The long-running and unpopular Barnett government has been ousted, ushering in a new Labor government led by former navy lawyer Mark McGowan.
The paradox of Pauline Hanson’s campaign is that she is greeted as a celebrity on the streets, while members of her party have been turning on her bitterly.
Dan Peled/AAP
While the Liberals’ decision to preference One Nation on how-to-vote cards might be expedient in the short term, it could seriously cost them if they are returned to power.
Federally, the Liberals are running the line that Pauline Hanson and her party are different these days.
Sarah Motherwell/AAP
Malcolm Turnbull’s plebiscite on same-sex marriage has run into new problems, with the Australian Electoral Commission recommending it should be delayed until next year.
Malcolm Turnbull visited a shipyard early in the campaign to highlight an already announced contract to build naval patrol boats.
AAP/Mike Bowers
The Barnett government’s plans to sell ports, including the last capital city port slated for privatisation, appear to have been torpedoed by the WA Nationals’ change of heart.
Stephen Smith’s bid to return to politics as Labor leader in Western Australia has ended in defeat.
AAP/Tony McDonough
A highly competent minister, Stephen Smith now appears to be suffering from relevance deprivation syndrome in his failed attempt to seize the Labor leadership in Western Australia.
Malcolm Turnbull may struggle to persuade Daniel Andrews and some other state leaders to back major tax change, though Mike Baird has been arguing for reform.
Sam Mooy/AAP
Despite all the media coverage, don’t expect any clear decisions on national tax reform on Friday. But we should see more progress on other issues, including domestic violence and violent extremism.
More than 3,000 Aboriginal sites have lost registration status as part of sweeping changes in classifications in the Aboriginal Heritage Register.
Domes of Purnululu, Western Australia. Pic: David Denicolò
More than 3,000 Aboriginal heritage sites in Western Australia have lost registration status as part of sweeping changes in classifications in the Aboriginal Heritage Register. That needs to change.
The Commonwealth appear to hold the aces when it comes to state-federal funding, but the states have cards to play.
AAP/Stefan Postles
The stoush over GST redistribution followed a predictable script of squabbling between states; but now is the time for an alternative agenda.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott caused controversy earlier this week when he said that living in remote Indigenous communities was a ‘lifestyle choice’.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
The furore over Tony Abbott’s ‘lifestyle choices’ comments both sidelines and highlights the lack of real discussion on Indigenous policy in Australia.
Western Australia is an interesting place. No, really! True, lots of students from Asia think Perth’s a bit ‘quiet’, but at least local politics is getting a bit more exciting. Indeed, our state premier…
Religious leaders have come together to promote community harmony, but some political and media agendas have encouraged Islamophobia.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
Many incidents of violence and harassment directed at Australian Muslims have been reported recently. These are visible confirmation of fears expressed by their community, that support for the government’s…
Western Australia has killed two great white sharks after a surfer was seriously injured last week.
Sharkdiver.com/Wikimedia Commons
When I used to tell people that I did my PhD on the politics of shark attacks, they would ask, “Is there a politics to shark attacks?” Nobody asks that any more. Now they just say, “Oh, like in Western…
Wave of protest: surfers were among thousands who rallied at Cottesloe Beach against the Barnett government’s shark cull.
AAP Image/Theron Kirkman
The end of April marks the end of Western Australia’s shark cull – for now at least. Since January 25, dozens of sharks (the WA government has not yet released official figures) have been killed off popular…
Despite his electoral success earlier this year, WA premier Colin Barnett has suffered a string of economic blows - the latest being a credit rating downgrade and the rejection of his proposed raise in the GST.
AAP/Theron Kirkman
2013 hasn’t been a good year for Western Australian premier Colin Barnett. Standard and Poor’s recent downgrade of his government’s credit rating continues a pattern. It is not an aberration. Barnett’s…