Voters unimpressed with Carpenter's candidates
Posted
Several of Carpenter's rising stars failed to win their seats. (ABC)
The Premier Alan Carpenter's move to install his preferred candidates in several seats has backfired.
Former journalists Karen Brown in the seat of Mount Lawley and Reece Whitby in Morley both lost to Liberal candidates.
Mr Whitby had been criticised because he does not live locally and was competing with former ALP member and now Independent John D'orazio for the seat.
Mr D'Orazio says the Government deserved to lose Morley for trying to parachute an outsider into the seat.
"Locals won't accept that and it's cost him a seat and maybe government," he said.
In marginal Ocean Reef, Louise Durack, who had been seen alongside the Premier at several key announcements during the campaign lost to Liberal Albert Jacob.
And the former Labor MP-turned independent John Bowler declared victory in the seat of Kalgoorlie and says Labor should not assume he will be aligned to his old party.
Minor parties
Three Independents secured seats in the election.
Churchlands was retained by Liz Constable, who partnered with the Liberal Party during the campaign.
And Carol Adams gained the new electorate of Kwinana on preferences.
She says everyone was surprised by the result.
"Alan Carpenter calling the election I think there was a protest vote against it, and I think with the change you know of Mr Buswell to Mr Barnett that certainly has been telling for the Liberals so it's been very very interesting," she said.
The seat of Alfred Cove, held by the Independent Janet Woollard since 2001, still hangs in the balance.
