Mark McGowan predicts Western Australia will decide election
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan says the state’s federal seats could decide the election outcome.
The Labor premier says voters in his state could “very easily” determine the outcome of Saturday’s poll.
“If Western Australia does play that role, it will mean we are once again front and centre in national consideration,” Mr McGowan told reporters after voting at Safety Bay Primary School in Perth.
Labor has campaigned heavily in WA, with leader Anthony Albanese making four visits to the state since the hard border opened in March, and the ALP held its formal campaign launch in Perth for the first time since 1940.
On Friday, Scott Morrison spent his last full day of campaigning in Perth, a sign Liberal Party strategists also believe the state could be crucial in determining the outcome.
Labor insiders remain confident the party can win three Liberal-held WA seats: Swan, Pearce and Hasluck.
Mr McGowan said picking up more seats would lead to more attention being paid to the needs of WA, but noted he couldn’t remember the last time it had determined a federal election outcome.
The state, which has 15 of the 151 lower-house seats, has long been a federal coalition stronghold.
Mr McGowan has previously denied Mr Albanese is trying to piggyback off his own popularity, after he won a landslide victory in March 2021.