Colin Barnett wins re-election as blame turns on Gillard government
Liberal leader Colin Barnett claims victory in the West Australian election. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: The Sunday Times
COLIN Barnett has been swept back to power in Western Australia, as Labor figures blamed the unpopularity of the Gillard government for a slump in ALP support.
Labor leader Mark McGowan conceded defeat after a thumping swing to the Liberals and Nationals of up to 7 per cent sealed a second term for Mr Barnett and his coalition partners.
The result could give the Liberal-Nationals as many as 40 seats in WA's lower house, up from 29. Labor looks set to lose a third of its seats.
While Mr McGowan didn't say so, other Labor figures pointed the finger of blame for defeat at federal Labor, and former state Labor minister Alannah MacTiernan called for Julia Gillard to be dumped.
Claiming a "resounding victory", Mr Barnett congratulated Mr McGowan on his "energetic" campaign, despite the Liberal-Nationals achieving “what seems to be a comfortable result”.
“We retained all of our seats won at the last election. We've also won a further seven seats with a few still up for grabs,” he told Liberal supporters at a Cottesloe golf club, to chants of "four more years".
Mr Barnett said it was clear that the unpopularity of federal Labor had helped his party.
“I think certainly Labor was on the nose to a lot of people - that was a factor,” he said.
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