One Nation has claimed victory in the Secret Harbour state byelection in Western Australia.
With 74.5% of the vote counted, One Nation’s Luke Herdegen leads Labor’s Georgia Tree 57-42 after preferences.
One Nation’s WA leader Rod Caddies claimed victory at 9:30pm local time, stating the result demonstrated there were “no safe Labor seats in this state or in this country anymore” and that it would send “shock waves across the entire country”.
Voters in the safe Labor seat cast their ballots on Saturday after senior minister Paul Papalia’s mid-term retirement triggered the contest.
Luke Herdegen has been buoyed by a sea of orange across polling booths in the beachside electorate, located south of Perth.
“The vibe has been really strong for the last six weeks,” he noted.
WA Premier Roger Cook wasn’t throwing in the towel but conceded it would be a battle to hold the outer-suburban mortgage-belt electorate.
“It would break my heart,” he said when asked about the prospect of defeat.
“By-elections bring up all kinds of opportunities for a whole range of issues to impact on the seat.”
On the ground in Secret Harbour, Labor was struggling, with cost-of-living pressures, housing concerns, and a perceived lack of community amenities topping lists of voter grievances.
Local resident Luke Pors voted for One Nation and believes the party will do a better job than either Labor or the Liberals.
“We know what their true goal is and I think just in One Nation we trust,” he said.
The Qantas flight attendant was also impressed by Herdegen’s campaign efforts.
“He’s like a home buddy and, obviously, a youngie; we can really connect with him,” he added.
Retirees Ann and Les Scard also cast their votes for One Nation.
“It has been a pretty strong campaign by Luke Herdegen,” Les Scard said. “He deserves a chance.”
“I get the impression Liberal and Labor are desperate; they’re doing everything to try and discredit them, and I don’t think they’re being successful.”
Ann Scard isn’t concerned by One Nation’s controversial immigration policy.
“I agree with a lot of what Pauline Hanson says,” she said. “Something has to be done; it’s just all askew.”
Herdegen stated that people were desperate for change.
“They’re struggling with the cost of living; there’s a major housing issue here with the mass immigration coming through, and people have just had enough,” he said.
Retired truck driver Dean Maxwell isn’t so sure. He voted Labor.
“I didn’t vote for One Nation; I put them last,” he said. “I just don’t see any good policy.”
“I don’t like any of the pollies, but I particularly don’t like Pauline Hanson. I think she’s in Gina Rinehart’s pocket.”
One Nation’s performance in the working-class electorate will attract interest across the nation, particularly in Victoria, which is heading toward a state election in November.
