waelectionmapNearly three weeks ago The Stringer believed the West Australian election would be a landslide victory to the Liberals – and that the Liberals would no longer be a minority Government but would continue as an alliance or coalition with the Nationals – strengthening their future hopes.

Politics is not always about the big issues that affect all Australians, and certainly not always about altruism and the interests of future generations. It is usually about self-interest – the issues that may directly affect the constituents.

Nor have politicians always been driven by the sense that politics is a calling.

Opposition leader Mark McGowan instructed that Prime Minister Julia Gillard should not visit Western Australia during the State Labor campaign. She didn’t, but it made little difference. They may have been better off if she did come and alongside as many Federal colleagues as possible to explain many of the issues that residents of Western Australia have with them. State Labor cannot disassociate itself from Federal Labor.

Collie-Preston Labor MP Mick Murray is fighting to retain his seat of Collie-Preston and said that there is no doubt that the Prime Minister and the Australian Labor Party had cost WA Labor many votes – and in effect the seats of incumbent back and front benchers.

Mr Murray cut to the chase and hit the nail on the head with the view that Federal Labor has paraded itself as a Conservative government and lost respect among many who would have traditionally voted for them.

“She thought running with a conservative government in this State was going to improve her image,” said Mr Murray.

“She has compromised the Labor brand to the point where the water became muddy and people started to be unsure about what she stood for. And it cost us.”

Mr Murray said it is time for Labor to portray themselves for who they are and not kowtow to polls and the news media and to return to challenging conservative politics and to give the people a choice between parties that should be effectively diametrically opposed.

Prime Minister Gillard will come to Perth later this month for a community Cabinet in what should have been Labor heartland – Thornlie.

 

The Stringer’s February article on the election forecast:

https://thestringer.com.au/the-stringer-goes-political-pundit/