WA VOTES: Strong shifts towards the Greens and independents in several marginal seats appear to have handed WA Labor a major preferential advantage in this year’s state election.
WA VOTES: Strong shifts towards the Greens and independents in several marginal seats appear to have handed WA Labor a major preferential advantage in this year’s state election.
Significant swings were expected against the governing party this year, after an unprecedented result in the 2021 state election where it won 53 of 59 lower house seats.
Those expectations have come to pass in early counting, but the party appeared to have called the election in its own favour before 8pm as the numbers rolled in.
The WA Liberals, meanwhile, have been met with a new challenge.
Polling so far suggests the party will not regain its traditional electorates of Bateman, South Perth or Scarborough – despite swings against Labor.
In all three, the impact of the Greens and climate-minded independents can be seen.
With 30 per cent counted in Bateman, the Greens candidate Juanita Doorey has experienced a 5 per cent swing and attracted 11.8 per cent of the first preference vote.
That has Labor MP Kim Giddens on track to retain the electorate despite a 5.2 per cent first preference swing against, over Liberal candidate Nitin Vashisht.
A 7.3 per cent first preference swing against Stuart Aubrey with 34 per cent of the vote counted in Scarborough is not expected to be enough to lift Liberal candidate Damien Kelly over the incumbent.
Greens candidate Mark Twiss has increased the Greens primary vote by 2.9 per cent in early polling, attracting 12.7 per cent of first preferences.
A 12.8 per cent first preference swing against Labor’s Geoff Baker with 30.3 per cent of the vote counted in South Perth also makes for interesting reading.
Liberal candidate Bronwyn Waugh has attracted a 3.2 per cent swing, but the Greens candidate Carl Evers has picked up a 5.4 per cent swing in favour, and 15.8 per cent of the first preference vote.
The impact of a prominent independent in Churchlands – the state’s most marginal seat – will have high profile candidate Basil Zempilas nervous.
With 13.2 per cent of the vote counted, Mr Zempilas is narrowly ahead of Labor incumbent Christine Tonkin.
Both the Libs (-7.9 per cent) and Labor (-6.8 per cent) have experienced swings against them in the Churchlands count to date, with the independent Lisa Thornton performing strongly – attracting 16.6 per cent of the first preference vote so far.
Greens candidate Caroline McLean has 11.2 per cent of the vote.
Preferences details are vague at this stage of the vote, but it appears that a strong performance by the Greens and independents will work in favour of WA Labor.
Early polling in Fremantle suggests independent Kate Hulett will perform strongly against Labor minister Simone McGurk.
Churchlands looks to be a coin toss, despite the prominence of Liberal candidate Basil Zempilas.
Carine has been called by ABC for Liberal candidate Liam Staltari, and Nedlands for Jonathan Huston.
