WA election: Singing in the rain, preference deals and quokkas mark campaign trail
By Andrew O'Connor
Updated February 10, 2017 20:43:20
Photo: Colin Barnett took shelter from the rain over the Mitchell Freeway as he campaigned with Paul Miles. (ABC News: Andrew O'Connor)
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Map: Perth 6000
It was a wet day for those on the state election campaign trail as heavy downpours drenched Perth and much of southern Western Australia.
Here's everything you need to know about what happened:
Premier Colin Barnett joined Liberal Minister for Local Government and Wanneroo MP Paul Miles to outline plans to widen sections of Mitchell Freeway from Hodges Drive.
The money has already been allocated in the budget, but the Premier was keen to push the congestion-busting move for northern suburbs residents, where a number of MPs and ministers are facing tight contests.
But the Liberals insist further widening of Mitchell Freeway — rather than the congested Kwinana Freeway — is about prioritising commuters, not voters.
Uncomfortable questions
Antony Green on the WA election
The ABC's election analyst Antony Green takes a look at where the March 11 WA poll will be decided.
Mr Barnett deflected questions about whether he would be "comfortable" with the Liberal Party doing a preference deal with Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party, insisting it was a matter for the party.
He also repeated his call to voters to think hard before backing a minority party like One Nation, and consider who they really want to be controlling key services like police, health and aviation.
The Premier would not speculate on reports a seat-by-seat preference deal was imminent, saying his job was to lead the Liberal campaign for re-election.
Calm not chaos
Photo: Mark McGowan said Labor was "not doing any deals" with One Nation. (ABC News: Andrew O'Connor)
WA Labor leader Mark McGowan used a speech at the Urban Development Institute in Perth to take a swipe at the Liberals over a potential preference deal with One Nation.
"I want to offer West Australians stable, cohesive government," he told a packed room at Crown Casino, while painting a contrasting picture of a Liberal government limping back into office with the support of One Nation and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party.
"I am not doing a deal with the One Nation party. We are not doing any deals with the One Nation Party. My political opponents are."
Back in black?
Meanwhile, despite the latest Treasury analysis showing WA's budget remaining in deficit for another four years and debt climbing above $41 billion by the end of the decade, Mr Barnett has staunchly defended his Government's economic record.
Campaigning for a third term in office, Mr Barnett continued to blame WA's low share of GST for the deficit.
He believed Treasury was being too pessimistic, with his optimism giving him renewed confidence that if voters give him another chance, he can get the budget back in the black.
Quokkas and voting early
There are now four weeks to go until voters go to the polls.
But the WA Electoral Commission (WAEC) is urging people who may need to vote before election day to consider their options — and how better to get the message across than with a picture of a couple of cute quokkas?
External Link: Tweet: WA Electoral Commission tweet advising people to vote early and showing picture of quokkas
On a serious note, the WAEC said anyone could apply for an early vote, either in person or by post.
People could then lodge their early vote either by post, with a phone or the internet using its iVote system at a wide range of locations across Western Australia.
Mobile polling teams will also be sent to places like nursing homes, aged care facilities, retirement homes, some Indigenous communities, mine sites and other remote locations.
The WAEC said voters could apply to be registered as a general early voter for future elections if they:
Live more than 20 kilometres by the nearest practicable route from the nearest polling place
Are a patient in a hospital or similar institution
Are physically unable to travel to a polling place due to serious personal illness
Are caring for a person who is seriously ill or infirm
Are aged 70 years or over
Are registered as an overseas elector
Are registered as a silent elector or
Are an elector who because of religious beliefs, or membership of a religious order is precluded from attending a polling place for all or most of the hours of polling.
Topics: elections, government-and-politics, states-and-territories, perth-6000, wa
First posted February 10, 2017 20:31:59
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