MADELEINE King has seemingly led Labor to a commanding win in Brand, leading the Liberal’s Craig Buchanan 62 per cent to 38 per cent in the two party preferred category.
Ms King replaces the retiring Gary Gray and continues Brand’s history of only being held by the Labor Party and did so with an 8.54 per cent swing in her favour.
Speaking to the Courier, Ms King said she believed Labor’s message resonated with the people of Rockingham and Kwinana.
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READ NOW“It is clear that Labor’s core commitments to health, education and jobs – and the campaign’s theme ‘Putting people first’ – captured the sentiment of the electorate,” she said.
“Labor’s values and the values of the people of Brand are aligned.
“We have many working families in this electorate – young and old – who deserve the best in health care, the best in education and secure jobs.
“They put in the hard yards every day, and as families and individuals, they all deserve to be considered ‘first’ in our political process.”
Ms King dominated the polls on the two party preferred basis in Medina (75.9 per cent), Parmelia (74.22 per cent), Cooloongup (73.2 per cent), Calista (72.61 per cent) and Rockingham Central (70.63 per cent).
Mr Buchanan polled best in Baldivis (46.3 per cent) and Secret Harbour (45.48 per cent).
So far, nearly 70,000 votes have been counted with just over 3000 registered as informal votes, a 1.26 per cent reduction on 2013.
With close to 100,000 people enrolled, turnout was around 71 per cent, a 14.57 per cent swing to the negative.
Greens candidate Dawn Jecks saw a swing of close to 4 per cent in her favour but it was Rise Up Australia’s Phillip Scott who claimed a 4.81 per cent swing to be the most improved behind Ms King.
The Australian Christian’s Bob Burdett (1.45 per cent) also gained votes.