke often of his plan to keep Western Power publicly-owned (5) and to create more jobs (5) – two policies that he has been pushing heavily since his party began ramping up its efforts to release policy positions in mid-2016.   The promise of more "jobs" also featured prominently in Mr Barnett (4) and Mr Grylls' (6) speeches, although Mr Barnett took a much more investment-focused approach to his speech.

"Economy" and "investment" were the two most prominent words used by the Premier, said a total of 16 and 10 times respectively as he made his first official pitch to remain Premier for a third term.

                     'Government' was the stand-out in Premier Colin Barnett's speech.

"Health", "hospital" and "schools" were also regular talking points with the Premier taking the opportunity to remind the public of his achievements in building new hospitals and launching the independent public schooling system during the last eight years.

The Premier used the word "difference" repeatedly as a means to try distance himself from his opponent, telling voters Mr McGowan opposed much of the Liberal's plans.

"The Liberal party supports the development of a uranium industry in this state, Labor oppose that, a significant difference... the Liberal party supports GM technology, we have a pro-science approach to farming... Labor oppose GM technology... this government built Elizabeth Quay and is building the stadium, both projects opposed by Labor," he said.

His comments were on the back of key Liberal policies to expand WA's Asian tourist market, and a renewed focus on industries like agriculture and uranium mining in the wake of the iron ore boom subsiding.

He also regularly drew on the inexperience of Mr McGowan, claiming he would not be able to handle the pressures of negotiating international trade and investment deals.  

"My opponent Mark McGowan has very limited experience," Mr Barnett said.

"That is a problem for Western Australia because international trade and relations is where our future lies for decades and decades to come."

But the punches didn't stop there, Mr Barnett later told reporters he wasn't a pop star, and that he was here to run the state, swiftly jabbing afterwards that McGowan wasn't a pop star either and was "boring".

One man who was anything but boring during his address to the WA National party on Friday was leader Brendon Grylls, who fired up his candidates with a passionate and determined opening speech.

Not surprisingly, the buzz words used by Mr Grylls included "regions", referring to his Royalties for Regions scheme, and "tourism", referring to his party's plans to expand regional and Indigenous tourism throughout the state and improve connectivity between the regions.

     Nationals leader Brendon Grylls will do things, the words in his speech indicate.

The direction of his speech at the end turned firey – literally - with Mr Grylls using the words "machine gun", "bunker" and "whistle" five times as he described the metaphorical assault of WA Labor and One Nation on his party's core programs.

"Our policy now has a machine gun in the form of Labor and One Nation between its future and us," he said.

"But I tell you what, I tell you what, with all of my ability, I'm charging that machine gun.

"I am not going to let them unwind the ten years of work that you and our party has put into developing that program, I am not going to let that happen."

According to Sportsbet, Mr McGowan is a clear favourite to become premier, tipped at $1.22 to win ahead of Mr Barnett on $4. 

Despite the prediction, Mr McGowan has publicly declared himself the underdog this election, a race that even the Premier agrees will be "unpredictable" and "close".

Let the games begin. 

The buzz words (excluding irrelevant words like Western Australia and the candidates' names)

Mark McGowan's buzz words:聽

Fresh: 6

Approach: 5

Western Power: 5

Jobs: 5

Education: 4

Regions: 3

Colin Barnett's buzz words:

Economy: 16

Investment: 10

Health: 8

Hospital: 7

Schools: 7

Difference: 6

Brendon Gryll's buzz words:

Tourism: 12

Regional: 6

Regions: 6

Invest: 6

Jobs: 6

Economy: 5

WA One Nation candidate under fire over 'sexually explicit interests'

Brendan Foster  FEBRUARY 3 2017
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-election-2017/wa-one-nations-candidate-under-fire-over-sexually-explicit-interests-on-facebook-20170202-gu4biw.html


Another One Nation candidate has come under fire after the contents of his Facebook page revealed interests in a number of sexually explicit pages and lewd groups.


Cameron Bartkowski is running for One Nation in the Upper House in the South West region.

Pauline Hanson impersonator crashes press conference
A woman dressed up as Pauline Hanson in a wedding dress has yelled a rant at a Colin Barnett press conference. Vision: Nine News Perth.
Radio 6PR uncovered some of his Facebook likes which show pages such as 'hot booty ebony', 'world class babes', 'hot girls worldwide', 'I cuckhold all my boyfriends and 'f**k my ex'.

He has liked dozens of bawdy and lewd Facebook pages.


RELATED CONTENT
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Following calls to Mr Bartkowski, his Facebook page was deleted on Thursday afternoon.

Radio 6PR Perth Live presenter Oliver Peterson spoke to Mr Bartkowski who said it shouldn't matter what's on his Facebook page.

He also revealed he hadn't even paid for his One Nation candidacy yet.

One Nation leader and founder Pauline Hanson has previously said she was personally involved in vetting the candidates for the upcoming March election.



Some of the groups liked by Cameron Bartkowski. Photo: Facebook.
But it appears another candidate has slipped through the net.

On Wednesday, One Nation said it was standing by its candidate for the seat of Pilbara, David Archibald, despite his offensive and bizarre comments towards single women labelling them too "lazy to attract and hold a mate".

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-election-2017/wa-one-nations-candidate-under-fire-over-sexually-explicit-interests-on-facebook-20170202-gu4biw.html
Cameron Bartkowski is running in WA's South West.
Cameron Bartkowski is running in WA's South West. Photo: Facebook
Writing an article for the prestigious literary online magazine Quadrant in 2015, Mr Archibald claimed there were a number of welfare programs that should be slashed because they support "lifestyle choices that could be defunded".

"The first that springs to mind is single motherhood," he writes.

"These are women too lazy to attract and hold a mate, undoing the work of possibly three million years of evolutionary pressure."

"This will result in a rapid rise in the portion of the population that is lazy and ugly. We know what causes pregnancy these days, so everyone who gets pregnant outside of marriage is a volunteer."

Mr Archibald didn't just have a pot shot at single mums in the Quadrant article, he also had a swipe at childcare funding, spending on Indigenous affairs and the disability pension.

"Second, the 800,000 Australians on the disability pension. OK, not all of them. But a good proportion are able to drive cars, bash police and each other, go fishing and so on," he wrote.

"Now comes federally funded childcare. This is a lifestyle choice. Looking after children is very labour-intensive."

Federal Shadow Minister for Transport Anthony Albanese, who was in Perth on Tuesday backing WA Labor's push to dump Roe 8, called on One Nation to dump Mr Archibald.

"The idea that if you have a single mother you are somehow less of a human being, really belongs way back in the dark ages," Mr Albanese, who was raised by a single mother, told SBS.

Despite the outlandish statements, Mr Archibald, who is running against the leader of the WA Nationals Brendon Grylls, told the ABC he stood by his comments.

National Council for Single Mothers and their Children chief executive Terese Edwards said the One Nation candidate's comments were "disrespectful".

"I just found it incredible that a man in 2017 would feel comfortable in being so disrespectful to women — women who are doing a wonderful job in raising children by themselves," she told the ABC.

Mr Archibald - a geologist and climate change skeptic - has written numerous articles for Quadrant, with one titled Evolution vs. Gay Marriage from August 2015, claiming a "successful culture" wouldn't allow homosexuality.

"Homosexuality is part of the human condition," he writes in his premise. "But so is marriage, which is more than a mere societal construct, as those who are keen to change the long-established norms of mating and reproduction would have us believe. A successful culture wouldn't mix the two. A degenerate culture might."

Even though One Nation is expected to be the wild card in the upcoming WA election with political pundits expecting the party to poll as high as 11 per cent, it has courted controversial with a number of its candidates.

One Nation candidate for the seat of Dawesville, Lawrence Shave, had plans to open a "bikini baristas" drive-through coffee shop, where staff donned only scantily-clad swim wear.

And party leader Pauline Hanson dumped Brian Brighton, who nominated for the seat of Joondalup because of his past criminal conviction.

Mr Brighton was fined $5000 back in 1993 for stealing departure tax stamps and selling them for $1000 while working as a customs officer.

He later told WAtoday he was planning to run as an independent in the March election and wanted wants all drug addicts to be dumped on an island to fend for themselves.

But One Nation isn't the only party whose candidates have got themselves in hot water in the past week - highlighting questionable practices in the vetting process for candidates.

The Liberal candidate for Mandurah David Forbes quit after revelations he used Twitter to call Malcolm Turnbull a "laughing stock" and to suggest women were often "office Nazis".

And Labor candidate for the Upper House seat in the Agricultural Region, Renee Ellis, looks set to step down after allegations of inappropriate and compromising behaviour, according to the ABC.

Ms Renee, who is a councillor in City of Greater Geraldton council, had a loss of confidence motion moved against her by the council after it was alleged a number of social media posts were not in line with the city's values and code of conduct.
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One Nation stand by WA candidate after calling single mums 'lazy and ugly'

FEBRUARY 1 2017http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-election-2017/one-nation-stand-by-wa-candidate-after-calling-single-mums-lazy-and-ugly-20170201-gu34ae.html

Brendan Foster

One Nation is standing by its WA candidate for the seat of Pilbara despite his offensive and bizarre comments towards single women labelling them too "lazy to attract and hold a mate".

Writing an article for the prestigious literary online magazine Quadrant in 2015, David Archibald claimed there were a number welfare programs that should be slashed because they support "lifestyle choices that could be defunded".

Pauline Hanson on WA issues

Pauline Hanson is in Perth to discuss her views on what's best for Western Australia.

"The first that springs to mind is single motherhood," he writes.

"These are women too lazy to attract and hold a mate, undoing the work of possibly three million years of evolutionary pressure."

RELATED CONTENT

WA Liberals deny One Nation preference deal done

Danny Green slams Anthony Mundine for divisive national anthem stance

"This will result in a rapid rise in the portion of the population that is lazy and ugly. We know what causes pregnancy these days, so everyone who gets pregnant outside of marriage is a volunteer."

Mr Archibald didn't just have a pot shot at single mums in the Quadrant article, he also had a swipe at childcare funding, spending on Indigenous affairs and the disability pension.

"Second, the 800,000 Australians on the disability pension. OK, not all of them. But a good proportion are able to drive cars, bash police and each other, go fishing and so on," he wrote.

"Now comes federally funded childcare. This is a lifestyle choice. Looking after children is very labour-intensive.

One Nation candidate for the PIlbara David Archibald called single mums 'too lazy to attract and hold a mate' Photo: YouTube/mmattjanet

"If society wishes to encourage childbearing, it should reward that with tax rebates to the childbearing pair and leave it at that."

Federal Shadow Minister for Transport Anthony Albanese, who was in Perth on Tuesday backing WA Labor's push to dump Roe 8, called on One Nation to dump Mr Archibald.

"The idea that if you have a single mother you are somehow less of a human being, really belongs way back in the dark ages," Mr Albanese, who was raised by a single mother, told SBS.

Despite the outlandish statements, Mr Archibald, who is running against the leader of the WA Nationals Brendon Grylls, told the ABC he stood by his comments.

National Council for Single Mothers and their Children chief executive Terese Edwards said the One Nation candidate's comments were "disrespectful".

"I just found it incredible that a man in 2017 would feel comfortable in being so disrespectful to women — women who are doing a wonderful job in raising children by themselves," she told the ABC.

Mr Archibald - a geologist and climate change skeptic - has written numerous articles for Quadrant, with one titled Evolution vs. Gay Marriage from August 2015, claiming a "successful culture" wouldn't allow homosexuality.

"Homosexuality is part of the human condition," he writes in his premise. "But so is marriage, which is more than a mere societal construct, as those who are keen to change the long-established norms of mating and reproduction would have us believe. A successful culture wouldn't mix the two. A degenerate culture might."

Even though One Nation is expected to be the wild card in the upcoming WA election with political pundits expecting the party to poll as high as 11 per cent, it has courted controversial with a number of its candidates.

One Nation candidate for the seat of Dawesville, Lawrence Shave, had plans to open a "bikini baristas" drive-through coffee shop, where staff donned only scantily-clad swim wear.

And party leader Pauline Hanson dumped Brian Brighton, who nominated for the seat of Joondalup because of his past criminal conviction.

Mr Brighton was fined $5000 back in 1993 for stealing departure tax stamps and selling them for $1000 while working as a customs officer.

He later told WAtoday he was planning to run as an independent in the March election and wanted wants all drug addicts to be dumped on an island to fend for themselves.

  Western Australian state Election 11^th March 2017

  Premier Colin Barnett asks Governor to issue writs for March 11 election

AAP, PerthNow - February 1, 2017
          

      WA Premier Colin Barnett shakes hands with Governor Kerry Sanderson
   after advising her to issue the writs for the forthcoming State Election. Picture: Danella Bevis

WEST Australian Premier Colin Barnett has predicted a tight and unpredictable state election after officially triggering the campaign with the issue of writs.

The WA Liberals go into the election as underdogs, but the premier says the gap is narrowing,
while his opponent tapped into voter angst about the economy with a bold budget repair pledge.

After officially kicking off campaigning for the March 11 state election on Wednesday afternoon with a visit to the governor for the issuing of writs, the Premier admitted securing a third term would be tough, as history has shown.

"This election is going to be close, it's going to be perhaps unpredictable, it's going to be hard fought," Mr Barnett told reporters.

"We are behind as I would judge it and indeed the various opinion polls have consistently shown that.

"I believe it's the case that the gap is narrowing.

"There are a number of unpredictable seats, some of them held by the Liberal party, some of them held by the National party and certainly some of them held by the Labor party.

"So this is a very unusual election - I can't call it - I will simply work as hard as I can to win it."

His comments came a day after he warned it would be a nasty campaign, lashing Labor for what he labelled personal attacks on his ministers.

The Liberal leader also expects the opposition will capitalise on the fact he won't serve a full term if he wins and still refuses to say specifically how long he would remain premier, only saying he would serve most of the four years.

Mr Barnett didn't hold back when it came to trashing Labor's policies, singling out its pledge to tear up contracts for the contentious Roe 8 project, saying that would create nervousness about other contracts such as crucial mining state agreements.

Mr Barnett conceded his government had let debt mount higher than he'd like, but insisted the spending was necessary and privatising utility Western Power was a good part of the Liberal solution.

"This money has not been squandered or lost," he said.

"It has been invested in services for people today and then for their children and grandchildren into the future

"There is a plan. The Labor party have no plan."

             
                                    Western Ausyralian  Labor leader Mark McGowan. 

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan disagreed, saying the Liberals had blown the boom while promising to bring the budget back to surplus in a first term - an ambitious plan considering the deficit is forecast to hit a record $3.39 billion this year.

"We've certainly got the plans and policies," he said.

"If people are concerned about debt as they should be, the first thing the state should do is vote out the government that created the problem."

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten will visit Perth on Thursday to lend his support to the party's campaign, hot on the heels of opposition transport spokesman Anthony Albanese's trip to the west.

    WA ELECTION CAMPAIGN: DAY ONE

          WHAT THE LEADERS DID

  Premier Colin Barnett met WA's governor to trigger the election by issuing the writs after opening Harrisdale Senior High School
  in the Liberal-held electorate of Jandakot where their margin is 18.3 per cent

   Labor leader Mark McGowan held a press conference with his wife Sarah, saying
   he was ready to be premier and Labor offered a fresh approach to governing the state

    HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY

   Mr McGowan promised to bring the debt-laden budget back to surplus within four years
   by cutting public service spending and didn't rule out preferencing One Nation above the Liberals or Nationals

   Pauline Hanson stood by One Nation's Pilbara candidate David Archibald after he wrote
   in an article that single mothers shouldn't get welfare payments as they were too lazy to attract and hold a mate

    Renee Ellis, Labor candidate for the Upper House seat in the Agricultural region, resigned after
    Facebook posts and her dismissal from Geraldton council last year, which she is appealing

     QUOTES OF THE DAY

     Mr Barnett: "This election is going to be close, it's going to be perhaps unpredictable,
     it's going to be hard fought. I can't call it. I will simply work as hard as I can to win it."

   Mr McGowan: "We will bring the budget back to surplus in the first term.
   The first thing the state should do is vote out the government that created the problem."

      WHAT'S HAPPENING?

     Nominations and applications for early postal votes open

      Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten will be in Perth.

    KEY DATES:

   Feb 2- candidate nominations open

   Feb 10- candidate nominations close

   Feb 20- early voting begins

   March 11- polling day

    March 16- early postal votes must be received

Western Australian State Election 11th March, 2017
 Polling in key seats gives Labor hope, despite bigger picture

Statewide polls suggest Labor will scrape across the line, but marginal seat surveys show stronger support. Then there’s One Nation

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/mar/03/wa-election-polling-in-key-seats-give-labor-hope-despite-bigger-picture

Western Australia’s Labor party, under leader Mark McGowan,

 A lack of polling data means the fortunes of Western Australia’s Labor party,
under leader Mark McGowan, remain unclear.

Thursday 2 March 2017 

With a little over a week to go before Western Australians head to the ballot box, the polls are telling two different stories. Statewide surveys suggest Labor may struggle to win enough seats to form government but local polling suggests Labor is gaining enough of a swing to win the 10 seats it needs.

On the new electoral boundaries, Labor holds 20 seats, with the Liberal-National Coalition holding the remaining 39. A net gain of 10 seats for Labor would give it a majority.

The pendulum suggests Labor needs a uniform swing of at least 9.2% to win the 10 seats it needs to form government. Labor polled 42.7% of the two-party-preferred vote in 2013, so this implies that Labor would need to win substantially more than half of the two-party-preferred vote to win a majority.

All of this, however, assumes that swings are uniform, which they are often not. If Labor gains larger swings in a handful of key seats, it could well form government with a statewide swing of less than 9.2%.

Labor reached 54% of the vote after preferences in January’s Newspoll. A February ReachTel poll put Labor and the Coalition tied on 50% and Friday’s Reachtel poll had Labor back to 52%. This would suggest a swing of 9.3%.

We don’t have a lot of polling data to work with, but we have at least two polls which suggest a larger swing to Labor in the key marginal seats. ReachTel this week polled voters in 15 marginal seats and found a swing of roughly 12% to Labor and away from the Coalition. We have also seen ReachTel individual seat polls of six key marginal seats commissioned by the advocacy group the Parenthood. All six polls put Labor on track to gain the seat and the average swing to Labor was about 13%.

If these marginal seat polls are accurate, it suggests Labor’s statewide support is higher than we have seen in statewide polls, or that the party is gaining a much smaller swing in safer seats. Either way, this would put Labor in a position to win power on 11 March.

It’s harder to predict the outcome owing to the limited polling data – with very little statewide polling to compare. It’s also hard to predict the outcome owing to the role of One Nation.

One Nation has had some strong polling but it’s not clear how much of that vote is in key marginal seats. The party polled just under 8.5% in the most recent statewide ReachTel poll, compared with up to 13% in previous polls. Evidence from the 2016 federal election suggests One Nation’s support is concentrated in regional seats, most of which are held by the Nationals.

We still don’t have a good sense of whether One Nation will be able to deliver preferences to the Liberal party in those key marginal seats, and how big its vote will be in those seats. We also don’t know if One Nation’s vote will be high enough in regional areas to win seats previously considered safe for the Liberal or National parties, and thus threatening the Coalition’s ability to win a majority, whether or not Labor wins enough seats for its own majority.

Western Australian 2017 State  Election

The 2017 Western Australian state election is scheduled for Saturday 11 March 2017 to elect members to the Parliament of Western Australia,
where all 59 seats in the Legislative Assembly and all 36 seats in the Legislative Council will be up for election.

The eight and a half year incumbent Liberal–WA National government, currently led by Premier Colin Barnett,
is seeking a third four-year term against the Labor opposition, currently led by Opposition Leader Mark McGowan

On 3 November 2011, the Government of Western Australia introduced fixed four-year terms, with the elections to be held on the second Saturday in March.
The first election under the new law was the 2013 election.
Mark McGowan the leader of the Western Australian Labor Party- member for Rockingham, Western Australia
 Colin Barnett the Leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party- member for Cottesloe,Western Australia

 Brendon Grylls the Leader of the Western Australian Nationals- member for Pilbara, Western Australia

All 59 seats in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Australian_state_election,_2017
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Australian_state_election,_2017#Polling

←

Opinion polls

Leader Colin Barnett Mark McGowan Brendon Grylls Party Liberal Labor Nationals WA Leader since 6 August 2008 23 January 2012 9 August 2016 Leader's seat Cottesloe Rockingham Pilbara Last election 31 seats 21 seats 7 seats Current seats 30 seats 21 seats 7 seats Seats needed 0 9 23 TPP @ 2013 57.3% 42.7% TPP polling 48% 52% BP polling 29% 47%

Incumbent Premier Colin Barnett Liberal

Keys Seats
 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/wa-election-2017/guide/key-seats/

The Polls seem to be saying that the Western Australian Public want to take their state of Western Australia back and are supporting Mark McGowan and the Western Australian Labor Party who represent honest, reliable and fair government for Western Australia

WA election: Mark McGowan discusses life outside politics and being an outsider

LAURA GARTRY SAT MAR 04 

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-04/wa-labor-leader-mark-mcgowan-discusses-life-outside-politics/8315748?pfmredir=sm

Mark McGowan (pictured with parents Dennis and Mary in 1995) had humble beginnings.

Mark McGowan had a near-death experience with a squash racket in his teens, drinks German wheat beers, and if the bookies are right is set to become first WA premier in 30 years not to have attended the University of Western Australia.

But what else do we know about the Labor leader and father of three?

The University of Queensland graduate ended up in Perth by chance almost 30 years ago and admits it is "unusual" for someone from outside of WA to progress into a leadership position in the state Labor party

Mark McGowan became a Navy lawyer after his hopes of becoming an Air Force pilot were dashed by eyesight problems.

SUPPLIED: WA LABOR

After finishing a law degree in Brisbane, Mr McGowan hoped to join the Air Force to become a pilot, but was ruled ineligible because of his eyesight.

"The truth is I wouldn't have got in anyway because I am not very good at maths, so I wouldn't have lasted very long," he laughed.

He came second in the selection for a navy legal officer position, but the person ahead of him dropped out and he accepted a position in Perth.

Not a local, but also not an outsider

Mark McGowan and his wife Sarah heading to a Navy ball in the 1990s.

Mr McGowan said not coming from WA had its disadvantages in political life.

"When you didn't go to UWA, you didn't grow up in the western suburbs and …
you didn't have that background, you are coming from behind," he said

"I am not from that group, but I do not feel like I am an outsider.

"It takes a long time to break through that, but it is unusual to have come from somewhere else and get to the position I am in."

'I was quite a straight kid'

Mr McGowan grew up in regional New South Wales and attended high school in Coffs Harbour with his younger brother.

"I went to the opposite of an exclusive school, put it that way," Mr McGowan said.

"I was quite a straight kid … I tried hard at school because I wanted to impress my parents."

 Mark McGowan at 12 years of age.

His father Dennis owned a squash centre and his mother Mary was a primary school teacher.

Mr McGowan described his parents, who still live in Coffs Harbour, as "very ordinary".

"… they are not wealthy, they do not have any airs and graces, they are currently coming over to visit in a caravan."

"I don't go back there very often, I get back maybe once a year to visit."

At age 15, he suffered a skull fracture playing in the state junior squash titles.

"… A guy let go of his racket and it hit me in the side of the head, nearly killed me … it knocked me out," he said.

"I was concussed but I eventually got up and kept playing, I shouldn't have. I was having dizzy spells … I wasn't able to play sport for three months."

Political beginnings

Inspired by former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke's ability to "transcend class" Mr McGowan was elected to WA's Parliament in 1996.

Mr McGowan conceded his skin was a lot thicker now than it was back then.

"I was bit too ambitious too early on …
and I think people saw it. You have to bide your time in political life, it is marathon not a sprint," he said.

"If you get advancement too early well sometimes you can be promoted beyond your ability and you burn out."

 Mr McGowan and his wife Sarah celebrate his election to WA's Parliament in 1996.

Since his election, Mr McGowan has held many senior portfolios in both government and opposition, and is the longest-serving MP to run for premier in 40 years.

He described his wife Sarah as a constant source of support and advice during his political career

"She is very good adviser … she can see through all the crap. Sometimes you are in a bubble," he said.

Life outside of politics

Mr McGowan said he did not have enough time for hobbies so he used his free time to play with his kids or walk the dog.

During his interview with the ABC, his media adviser prompted him to list a hobby.

"Camping, you like camping," she said.

"I like camping there you go, I haven't been for a while but if I get the chance I like to go," Mr McGowan responded.

Seemingly a workaholic, he spends up to two hours on the road every day.

Mr McGowan's children have played a key role in the 2017 election campaign.

ABC NEWS: JACOB KAGI

"You don't spend as much time with your children as you should. But hopefully the upside of it is,
 when I do spend time with them it is quality time and they are proud of their dad," he said.

Mr McGowan's three young children have played a key role shaping his profile during the campaign.

When asked about any political mistakes or regrets, Mr McGowan declined to identify any.

"There are lots of things I regret, but I don't really want to raise them because I don't want my opponents to use them against me," he said.

"…I think it might draw attention to something that bothers me and I don't want that … it will probably appear in Liberal Party ads,"

"After 20 years, I don't want the last 10 days to be a disaster," he said.

POSTED SAT MAR 04

2017 Western Australian Election - Electoral Pendulum -January 03, 2017

Anthony Green’s Blog ABC News-

http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2017/01/2017-western-australian-election-electoral-pendulum.html

(UPDATE: My website for the 2017 Western Australian election has been published and can be found at this link.)

The 2017 Western Australian election will be held on 11 March 2017. It will be conducted on changed electoral boundaries from the 2013 election when the Barnett government was re-elected.

My ABC election guide for the election will not be available until the end of January, but below I have set out the electoral pendulum for the 2017 election based on transferring the 2013 election results to match the new boundaries.

On the new boundaries the Labor seats of West Swan and Collie-Preston become notional Liberal seats. Both seats are indicated on the pendulum as having a Labor MP.

Rather than traditional two-party contests, several regional electorates are likely to be Liberal versus National contests. For these electorates a two-party margin is indicated, as well as a notional margin between the Liberal and National candidates in brackets.

Seats marked (+) were seats lost by Labor at the 2013 election.

In Hillarys, Rob Johnson was elected as a Liberal in 2013 but will re-contest as an Independent in 2017.

Using  the new boundaries, the Liberal Party has a notional 32 seats in the 59 seat Legislative Assembly. If the Liberal Party loses three seats then the National Party will hold the balance of power. This would occur with a 2.2% swing to Labor. All opinion polls currently indicate a larger swing to Labor.

For a majority Labor government, Labor needs to gain 10 seats on a uniform swing of 10%. The ten seats includes the two notional Liberal seats with sitting Labor MPs.

A swing of between 2.2% and 10% would most likely deliver the National Party the balance of power, though it would be a significant break with the party's history for the National Party to do other than back the return of a Liberal-led government in those circumstances.

 

Liberal/National (32/7) Electorate Party and Margin West Swan (Labor MP) LIB 0.9% Belmont (+) LIB 1.0% Forrestfield (+) LIB 2.2% Perth (+) LIB 2.8% Collie-Preston (Labor MP) LIB 2.9% Swan Hills LIB 3.7% Morley LIB 4.7% Balcatta (+) LIB 7.1% Mount Lawley LIB 8.9% Bicton LIB 10.0% Kalamunda LIB 10.3% Joondalup (+) LIB 10.4% Southern River LIB 10.9% Wanneroo LIB 11.0% Burns Beach LIB 11.3% Pilbara (+) NAT 11.5% North West Central (NAT 10.5 v LIB) NAT 11.5% Murray-Wellington LIB 12.0% Bunbury LIB 12.2% Riverton LIB 12.7% Dawesville LIB 12.7% Darling Range LIB 13.1% Kingsley LIB 14.0% Warren-Blackwood (NAT 7.2 v LIB) NAT 15.7% Hillarys LIB 16.0% Kalgoorlie (NAT 3.2 v LIB) NAT 16.5% Scarborough LIB 17.3% Jandakot LIB 18.3% Carine LIB 18.3% Nedlands LIB 19.1% Churchlands LIB 20.0% South Perth LIB 20.0% Cottesloe LIB 21.1% Vasse LIB 21.2% Central Wheatbelt (NAT 8.9 v LIB) NAT 21.5% Geraldton (LIB 10.9 v NAT) LIB 22.8% Bateman LIB 23.1% Moore (NAT 5.9 v LIB) NAT 23.2% Roe (NAT 16.7 v LIB) NAT 27.6%

Labor (20) Electorate Party and Margin Midland ALP 0.5% Butler ALP 1.0% Albany ALP 1.0% Thornlie ALP 1.8% Cannington ALP 2.1% Willagee ALP 2.5% Maylands ALP 2.7% Girrawheen ALP 2.8% Victoria Park ALP 4.0% Kwinana ALP 4.3% Cockburn ALP 4.6% Mirrabooka ALP 4.6% Bassendean ALP 5.1% Kimberley ALP 5.1% Baldivis ALP 6.4% Mandurah ALP 7.7% Armadale ALP 9.6% Warnbro ALP 10.6% Rockingham ALP 13.2% Fremantle ALP 15.4%

Full details of the WA redistribution can be found at this link.

The table below sets out the overall votes by party at the 2013 election.

2013 Western Australian Election - Legislative Assembly Totals
Party (Candidates)	Votes	% Votes	Swing	Seats Won
Liberal Party (59)	557,903	47.10	+8.71	31
Labor Party (59)	392,448	33.13	-2.70	21
Greens (59)	99,431	8.40	-3.52	..
National Party (17)	71,694	6.05	+1.18	7
Independents (33)	33,027	2.79	-1.55	..
Australian Christians (42)	21,451	1.81	-0.77	..
Family First (16)	7,039	0.59	-1.35	..
Unaffiliated/Others	1,439	0.12	+0.01	..
Formal (291)	1,184,432	94.00
Informal	75,657	6.00	+0.68
Total Votes / Turnout	1,260,089	89.21	+2.73	59
Enrolled Voters	1,412,533
Two-Party Preferred Votes
Liberal	677,267	57.2	+5.3
Labor	506,6923	42.7	-5.3

The 36 member Legislative Council elected in 2013 consisted of 17 Liberal members, 5 National, 11 Labor, 2 Green and one Shooters, Fishers and Farmers.

The WA Legislative Council is the last remaining malapportioned state chamber with a 3-to-1 weighting in favour of areas outside of metropolitan Perth. With the exception of four remote seats, one-vote one-value electoral boundaries apply in the lower house. In the Legislative Council there are 18 MLCs elected to represent Perth and 18 to represent the rest of the state. This is despite Perth having 75% of the state's population compared to 25% in the rest of the state. As of last September the average enrolment per metropolitan MLC is 66,310 compared to only 22,009 in the rest of the state.

The Legislative Council is split into six regions that each elect six MLCs. There are three regions in Perth and three in the rest of the state, region boundaries defined by law to correspond to land use patterns.

The South West region runs from Mandurah around the south west corner of the state to Albany and has an average enrolment per MLC of 37,490.

The Agricultural Region runs through the wheatbelt from Geraldton to Esperance and has an average enrolment per MLC of 17,141.

The Mining and Pastoral Region covers Kalgoorlie and the vast east and north of the state. It has an average enrolment per MLC of 11,395.

The regional structure of the Legislative Council was introduced in the 1980s as a deal between the Labor and National Parties. It gave both parties a low quota region where it polled well, the Nationals in Agricultural Region and Labor in Mining and Pastoral Region.

Since then Labor's vote has collapsed in the state's mining regions and Labor currently holds only one of the six seats in Mining and Pastoral Region. The Nationals currently hold two of the six seats in both the Agricultural and the Mining and Pastoral Regions. The Nationals also hold three lower house seats in both regions.

After the 2005 WA election, Labor and the Greens combined with a disendorsed Liberal MLC to pass one-vote one-value electoral boundaries for the Legislative Assembly. This was achieved by using the 'lame duck' period of the Legislative Council, the period when the old Council remains in place after the election until new MLCs take their seats after 22 May.

The Greens would not agree to Labor's proposals to also change the Council, other than to end the former 5 and 7 member Regions and replace them with 6 member regions. This change in numbers further strengthened the weighting in favour of the Agricultural and Mining and Pastoral Regions.

With the continuing decline of population in the two remote regions, the weighting in favour of these regions and against the South West and Metropolitan regions will continue to increase. It may be an issue opened for debate after the 2017 election.

The Legislative Council is elected using the group voting ticket system that was abandoned ahead of the 2016 Federal election. Voters will have two choices, to accept a single ticket of preferences as lodged by a party, or to number preferences for every candidate below the line.

As a result the ABC WA Election site will again have upper house election calculators based on the lodged tickets.

Voters who number preferences above the line as at the Senate election will have all preferences beyond '1' ignored and the party's lodged ticket of preferences will be used instead. Voters who use the Federal rules where only 12 preferences are required below the line will be casting an informal vote.

The 10 parties listed below are currently registered to contest the election

• Animal Justice Party
• Australian Christians
• Australian Labor Party
• Daylight Saving Party
• Family First Party
• Julie Matheson for Western Australia
• National Party of Australia
• Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party
• The Greens
• Liberal Party of Australia

As of 3 January the following six parties are awaiting registration.

• Liberal Democratic Party
• Pauline Hanson's One Nation
• Socialist Alliance WA
• Fluoride Free WA Party
• The Flux Party - WA
• Micro Business Party

Only seven parties contested the Legislative Council at the 2013 election, which means the ballot papers in 2017 will be much larger and the preference deals will be more complex. Preference harvesting, now impossible at Senate elections, could play a significant part in who wins the last seat in each region.

Posted by Antony Green on January 03, 2017 at 09:25 AM in Western Australia Elections and Politics | Permalink

Comments

Well with the swings of recent elections being so dramatic I guess Labor could do it. 

Posted by: Paul Gruyters | January 03, 2017 at 10:52 AM

Preferential voting should be abolished.

If I vote for Fred or Freda, and they don't win, I don't want my vote passed to anyone else.

It has been proved that the Preferential Voting system can be abused.

It should be 'first past the post is the winner'.

COMMENT: What you want is optional preferential voting where you only have to give as many preferences as you want. There is a lot more evidence of first past the post voting distorting results than preferential voting. Under preferential voting a vote for a minor party doesn't always end up as a wasted vote as it does under first past the post.

Australia has conducted all its elections under preferential forms of voting for close to a century, so I don't see the country winding back the clock to use first past the post.

Posted by: Alan Edge | January 03, 2017 at 06:18 PM

preferential voting means that a majority have voted for a candidate. "so called" first past the post (a) gets 30% (b) 20 (c) 20 (d) 20 (e) 10 a gets elected with 30% and 70% not liking them. .

COMMENT: In the example you give there, the order of election would play a big part in who gets elected. Preferential voting works best when it is clear who finishes first and second on first preferences. What preferential voting does is allow voters to express their real first preference for third party candidates without the first past the post risk of harming the chances of victory for a higher polling candidate.

Posted by: trev | January 03, 2017 at 06:39 PM

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-16/nigel-hallett-quits-wa-liberal-party/7516578

The SFF has 2 members in WA, Anthony. Not one. :)

Posted by: Steve Bowler | January 03, 2017 at 09:00 PM

What happens if one uses the swing that occurred in the last Federal election, rather than 2013 figures???

COMMENT: I don't know. I'm setting out margins to analyse the 2017 state election based on the results of the 2013 state election, as required to publish a website and to set up a computer system for election night analysis. If I get chance I might look at the Federal results but it is of no use to me on election night.

Posted by: Anita Lorenz | January 03, 2017 at 09:59 PM

Antony, I notice the WAEC has drawn boundaries such that there are a significant number of seats that are between have a LIB/ALP 2PP margin of between 10-12% (when compared to the number of seats held between say 5 and 10% margins by the Liberals). Most of those seats are the outer metro Perth seats that normally determine who holds government.

2 Questions

Is this just an accident of geography or is there a SA-esque requirement for electoral fairness the WAEC has had to abide by?

Is this sort of margin clustering common in partisan balances of other State Parliaments?

On the face of it, it would seem like a significant disadvantage for the ALP that they would need to get over 52% 2PP in order to win majority government assuming uniform swings.

COMMENT: The WA boundaries are drawn without reference to voting patterns. The prime criteria is equal enrolment. The redistribution has decreased the number of seats with margins above 15% and increased the number between 10% and 15%. I don't expect the swing to be uniform. Labor ran a defensive campaign in 2013, resulting in many Liberal marginal seats seing enormous swings against Labor. I'd expect the mismatch in the statewide 2PP versus the swing required to win to even out in 2017.

Posted by: Max Roberts | January 04, 2017 at 01:43 AM

Preferential voting is one of the few things we've somehow managed to get RIGHT in this country.

Reasonable people can argue about full preferential or optional preferential.
I'm in the full preferential camp, myself.

But both are superior to the ridiculous FPP which reduces voters to making "tactical" voting decisions and pressures parties to amalgamate into a 2 horse race. In a FPP system, the Greens and Labor would be forced to merge.

Posted by: paulus | January 04, 2017 at 02:27 AM

When are you going to do the recently South Australia Redistribution?

COMMENT: The Electoral Boundaries Commission published its estimated margins for all seats as it is required to do by the fairness provision. I'll do some of my own estimates later this year.

Posted by: Anthony Simpson | January 04, 2017 at 08:48 PM

In response to Alan Edge, I'd suggest that FPTP is way more subject to abuse than preferential (or IRV) systems - it strongly encourages tactical voting where people have to guess the more likely winners and choose from them, rather than simply expressing an order of preference.

Antony - would there be better systems in your opinion out there than the current IRV system, such as the Condorcet system?

COMMENT: Preferential voting is fine unless you have a multi-party system in which case proportional representation is preferable. Condorcet counting is not used for any significant elections other than committe voting.

Posted by: electricrabbit | January 05, 2017 at 04:26 PM

I've seen recent polling that suggests that Brendon Grylls is in real trouble in the seat of Pilbara, suggesting that he would finish behind both the Libs and the ALP (and just ahead of ON) in the seat. Would this sort of result also be likely to be in effect in the next-door seat of North West Central, and even possibly in Kalgoorlie?

If so, it would severely damage the Nationals position if they were returned to their rump of seats in the Agricultural Region (and likely Warren-Blackwood).

I'd imagine there would be a certain amount of schadenfreude in ALP ranks if Vince Catania was tipped out of North West Central due to Nationals policy.

COMMENT: The poll you refer to was commissioned by the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy, who are opposed to Grylls' proposal to increase mining royalties, was conducted by the Labor Party's pollster Utting Research, and was based on a sample of just 300. Privately commissioned opinion polling of this type never sees the light of day without a purpose.

Posted by: electricrabbit | January 05, 2017 at 06:03 PM

11 March 2017 State General Election Boundaries
http://www.boundaries.wa.gov.au/electoral-boundaries/11-march-2017-state-general-election-boundaries

Key Seats for the Western Australian 2017 State  Election

http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/wa-election-2017/guide/key-seats/

Liberal / National

West Swan (*)

LIB 0.9%: The electorate of West Swan takes in a disparate array of suburbs on Perth's northern fringe. It includes Herne Hill, the newer suburbs around Henley Brook, Brabham, West Swan, Dayton, Bennett Springs, Malaga and most of Ballajura, before extending north-west to include market gardening areas of the City of Wanneroo and the far northern Perth suburb of Banksia Grove. It was an electorate first contested in 2008 when current Labor MP Rita Saffioti was elected. She defended this marginal seat with a swing against her of only 2.2% in 2013, and on paper faces a challenge in 2017 as the redistribution has given West Swan a notional Liberal margin on the new boundaries. Saffioti should hold this seat for Labor given a personal vote and the expected state swing to Labor, but her Liberal opponent Rod Henderson will no doubt have different views.

Belmont

LIB 1.0%: Belmont lies south of the Swan with most of the physical area of the electorate taken up by Perth Airport, the Kewdale freight terminal and the Welshpool industrial area. Residential suburbs include Rivervale, Kewdale, Belmont, Cloverdale, Redcliffe, Ascot and parts of Burswood, South Guildford and Hazelmere. Belmont had been a Labor seat from its first contest in 1962 until being lost to the Liberal Party in 2013. Former members for the seat include two Labor Party Leaders in Col Jamieson and Eric Ripper. The electorate's demographics had been changing in recent years, and with Ripper's retirement in 2013, Liberal Glenys Godfrey won the seat at her third attempt with an above average 7.6% swing. As in 2013 the Labor candidate is Cassie Rowe.

Forrestfield

LIB 2.2%: Forrestfield covers a string of suburbs east of Perth Airport and the Roe Highway. From north to south the electorate includes High Wycombe, Maida Vale, Forrestfield, Wattle Grove and Kenwick. It was first contested at the 2008 election and won by Labor, its candidate Andrew Waddell narrowly defeating Liberal Nathan Morton. Morton returned to defeat Waddell in 2013 and will re-contest against new Labor candidate Stephen Price in 2017.

Perth

LIB 2.8%: Centred on the Perth central business district, the electorate also includes Kings Park, the Perth CBD, West Perth, Mt Hawthorn, North Perth, Leederville, Highgate, Northbridge and parts of East Perth. Perth had a long history as a Labor held seat, but was won by the Liberal Party's Eleni Evangel in 2013 with a 10.4% swing, twice the state swing. In 2017 she will be opposed by the Labor Party's John Carey.

Collie-Preston (*)

LIB 2.9%: The electorate of Collie-Preston includes three south-west shires, Collie, Dardanup and Donnybrook-Balingup, most of the Shire of Capel and a part of the Shire of Harvey. The largest centre is the coal mining town of Collie, but the electorate also includes Boyanup, Capel, Dardanup, Donnybrook and some outer suburbs to the north of Bunbury. Labor MP Mick Murray won Collie by 34 votes in 2001, the final Labor gain and last seat decided at that election. Murray was easily re-elected for Collie-Wellington in 2005, overcame one-vote one-value boundaries to win Collie-Preston in 2008, but survived by just 56 votes in 2013. The redistribution since has wiped out Murray's margin and he will need to increase his vote in 2017 to win back this now notionally Liberal held seat. His Liberal opponent is Elysia Harverson and the Nationals have nominated Monique Warnock.

Kalgoorlie

NAT 3.2% v LIB: Most of the population of the Kalgoorlie electorate is in the built area of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, but the electorate also takes in the more remote Shires of Laverton, Leonora, Menzies, Coolgardie and Dundas. The district had a long history as a Labor seat, but the changing nature of the mining industry saw it won by the Liberal Party in 2001, the only seat lost by Labor on the election to office of the Gallop government. After two terms held by Liberal Matt Birney, Kalgoorlie was won by Labor turned Independent MP John Bowler in 2008, then by the National Party's Wendy Duncan in 2013. Duncan is retiring at the 2017 election, and the Nationals candidate is Tony Crook, who lost to Bowler in 2008 before winning the Federal seat of O'Connor in 2010, retiring in 2013. The Liberal candidate is Kyran O'Donnell, Labor's candidate Darren Forster.

Swan Hills

LIB 3.7%: The electorate of Swan Hills includes the thinly settled north-east corner of the metropolitan area, with most of the electorate's population concentrated in rapidly growing Ellenbrook, The Vines and Aveley, as well as the Shire of Mundaring suburbs of Mount Helena, Chidlow, Beechina, Wooroloo and parts of Sawyers Valley and Mundaring. Swan Hills was one of the many marginal Labor seats not defended by a sitting MP on the introduction of one-vote one-value boundaries in 2008, playing a part in the victory of current Liberal MP Frank Alban. He was re-elected in 2013 with a 2.4% swing in his favour, less than half the state wide swing against Labor. Alban will be opposed in 2013 by Labor candidate Jessica Shaw.

Morley

LIB 4.7%: The electorate of Morley lies in Perth's inner-northern suburbs and includes the suburbs of Nollamara, Noranda and parts of Dianella and Morley. Re-created as a safe Labor seat ahead of the 2008 election, Labor declined to nominate its Ballajura MP John D'Orazio as candidate and paid a heavy price when he nominated as an Independent and recommended preferences for the Liberal Party. Liberal Ian Britza was elected after the second largest swing in the state, Labor's candidate decisions in Morley and neighbouring Mount Lawley playing an important part in the defeat of the Carpenter government. In 2013 Britza overcame a redistribution that wiped out his majority to win re-election, but he will face a sterner challenge in 2017. His Labor opponent is East Metropolitan MLC Amber-Jade Sanderson.

Balcatta

LIB 7.1%: Balcatta is an inner-northern Perth electorate that includes the suburbs of Balcatta, Joondanna, Stirling, Tuart Hill, Hamersley and parts of Osborne Park. The electorate has been created and abolished several times in the state's political history, but until 2013 it had always been a Labor seat. It was gained by the Liberal Party's Chris Hatton in 2013 after an above average 9.5% swing, helped by the retirement of Labor MP John Kobelke. Balcatta is certain to be a more competitive seat in 2017 and Hatton's Labor opponent is City of Stirling councillor David Michael.

Mount Lawley

LIB 8.9%: The electorate of Mount Lawley covers a strip of inner northern Perth suburbs including Yokine, Coolbinia, Menora, Mt Lawley and parts of Dianella, Inglewood, Morley and East Perth. The seat had previously existed as a safe Liberal seat between 1950 and 1989, but was re-created with a notional Labor margin on the introduction of one-vote one-value electoral boundaries in 2008. For internal reasons Labor declined to nominate Yokine MP Bob Kucera as its candidate, and Liberal Michael Sutherland won Mount Lawley with one of the largest anti-Labor swings at the election. Sutherland added 7.7% to his margin in 2013 and will defend the seat in 2017 against Labor's Simon Millman.

Bicton

LIB 10.0%: Bicton runs along the southern shore of the Swan River and includes the suburbs of Attadale, Bicton, Palmyra, East Fremantle, Melville and parts of Alfred Cove and Myaree. It is a new electorate formed from the western parts of the former seat Alfred Cove, and also includes East Fremantle and Melville from the neighbouring Labor seats of Fremantle and Willagee. The abolition of Alfred Cove created a pre-selection scramble amongst Liberal MPs, and Alfred Cove MP Dean Nalder won the ballot to contest the safer seat of Bateman, while more marginal Bicton will be contested by Bateman MP Matt Taylor. His Labor opponent is City of Melville councillor Lisa O'Malley.

Kalamunda

LIB 10.3%: Kalamunda is centred on the Darling Range suburbs of Kalamunda, Gooseberry Hill, Lesmurdie, Walliston and Carmel. The electorate also includes Darlington, Glen Forrest, Parkerville, Stoneville, Mahogany Creek and parts of Mundaring north of the Helena River. It has always been a Liberal seat, but the margin for sitting Liberal MP and Health Minister Don Day is at the point on the pendulum where a uniform swing would deliver victory to Labor. The Labor candidate is Matthew Hughes.

Joondalup

LIB 10.4%: Joondalup covers a string of outer northern Perth suburbs including of Beldon, Mullaloo, Ocean Reef, Heathridge, Edgewater, Connolly and parts of Currambine and Joondalup. Joondalup was one of the seats retained by Labor on its defeat at the 2008 election, but lost to the Liberal Party in 2013. The recent redistribution has doubled the Liberal margin from 4.5% to an estimated 10.4%, which puts Joondalup at the point of the pendulum where a uniform swing could deliver a change of government. The Liberal MP is Jan Norberger, his Labor opponent Emily Hamilton.

Geraldton

LIB 10.9% v NAT: In the state's mid-north, the electorate of Geraldton covers the urban areas of Geraldton and surrounding rural areas. Geraldton has been contested at every election since the first Western Australian election in 1890, and was Labor held for all but one term between 1917 and 1991. It was lost by Labor at a 1991 by-election and looked to have permanently left the Labor orbit until the 2001 election. One Nation polled 21.0% and the Liberal first preference vote halved, delivering an unexpected victory to Labor's Shane Hill. He was re-elected in 2005 but could not overcome the one-vote one-value electoral boundaries introduced for the 2008 election. Since then Labor has slipped to third place and Geraldton was a Liberal-National contest in 2013. With the revival of Labor's vote, Geraldton may be a three-way contest in 2017. Liberal MP Ian Blayney will be opposed by Labor's Lara Dalton and the National's Agricultural Region MLC Paul Brown.

Southern River

LIB 10.9%: In the south-east suburbs of Perth, the electorate of Southern River includes a mix of newer and older suburbs, taking in parts of Canning Vale, Huntingdale, Southern River and Gosnells. Something of a swing seat at elections over the last two decades, Southern River has been held by Liberal Peter Abetz since gaining it from Labor in 2008. Abetz boosted his margin with a 15.1% swing in 2013, but the redistribution has since reduced the Liberal margin from 17.0% to 10.9%. The large swing in 2013 was in part due to Labor concentrating on defending its own seats. The campaign in Southern River will be more vigorous in 2017 as the seat sits around the point of the pendulum where Labor can achieve government. Abetz's Labor opponent is local schoolteacher and City of Gosnells councillor Terry Healy.

Wanneroo

LIB 11.0%: Covers the outer northern Perth suburbs on the eastern side of Lake Joondalup north of Ocean Reef Road including Carramar, Tapping, Ashby, Sinagra, Wanneroo, Hocking and Pearsall. Wanneroo has been a traditional swing seat and changed hands in 2008 when won by the Liberal Party's Paul Miles. He achieved a swing of 10.2% on re-election in 2013, but is likely to face a sterner challenge in 2017. His Labor opponent is Wanneroo local councillor Sabine Winton.

Burns Beach

LIB 11.3%: The electorate of Burns Beach lies in Perth's outer north and includes the suburbs of Mindarie, Clarkson, Tamala Park, Burns Beach, Kinross, Iluka and parts of Joondalup and Currambine. It replaces the former seat of Ocean Reef, the new boundaries reducing the Liberal margin from 19.0% to an estimated 11.3%. Ocean Reef was created as a marginal Labor seat ahead of the 2008 election but was won by the Liberal Party's Albert Jacob, adding 16% to his margin with a big swing in 2013. With Labor likely to give more attention to northern Perth seats in 2017, Burns Beach will be a key seat despite its 11.3% margin. Albert Jacob will re-contest for the Liberal Party and his Labor opponent is Mark Folkard.

North West Central

NAT 11.5%: Covering a vast swathe of the state's inland and north west, the electorate of North West Central includes the Shires of Ashburton, Exmouth, Carnarvon, Shark Bay, Northampton north of the Murchison River, Upper Gascoyne, Murchison, Yalgoo, Cue, Mount Magnet, Meekatharra, Sandstone, Wiluna and Ngaanyatjarra. In the last three decades the electorates in this region of the state have undergone regular boundary and name changes and have been represented by all three major parties. Current MP Vince Catania was first elected for Labor in 2008, but defected to the National Party in July 2009 and was easily elected as a Nationals candidate in 2013. Labor slipped to third place in 2013 but the seat may revert to a traditional two-party race in 2017. Catania's opponents will be the Liberal Party's Julee Westcott, and Labor's Shane Hill, who was MP from Geraldton 2001-08. The electorate is larger in area than New South Wales and covers 32.3% of Western Australia.

Pilbara

NAT 11.5%: Pilbara is a vast electorate in the north of the state covering the Shire of East Pilbara, the Town of Port Hedland, and the City of Karratha. The main population centres in the electorate are Port Hedland, Newman, Dampier, Karratha, Wickham, Roebourne, Nullagine and Marble Bar. The seat was traditionally held by Labor, but in 2013 National Party Leader Brendon Grylls took the risk of abandoning his seat of Central Wheatbelt to try and win this northern seat. He won after an 18.7% swing, easily the largest swing in the state. Having resigned and now returned as Nationals Leader since the last election, Grylls is currently attracting opposition in his seat from mining interests opposed to his idea to increase legacy mining royalties. He is opposed in 2017 by Labor's Kevin Michel and Liberal Mark Alchin.

Bunbury

LIB 12.2%: The electorate of Bunbury includes the entire City of Bunbury local government area plus Dalyellup in the south from the Shire of Collie. Bunbury developed a reputation as the state's bellwether electorate for three decades. It was won by the party of government at every election from 1974 until won by the Liberal Party's John Castrilli as the Gallop Labor government was re-elected in 2005. Castrilli increased his margin at the 2008 and 2013 elections but will be retiring at the 2017 election. The new Liberal candidate is Ian Morison while the Labor candidate is Don Punch.

Hillarys

LIB 16.0%: Hillarys is a normally safe Liberal seat in Perth's northern suburbs incorporating Kallaroo, Craigie, Hillarys, Padbury and Sorrento. It is of interest in 2017 due to sitting MP Rob Johnson splitting from the Liberal Party and re-contesting as an Independent. He will be opposed by the Liberal Party's Peter Katsambanis, who is contesting Hillarys rather than his current Legislative Council seat.

Roe

NAT 16.7% v LIB: Roe replaces the southern wheatbelt electorate of Wagin, but the seat has been extended east to include Esperance and southern parts of the abolished Liberal seat of Eyre. The major centres of Roe are Narrogin, Wagin, Boddington, Lake Grace, Katanning, Kojonup, Gnowangerup, Ravensthorpe and Esperance. Wagin's National MP Terry Waldron is retiring at the 2017 election, but Eyre's Liberal MP Graham Jacobs will contest Roe. The new National candidate is Peter Rundle. Labor traditionally finishes a distant third in this seat.

Labor

Midland

ALP 0.5%: Based on Guildford and Midland in Perth's east, the electorate also includes the suburbs of Woodbridge, Viveash, Midvale, Stratton, Jane Brook, Swan View, Greenmount, Koongamia, Bellevue, Caversham, Helena Valley, Boya and parts of Hazelmere and Middle Swan. It is normally a safe Labor seat, but sitting MP Michelle Roberts came within 24 votes of defeat at the 2013 election. The Labor margin has been boosted slightly in the redistribution, and Roberts should not be at risk of defeat in 2017 given state polls suggest a significant swing to Labor. That will not stop Liberal candidate Daniel Parasiliti from trying to win Midland at his second attempt.

Albany

ALP 1.0%: The city of Albany lies on King George Sound on the south coast of Western Australia. Most of the voters in the electorate live in the urban areas of Albany, but the electorate includes all the City of Albany Council and the smaller Shire of Jerramungup. One of only four electorates to have been contested at every WA election, Albany has been held by all parties over the years but looked to have left the Labor orbit when lost to the Liberal Party in 1974. It was a surprise when former Olympic runner Peter Watson won Albany for Labor at the 2001 election, the seat recording the state's largest swing to Labor. Proving his victory was no fluke, Watson was re-elected in 2005, overcome the disadvantage of new one-vote one-value boundaries in 2008, and even increased his majority in 2017 as Labor went backward across the state in 2013. The Liberal candidate is Greg Stocks, and as in 2013 the National candidate is Robbie Sutton.

Butler

ALP 1.0%: Butler covers Perth's furthest north beachside suburbs west of Wanneroo Road and north of Hester Avenue and Quinns Road. From north to south it includes Two Rocks, Yanchep, Eglinton, Alkimos, Jindalee, Butler, Quinns Rocks, Merriwa and Ridgewood. The area has represented by Labor's John Quigley, under its former name of Mindarie from 2005 and as Butler since 2013. The seat saw an above average swing of 8.6% in 2013 but Quigley narrowly retained the seat. He should have an easier task of retaining Butler in 2017 given the expected swing to Labor, His Liberal opponent is City of Wanneroo councillor Linda Aitken.