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WA state election 2021 as it happened: Total Liberal wipeout as rockstar Premier Mark McGowan celebrates landslide win

It’s a bloodbath with a sea of red sweeping across Western Australia. Mark McGowan’s Labor Party has pulled off an election result that is even more stunning than was predicted.

Daile Cross, Fran Rimrod, Marta Pascual Juanola, Hamish Hastie and Peter de Kruijff

Updated March 14, 2021 — 12:44am,first published 6:11pm

Summary

Labor’s Mark McGowan has romped it in on the back of extraordinary popularity in the state mostly due to his tough stance on COVID-19 control.
The WA Liberal Party may hold on to as few as two seats.
Polling predicted a wipeout for the WA Liberal Party, with Zak Kirkup at the helm. He has lost his own seat of Dawesville.
At 8pm the Nationals have three seats to the Liberal’s two.

Pinned post from 10.12pm on Mar 13, 2021

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12.44am on Mar 14, 2021

“Bye, bye”

By Daile Cross and Fran Rimrod

That’s a wrap folks, it’s been a massive night with the WA Liberal party experiencing one of the worst election annihilations in Australian history.

Mark McGowan has been re-elected with overwhelming support while Liberal leader Zak Kirkup not only lost his seat, but his entire political career.

And we will leave you with the words Peter Katsambanis had for his nemesis, Rob Johnson, in a 3am phone call in the 2017 state election:

“Have a great day. Enjoy the rest of your life.

“Bye, bye.”

12.18am on Mar 14, 2021

Uhlmann’s damning appraisal

By Fran Rimrod

Nine News chief political editor Chris Uhlmann gave a damning appraisal of the WA Liberal party’s election result.

“What we are seeing is the worst election result for a party in state history in any state in Australia at any time,” he said as the Labor party in WA may pushes towards 70 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.

“In a bit of black humour I have a joke from someone in Victoria watching this closely.

‘You know how in future the Liberal party leader will know that they are under challenge? They will ring the phone and the phone will be engaged’.”

Mr Uhlmann said he predicted the Premiers of Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia would be the biggest Opposition Leaders Scott Morrison faced in the next federal election as they enjoyed enormous standing in their electorates and could take “a lot more paint of him” as Anthony Albanese.

12.18am on Mar 14, 2021

‘A humbling experience’ says Mark McGowan

By Daile Cross

Mark McGowan says winning in this record-breaking landslide is “a humbling experience”.

“I promise to work for everyone across Western Australia over this coming four years. Being Premier of this state, that I love, is an enormous privilege. You’ve put your trust in this government and I promise, I won’t let you down.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan will surely enjoy a few beers tonight.

He said West Australians had been through a lot this past year and he had been fortunate to have so much support as he made difficult decisions while the pandemic took hold across the world.

“We will now implement our positive plans for the future,” he said.

“Our world-leading economic and financial management will continue ... and keeping WA safe and strong.”

He turned his attention to Liberal leader Zak Kirkup, who tonight lost his seat in the parliament.

Mark McGowan has won by a record-breaking margin.Hamish Hastie

“Opposition Leader is a difficult and sometimes thankless job,” he said.

He acknowledged all the people who lost their seats today.

“We may be political opponents but our democracy should always be based on decency, civility and a respect for each other,” he said.

Representing all people across the state was important, he said.

“The magnitude of what has happened today is not lost on me, but with it comes great responsibility,” he said.

He promised a stable, sensible, caring government.

12.00am on Mar 14, 2021

Mark McGowan on his way to celebration, Roger Cook looking forward to glass of shiraz

By Daile Cross

Re-elected Premier Mark McGowan says “it feels terrific” to have won with a landslide.

Driving himself and wife Sarah to the venue where his supporters are eagerly awaiting his arrival, Mr McGowan has a twinkle in his eye.

He will make his victory speech shortly.

Mary and Dennis McGowan earlier in the day. Matt Jelonek/Getty Images

Deputy Premier Roger Cook says his party’s strong showing was a result of both the WA public rewarding his government for their management of the COVID pandemic and the Liberal party’s incompetence.

Speaking at the Gary Holland Centre in Rockingham with the backdrop of a jubilant Labor crowd delighting in their party’s record-breaking results Mr Cook said the electorate liked the type of government he and Mr McGowan offered.

“We obviously wanted to see the West Australian community reward us for those hardcore four years, and it looks like they’ve done that tonight,” he said.

He said the Liberal party shot itself in the foot by choosing “crazy candidates” and not putting forward policies that voters wanted.

“They just didn’t put the hard work in for the policies, which they needed to attract the votes and I think the West Australian community saw that and voted accordingly,” he said.

Mr Cook said he was looking forward to celebrating the win tonight with a “very large glass of Shiraz”.

11.51pm on Mar 13, 2021

A ‘gutting loss’ says Zak Kirkup

By Hamish Hastie

Liberal leader and ousted Dawesville MP Zak Kirkup has called on his party to rebuild following its “gutting loss”.

In his concession speech to supporters at the Dudley Park Bowling and Recreation Club Mr Kirkup said his party’s loss was one that was “difficult to bear” but one he took full responsibility for.

With the Liberals likely to retain just two seats in parliament he called on party members to rally together and rebuild.

Opposition Leader Zak Kirkup concedes defeat to Mark McGowan in the 2021 state election.Peter de Kruijff

“We must remember that 2021 is not an end but a beginning,” he said.

“We all have an obligation to make sure we can do all we can to help rebuild this party.

“Over the next four years with a very small number we must do all we can to hold Labor to account.”

The beginning of his speech was marred by a microphone that would not work, which some commentators labelled a metaphor for the party’s campaign overall.

The Liberals currently have only two seats called in their favour.

Zak Kirkup lost his seat.Peter de Kruijff

11.12pm on Mar 13, 2021

Zak Kirkup rings McGowan to concede

By Peter De Kruijff

Opposition Leader Zak Kirkup has rung Mark McGowan to concede the election.

He will be speaking at 8.30pm at his function at the Dudley Park Bowling and Recreation Club.

Zak Kirkup’s campaign function at the Dudley Park Bowling and Recreation Club earlier in the night.ABC

10.50pm on Mar 13, 2021

End of the road for Zak

By Peter de Kruijff

ABC political analyst Antony Green has called the Liberal leader’s seat of Dawesville in favour of Labor and says Zak Kirkup cannot come back from the 16.6 per cent predicted swing currently against him.

The function room full of die hard Liberals at the Dudley Park Bowling and Recreation Club went momentarily quiet during the announcement but has remained chatty throughout the evening.

Zak Kirkup has lost his seat.Matt Jelonek/Getty

There are about 100 people at the event but the only notable Liberal to appear so far is Mandurah candidate Ryan Burns.

It is uncertain when Mr Kirkup will be appearing to make his concession speech.

With the only two seats looking to be held by the Liberals so far – Cottesloe and Vasse – it could be that the Nationals become the new opposition in parliament.

Nationals leader Mia Davies told the ABC it was not known if this scenario would eventuate with so many votes to be counted but her party would stand up to the challenge if it became reality.

“[I have] no doubt we have the people in our team and the capability to do the job,” she said.

“We’ve never shied away from a challenge.”

10.48pm on Mar 13, 2021

Liza Harvey loses, as FIFO electrician scores big

By Hamish Hastie and Peter de Kruijff

Another Liberal stronghold is set to fall with Scarborough voters turning away from former opposition leader and Barnett government Police Minister Liza Harvey.

The seat was a target for Labor and it has paid off, with FIFO electrician Stuart Aubrey taking 49.57 per cent of the primary vote with 34 per cent of the total vote count completed.

As an experienced minister Ms Harvey’s defeat is a huge loss to any future Liberal opposition but is no surprise with a 16.6 per cent swing toward Labor being recorded statewide.

Former Liberal leader Liza Harvey has lost her seat of Scarborough.

Darling Range MP Alyssa Hayden, who is facing a swing against her, told ABC Perth Radio it was challenging to see she might be losing her seat in a presidential-style election where people everywhere were voting for Mr McGowan.

“We knew it was going to be a tough one so I’ve gone in eyes wide open,” she said.

“I’ve been hearing for the last six months the community are happy with the Premier.

“We’ve seen a lot of people who would usually vote for their incumbent member ... saying they’re struggling between that.

“I’m up against the Premier ... that’s the trouble.”

City of Armadale councillor Hugh Jones is the Labor candidate in Darling Range.

10.36pm on Mar 13, 2021

Labor diehards enjoy the bloodbath

By Hamish Hastie

The crowd of Labor diehards in Rockingham are growing increasingly rowdy as they watch the bloodbath unfold across the electorate.

As they watch the wave of red crash over each seat at the Gary Holland Community Centre there have been cheers and applause, the loudest of which have been saved for results from key seats such as Darling Range and Hillarys where it is likely Labor will comfortably romp to victory.

Hillarys is likely to be one of many electorates to transition from a marginal Liberal seat to a safe Labor seat.

With 13.9 per cent of the vote counted candidate Caitlin Collins has experienced a massive 17.7 per cent swing towards her.

10.18pm on Mar 13, 2021

McGowan romping it home, big swing so far against Mr Kirkup

By Hamish Hastie and Peter de Kruijff

It took a mere 43 minutes for political analyst Antony Green to call the West Australian election for Labor on Saturday night.

This beat even the record 48 minutes Mr Green took to call the Queensland landslide election in 2012.

As predicted, Australia’s most popular and parochial premier Mark McGowan would take West Australian Labor to a new high, he said.

“Everything we’re seeing is a swing to Labor in Perth,” he said on the ABC broadcast.

“They’re looking good in the regional areas as well. They need an 8 per cent swing against them to lose office.”

At 7pm Mr McGowan was romping it home in his own electorate of Rockingham. Of the first 901 votes counted he had secured 87.12 per cent of the vote.

His Liberal opponent, accountant Michael McClure, had just 44 votes.

The first booth in Liberal leader Zak Kirkup’s Dawesville came in with the predicted 7.5 per cent swing to Labor but things went from bad to worse, with another Dawesville booth giving a big bump to Labor candidate Lisa Munday.

The second booth took the swing up to a predicted 16.2 per cent for her party over Mr Kirkup.

But it’s still too early to say what will happen in this seat given those latest results are from South Halls Head Primary School which also favoured Labor in 2017.