Counting for the night has now finished here (10 pm, Saturday 13 March 2021), in the WA state election.
The final comments from both the ABC and Channel 9 election coverage, stated this is the largest victory in Australian political history.
In effect, the Liberal Party has been wiped out - which is probably not that good for democracy.
The Liberal leader lost his seat, the first time in 90 years that an opposition leader has lost his seat, and there are now only two (2) Liberal politicians remaining in parliament.
Labor 53 seats, Liberal 2, National 4 - so the "National Party" now become the official opposition in WA.
In reality though, there is no opposition, because you need 5 seats to be declared an official opposition, and be eligible for funding.
No opposition in WA political history has ever received less than 5 seats, and it was assumed this could never happen.
Because they don't have 5 seats, the Liberal and National parties now have to beg Labor for funds to allow them to run their offices. I assume Labor will allow this and give them the money.
The Liberal party now hold only one (1) of the 32 seats in the Perth metropolitan area.
Most television and radio commentators here tonight have been left speechless, or as they say -- "gobsmacked".
A lot of people here don't know what to say, quite frankly, they are speechless and astounded. This kind of political result has never happened in Australia before, and certainly not in Western Australia.
How can you run a democracy when on a two party preferred basis, one party gets nearly 90% of the vote?
The premier, Mark McGowan got almost 90% of the vote in his own electorate, which is completely absurd and unheard of.
From a personal standpoint, it was just amazing to see the TV coverage and watch commentator after commentator, across multiple channels, just sit there and stare at the screens and shake their heads. No-one believed this could happen in Australia, let alone Western Australia.
People are just standing around here in Perth, in the streets at the moment, some with a beer in their hands, shaking their heads, not realizing or understanding what has happened - because it's so unprecedented.
There you have it.
What more can anyone say.
It's done.
Gw
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