WA: Outgoing premier blames One Nation for dumping coalition

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2001
WA: Outgoing premier blames One Nation for dumping coalition

PERTH, Feb 11 AAP - Premier Richard Court blamed Pauline Hanson's One Nation for the
demolition of his party in the West Australian election last night.

The Liberal Party's decision to put One Nation last on the party's how-to-vote cards
sparked a tit-for-tat revenge tactic which ended Mr Court's hopes of a third term in government.

A primary swing towards Labor coupled with One Nation's preference attack on sitting
members swept even seasoned ministers out of what were thought to be safe seats.

"We certainly did not predict that the One Nation vote would be as high as it has turned
out," Mr Court said.

"With the preferences directed largely against our members its been `bang, bang, you're gone'."

But Prime Minister John Howard, who is due to call the federal election late this year,
said it would be wrong to see the result as a triumph for One Nation.

"Certainly there was quite a sharp difference between the policies of the federal coalition
government and the state coalition on forestry issues and whether that was a factor in
some of those regional seats that unexpectedly went against the government, I don't know,"

he told the Nine Network.

And federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley denied a claim that major parties would have
to now deal with Pauline Hanson.

"All major parties will have to stay focused on the needs of ordinary Australians,
that's a totally different matter, and that's the lesson we take out of the improvement
in our vote and the ultimate victory," he said.

One Nation won more than 10 per cent of the vote in WA.

Ministers to lose their seats include Police Minister Kevin Prince in the conservative
seat of Albany, Children's Services Minster June van de Klashorst in Swan Hills and Heritage
and Planning Minister Graham Kierath in Riverton.

The fate of Fair Trading Minister Doug Shave in Alfred Cove and Health Minister John
Day in Darling Range hang in the balance today.

WA Labor leader Geoff Gallop last night claimed a landslide victory after 73 per cent
of the vote had been counted with the party on 37.9 per cent, the Liberals on 31.3 per
cent and the Nationals on 2.6 per cent.

Dr Gallop becomes the state's 31st premier with a parliament majority of between two
to five seats, after winning the unprecedented 11 seats needed for victory.

Australian Labor Party candidate Carol Martin claimed victory in the seat of Kimberley
last night.

If Ms Martin's win is confirmed the seat she will become the first Aboriginal woman
to win a seat in an Australian parliament.

Meanwhile, leader of the WA National Party Hendy Cowan said he expected the National
and Liberal parties would choose to operate independently in opposition.

"I haven't put that to the parties, I am just summising," Mr Cowan told ABC Radio.

"But I think you will find that the National and Liberal parties will both want to
operate independently in opposition."

AAP yb/pc/sb

KEYWORD: POLLWA NATION

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