STIRLING MHR Michael Keenan has refused to be drawn on discussing the prospects of a minority Liberal Government after the July 2 photo-finish election.
Mr Keenan suffered a relatively small swing against him of 3 per cent, compared to swings against the Liberals of 8.6 per cent in Brand, 5.1 per cent in Canning, 5.9 per cent in Pearce, 5 per cent in Cowan, and a nominal swing of 14.5 per cent in the new seat of Burt.
He told Stirling Times: “I feel both honoured and privileged to be re-elected for a fifth term as the Member for Stirling, and I will continue to fight and deliver for the Stirling community to ensure my constituents are well-represented in Canberra.”
For a number of years, and in particular during the election campaign, the Liberal-National Coalition has suggested minority governments are synonymous with chaos and dysfunction.
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Asked if the Coalition would enter into minority government if required to remain in office, or pursue a fresh election for the House of Representatives only, Mr Keenan said, “I look forward to forming government and returning to Canberra to represent the people of Stirling as soon as possible”.
Mr Keenan attributed the nation-wide swing against the Turnbull Government to Labor’s Medicare campaign, which he said, “frightened a lot of people in WA unnecessarily”.