WA Liberals select candidates for bellwether seat of Swan Hills and Premier Roger Cook’s seat of Kwinana

The next tranche of State election contenders for the WA Liberal party have been revealed — including a seat that has been won by every election-winning party since it was created. City of Swan councillor Rod Henderson was preselected to have another go at Swan Hills after losing to incumbent MP Jessica Shaw in 2021. With Ms Shaw retiring after two terms, Labor’s left faction tapped accountant Michelle Maynard — who will defend a 27.3 margin. Swan Hills has proved a true bellwether, having been won by the party that formed Government in every election since its creation in 1989. During his 2021 campaign, it was revealed that Mr Henderson had told Swan councillors in 2019 that the human impact on climate change had been “totally dispelled”. Cameron Foord will carry the Liberal banner in Kwinana, held by Premier Roger Cook. Following a redistribution, Kwinana became the safest Labor seat in the State, with the Premier sitting on an eye-watering 38.2 per cent margin. In Balcatta, held by Mines Minister David Michael, the Liberals have preselected residential building consultant Travis Mark. Mr Michael, who flipped the seat for Labor in 2017, holds it with a 25.8 per cent margin. Polls, ahead of the March 8 election, show Labor on course to win a third term. However, it set to do so with a vote dramatically down from the nearly 70-30 two-party preferred win it recorded at the height of COVID-fuelled Mark McGowan mania.