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I can’t ever remember seeing a state Premier with such a popularity level.  Even the treacherous media keep pumping him up.  How long before they do the usual 180 and go for his jugular?

It has been fascinating to watch the analysis on Sky News (Australia) of the WA election.  One of the criticisms was that Kirkup was supporting the Labor government's actions on borders.  In my opinion it was the fact that the Liberals didn't support the Labor government that is partially responsible for the election result.

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From Antony Green's blog ( Antony Green's Election Blog – Musings on Elections and Politics ):

(Times given are Sydney time)

1:10pm – Unfortunately I have to be elsewhere for 2 hours. In my absence, I expect the ABC Election Computer to give away Warren-Blackwood when it gets a preference count update. The first preferences entered today favour Labor. I expect the Liberal lead in Churchlands to disappear and that Nedlands may be given away as well.

12:25pm – More first preference Absents added for Churchlands and Warren-Blackwood. When the preference count comes in, both will lean Labor’s way. Extra Absents for North West Central also slightly narrow National lead in North West Central

Here is the latest update from Antony Green's blog ( Western Australian Election Updates – Antony Green's Election Blog ):

8:30pm – no late updates. So only the neighbouring Liberal seats of Nedlands and Churchlands remain in doubt, and that these two Liberal heartland seats are in doubt is a sign of the devastation inflicted on the Liberal Party at the 2021 election.

With 68.6% counted in Nedlands, Labor has extended its lead to 574 votes, Labor’s Katrina Stratton leading sitting Liberal MLA Bill Marmion 51.4% to 48.6%. My computer algorithm is on the cusp of giving the seat away but I might leave it for a little bit more counting on Thursday and let the program give the seat away.

Churchlands is up to 76.2% counted and the lead of Liberal MLA Sean L’Estrange has halved to 31 votes on today’s counting. As expected, Absent votes have favoured Labor and if the trend continues in tomorrow’s counting, Labor’s Christine Tonkin is expected to take the lead.

If Labor wins Churchlands then the new Legislative Assembly will be Labor 53, National 4 and Liberal 2. A Liberal victory would leave Labor on its current tally of 52 seats and give the Liberals 3.

The other seat decided to day was Warren-Blackwood where the trend on Pre-polls and Absents from yesterday continued today resulting in Labor’s Jane Kelsbie defeat sitting National MLA Terry Redman.

A remarkable feature of today’s count is that Labor’s state-wide first preference vote has passed 60%, reaching 60.2% with 70.8% of votes counted as a percentage of enrolment. My estimated Labor 2-party preferred vote is an extra-ordinary 69.4%, a swing of 13.9%. I would be surprised to find another victory on that scale in WA or any state’s history.

The 2011 NSW election saw the Liberal and National vote (with no three-cornered contests) on 51.1%. The SA Liberal Party win in 1992 was 52.8%. The LNP only polled 49.7% on its landslide Queensland win in 2012, Labor’s decimation owing much to competition from Katter’s Australian Party in north Queensland and optional preferential voting. The Kennett Liberal/National coalition polled 52% of the first preference vote in Victoria in 1992.

Under a different electoral system, the Liberal Party polled 54.1% of the vote at the 1992 Tasmanian election, Labor 51.9% in 2002 and the Liberal Party 51.2% in 2014.

So Labor’s landslide victory at the the 2021 WA election is out there in a league of its own in its scale.

What is Ben Wyatt doing Swannie? First it was leaving due to family, then Covid hit and he did the honourable thing and stayed on for the duration, then it was said in the media he had a job lined up at Mineral Resources but the most recent report said he could be headed for Canberra. That would be a smart move by the Labor Party, he would be a huge asset but that would fly in the face of his original reasons for quitting politics and going into federal politics would keep him further away from his family.

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What is Ben Wyatt doing Swannie? First it was leaving due to family, then Covid hit and he did the honourable thing and stayed on for the duration, then it was said in the media he had a job lined up at Mineral Resources but the most recent report said he could be headed for Canberra. That would be a smart move by the Labor Party, he would be a huge asset but that would fly in the face of his original reasons for quitting politics and going into federal politics would keep him further away from his family.

Let me point out that I have no official capacity to speak for the Labor Party.  Based on the reported reason Wyatt was quitting state politics to spend more time with his kids that would seem to be at odds with the suggestion that he would move into federal politics.

However, if he were to stand for Swan he would be a very strong chance to win that seat for Labor.

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What is Ben Wyatt doing Swannie? First it was leaving due to family, then Covid hit and he did the honourable thing and stayed on for the duration, then it was said in the media he had a job lined up at Mineral Resources but the most recent report said he could be headed for Canberra. That would be a smart move by the Labor Party, he would be a huge asset but that would fly in the face of his original reasons for quitting politics and going into federal politics would keep him further away from his family.

Let me point out that I have no official capacity to speak for the Labor Party.  Based on the reported reason Wyatt was quitting state politics to spend more time with his kids that would seem to be at odds with the suggestion that he would move into federal politics.

However, if he were to stand for Swan he would be a very strong chance to win that seat for Labor.

As it's been reported just today that the incumbent in the seat of Swan Ken Wyatt might retire and be the next GG.

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What is Ben Wyatt doing Swannie? First it was leaving due to family, then Covid hit and he did the honourable thing and stayed on for the duration, then it was said in the media he had a job lined up at Mineral Resources but the most recent report said he could be headed for Canberra. That would be a smart move by the Labor Party, he would be a huge asset but that would fly in the face of his original reasons for quitting politics and going into federal politics would keep him further away from his family.

Let me point out that I have no official capacity to speak for the Labor Party.  Based on the reported reason Wyatt was quitting state politics to spend more time with his kids that would seem to be at odds with the suggestion that he would move into federal politics.

However, if he were to stand for Swan he would be a very strong chance to win that seat for Labor.

As it's been reported just today that the incumbent in the seat of Swan Ken Wyatt might retire and be the next GG.

Steve Irons is the current member of Swan.  I did hear a comment on Saturday that Irons could be retiring at the next election.  To me it would be inconceivable that Irons would be considered as the next GG.  Ken Wyatt is the member for Hasluck.  He certainly would be a far more acceptable nominee as the next GG than Irons.  Given what happened last Saturday I would be very surprised if Ken Wyatt wasn't encouraged to stand at the next election. 

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What is Ben Wyatt doing Swannie? First it was leaving due to family, then Covid hit and he did the honourable thing and stayed on for the duration, then it was said in the media he had a job lined up at Mineral Resources but the most recent report said he could be headed for Canberra. That would be a smart move by the Labor Party, he would be a huge asset but that would fly in the face of his original reasons for quitting politics and going into federal politics would keep him further away from his family.

Let me point out that I have no official capacity to speak for the Labor Party.  Based on the reported reason Wyatt was quitting state politics to spend more time with his kids that would seem to be at odds with the suggestion that he would move into federal politics.

However, if he were to stand for Swan he would be a very strong chance to win that seat for Labor.

As it's been reported just today that the incumbent in the seat of Swan Ken Wyatt might retire and be the next GG.

Steve Irons is the current member of Swan.  I did hear a comment on Saturday that Irons could be retiring at the next election.  To me it would be inconceivable that Irons would be considered as the next GG.  Ken Wyatt is the member for Hasluck.  He certainly would be a far more acceptable nominee as the next GG than Irons.  Given what happened last Saturday I would be very surprised if Ken Wyatt wasn't encouraged to stand at the next election. 

Yeh my bad, meant Ken Wyatt, Swan is usually associated with the Midlands but yes seat of Hasluck. My electorate. Met Ken when I voted in 2018. Ken is 68 so another 4 years in parliament when he’s 69 might not have much appeal, however a more cushy and prestigious role of GG probably has more appeal although David Hurley’s term isn’t due to expire until 2024.

I am a bit sceptical that there would be such a lead time before the appointment of a person to GG.  Don't forget that in the federal parliament for the House of Reps they are only 3 year terms.  I would have thought the more likely scenario would be that he would retire from the House of Reps to become GG.  Bill Hayden and Paul Hasluck come to mind who went down that route.

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I can’t ever remember seeing a state Premier with such a popularity level.  Even the treacherous media keep pumping him up.  How long before they do the usual 180 and go for his jugular?
 

Well it certainly wont come from the Stokes own monoploy here in WA, with every local paper and the biggest rating TV channel you can forget about that, he's been bankrolled big time, and with Sponsor like Nigel Slattery pumping funds into Labor at Royal Fresh Water Bay Yatch club it wont be long before the "special" land deals keep on rolling out.