WA Labor leader Mark McGowan has declared he is a friend to business as he moved to quell concern over union thuggery returning to Western Australia after almost nine years of a conservative government.
Mr McGowan is tipped to become the state's 30th premier on Saturday night with an expected backlash against the Barnett government. The souring economy is expected to be deep enough to deliver Labor the 10 per cent swing it needs to gain power.
"I'm very business friendly," Mr McGowan said. "I've spent my career understanding that you need business to invest, to create jobs and opportunities for our citizens."
His comments came after shadow cabinet minister Fran Logan threatened to sue companies that may seek compensation if a Labor government cancelled contracts for the $1.9 billion Perth Freight Link and he would "remember their name" when future government tenders were submitted.
"Fran made a mistake…he accepts absolutely what he said was wrong," Mr McGowan said.
One Nation wild card
While Liberal insiders were bracing for defeat on Friday, Mr McGowan's march to victory could still be tripped up by Pauline Hanson, despite a horror week for One Nation.
Senator Hanson was dogged by her apparent support for parents to refuse to vaccinate their children, upset Queensland supporters over comments she would increase WA's GST income at the expense of her home state and was threatened with legal action by former staff. The searing frustration over the party's preference deal with the Liberals hit a crescendo on Friday when its most high-profile recruit quit.
Under the preference deal, One Nation will put the Liberals ahead of Labor in the lower house in exchange for the Liberals supporting One Nation ahead of its alliance partner, the WA Nationals, in the upper house.
Margaret Dodd, the mother of murdered school girl Hayley Dodd, is furious.
Ms Dodd, who is running against deputy premier Liza Harvey in the seat of Scarborough, is campaigning for "no body, no parole laws", which is not supported by the Liberals.
"I am of the opinion that this party is more adherent to a dictatorship that an democratic organisation and lacks principles," Ms Dodd said in a statement.
"Pauline Hanson's One Nation in my eyes is not about the WA people and their future but for personal power for Senator Hanson who will do and say anything to achieve her goal at whatever cost."
Stokes' outlet backs Labor
The deteriorating relationship between the Liberals and Nationals, which have governed under an alliance for the past eight and a half years, was cited by Kerry Stokes-backed The West Australian for part of its reason to advocate for a Labor government.
Mr Barnett, who is among a number of candidates to receive death threats during the campaign, made a final plea to the electorate not to vote in Labor because its election costings were "flimsy" and union thuggery would return to WA.
"If you want to find examples of that, look at some of the events and what has gone on in the Labor-controlled, union-controlled states of Queensland and Victoria in recent times," Mr Barnett said.
"We do not need that sort of intimidation and bullying tactics applying in Western Australia."
He said "union strong men" had turned up at pre-polling stations to intimidate voters.
"You will see union officials standing around at polling booths trying to scare you. Please do not be scared. Don't take any notice of them. That is not the Australian way. It is not what this country and this state stands for and people should not have to go through that… unfortunately in the last few days in particular, that has been compromised."
Mr McGowan has painted his party as the underdog simply because of the task needed to secure 10 additional seats and a 10 per cent swing.
"It has never, ever been done in Western Australia before," Mr McGowan said.
"For us to win it is like climbing Mount Everest."
