The march 11 election in Western Australia produced a landslide win for the WA Labor Party and its leader Mark McGowan that even the most daring polls had not predicted. It was a monumental loss for the WA LIberal party, who is starting at a result that may see the party lose up to 20 seats.
WINNERS
MARK MCGOWAN - Becomes WA's 30th premier on his second attempt. Gets elevated to Labor hero status by leading the party to a crushing and unlikely victory over the two-term Barnett government. He has a big task ahead of him with expectations vs reality. But gets to be feted by the true believers in the meantime.
BILL SHORTEN - The federal opposition leader is in Perth for election day and gets to bask in the reflected glory of McGowan's win. Will use the Labor victory to attack PM Malcolm Turnbull even though the WA election was fought almost solely on state issues.
LOSERS
COLIN BARNETT - A devastating loss for the man who had been premier for eight and a half years. He could see it coming, but maybe not the extent of the loss. Lost a lot of MPs along the way. Has promised to retire quietly to the back bench, although there may not be enough MPs left to fill the front bench.
PAULINE HANSON - The One Nation leader thought she could disrupt WA politics as she had done federally. But the opinion polls collapsed under her over a series of gaffes from her and her candidates, and the doomed preference swap deal with the Liberals. The Upper House results are some time off, but most (not Hanson) say PHON WA has been a failure.
MALCOLM TURNBULL - Made one appearance in WA during the campaign and wasn't asked back. Is copping partial blame because during that visit he failed to give Barnett the GST gift he had promised last year. Is also copping grief over his defence of the Liberal-PHON preference deal.
- AAP