Western Australia

Abstract

This article examines the key issues that dominated the campaign agenda in WA at the federal polls in 2007, as well as the outcome of the election in that state. It shows that the swing recorded against the Liberal party in WA was more muted than elsewhere in the federation. It suggests that the failure of the state ALP to rein in the behaviour of some of its high profile members, combined with a strong local economy, served to reduce the resistance of WA voters to vote against those policies of the Howard government that electors in other parts of Australia strongly disapproved.