WA State Election wipeout: Labor's Mark McGowan new Premier, Barnett's reign over

The Australian Services Union and Electrical Trades Union have welcomed Labor's victory, branding it a "win for all Western Australians".

ASU WA Branch secretary Wayne Wood said the results sent a clear message on the privatisation of Western Power.

"It is clear from the election outcome that WA voters were concerned about the bigger power bills, fewer jobs and apprenticeships, and cuts to preventative maintenance, that would come with a privatised electricity system," Mr Wood said.

ETU WA Branch secretary Les McLaughlan said hundreds of workers could now breathe a sigh of relief.

"The sale of Western Power is dead in the water and their jobs are no longer in jeopardy," Mr McLaughlan said.

The Liberal Government had planned to sell 51 per cent of Western Power to pay off $8 billion of the state's debt.

On the morning after the election, prominent Perth lawyer John Hammond has told WAtoday charges against Roe 8 protesters should be dropped.

Mr Hammond said was aware of at least four individuals who were facing charges of obstructing police over the Roe 8 project protests. 

"One of them relates to someone singing a protest song," he said.

"Now that Roe 8 is not proceeding, I don't see that it would be in the public interest for those charges to proceed.

"I really think it is time now for the new government and the WA Police to say 'look Roe 8 is over, this is something in the past, and the charges against the various protesters should be dropped'."

Mr Hammond said he thought the WA Police could have dealt with the Roe 8 situation "differently". 

He said the new government would face a public backlash if charges proceeded.

 "I think people will think that it is no longer a matter of public interest."

Some of Labor's former Prime Ministers have come out this morning to congratulate Mark McGowan.

"Congratulations to Mark McGowan who led a massive WA Labor wave to victory. A great night for Labor and the future," Julia Gillard said.

Kevin Rudd also applauded WA State Secretary Patrick Gorman on a great campaign.

"Congrats to Mark McGowan and team for stunning result in the West," he said.

Federal politicians are lining up to declare One Nation's run of success over in the wake of the party's underwhelming result in the Western Australian state election.

The right-wing populist party's preference deal with the Liberal Party has also faced renewed criticism, labelled a mistake by Pauline Hanson and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce. But, despite the reaction, Finance Minister and senior WA Liberal Mathias Cormann refused to rule out a similar arrangement at the next federal election.

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While there's no doubt about the outcome of the election, two political heavyweights will have to anxiously wait to see if they get over the line.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is over the moon this morning sending "congratulations to Mark McGowan and WA Labor on a huge victory!" after Labor's landslide win last night.

Meanwhile Mr McGowan has joined a long list of people to enjoy a celebratory pint with former Labor PM Bob Hawke.

"I achieved a life-time ambition during this campaign. I had a beer with Bob Hawke," Mr McGowan said.

"We congratulate Mark McGowan and WA Labor on their victory and bringing an end to 8-and-a-half years of rising living costs, soaring debt, unemployment and broken promises," State Secretary Mick Buchan said. 

"Let it also be a warning for Malcolm Turnbull and the Federal government that their treatment of WA and their persistent war of attacking wages and living standards of young people and working families have been flatly rejected.

"This massive wave of support for WA Labor will cross the Nullarbor and hit Canberra like a tsunami.

"It's now time to get on with the job of repairing and diversifying our local WA economy to create more jobs and opportunities for all West Australian's."

The Federal Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann told ABC today the result was not unexpected. 

"All of the published and internal polling indicated that this was the way it was going to go," he said. 

Senator Cormann somewhat defended the WA Liberals' decision to preference One Nation over the Nationals, saying it was necessary to minimise losses and maximise their chances of holding onto seats.

Despite the result, he did not rule out making a similar deal at a federal level.

The circumstances were very different, he said.

"We will review all aspects of the campaign and the ultimate outcome and relevant judgments will be made at the right time."

Colin Barnett may have lost the WA election, but the outgoing premier will likely be celebrating something else on Sunday - his wife's birthday.

Mr Barnett made his concession speech at the Cottesloe Golf Club on Saturday just before 9pm and was greeted with loud cheers of support from loyal supporters when he arrived with wife, Lyn.

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