Labor's victory exceeds expectations but loses ground in regional WA as three seats change hands

ABC NEWS (Australia)

While Labor’s victory surpassed expectations, discontent was evident in regional areas. Many country voters shifted away from the party, leading to at least three regional seats changing hands.

Transcript

00:00While Perth voters chose largely to stay with Labor, across rural Western Australia there

00:09was a mood for change.

00:11I think front of mind was keep the sheep.

00:13That was a big issue for me.

00:15Yeah, the keep the sheep issue definitely influences my priorities.

00:20It's the sheep industry really.

00:23We just feel left out, ignored, yeah.

00:26The votes are still being counted in Labor's Jane Kelby seat, which takes in Margaret River

00:32to Denmark.

00:33Warren Blackwood was Conservative for 32 years.

00:35Me coming in in 2021 and switching it to red was an incredible feat, but you know, the

00:41state went red.

00:42And so I think there was always going to be a bit of a swim backwards towards the Conservatives,

00:47but I hope I can still hold on.

00:48The Nationals candidate who's leading the count says the regional voter backlash has

00:53been building over issues like the shutdown of native timber harvesting, the ban on live

00:59sheep exports and gun control legislation.

01:02You know, we've had a lot of things done to our region and not for our region, and I think

01:06a lot of us that's been living in Warren Blackwood are a bit fed up with being treated like second

01:11class citizens.

01:12And the Royalties to Regions program was something that seemed to touch people's nerves out there.

01:16Well, that's all but gone as far as the people are concerned, and I think they're back to

01:20a position of feeling a little missed out, and I think that's played out somewhat in

01:24this election, particularly Albany and Warren Blackwood and probably Geraldton and Kalgoorlie

01:28and some of those other seats where we are seeing a shift back to the Conservatives.

01:32The seat of Albany held by Labor since 2001 looks set to fall, but it will be a fight

01:38between the Liberals and Nationals.

01:41Labor has also suffered a defeat in Geraldton.

01:44Regional Western Australia has turned its back on Labor because Labor has turned its

01:48back on regional WA.

01:50In the Pilbara, Labor's Kevin Michel looks like being returned with a smaller margin

01:55and admits there's work to do.

01:57I'm a little bit kind of thinking actually where we kind of missed something because

02:05I expected actually a much better result.

02:08In Kalgoorlie, Labor has its nose in front, but the Liberal candidate remains hopeful.

02:13If Kalgoorlie have voted and want that change, I will be that strong advocate and that voice

02:18at the table for them, making sure that we undo those years of neglect under this Labor

02:22government.

02:23Obviously in the regions you've got a couple of issues which did gain some traction, and

02:28from that perspective that will provide us with an opportunity to reflect on those and

02:33see if there's any learnings from that.

02:34Final counting should be completed early in the week.

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