In a landmark state election that just took place in Western Australia, the political landscape is undergoing a historic seismic shift. The Keep the Sheep campaign, an astroturf ground-up effort, resonated deeply with voters in urban redoubts. More importantly, it highlighted the growing impact of independent candidates and anti-establishment voter anger. Kate Hulett took a stand for the Climate 200-backed independents. She went toe-to-toe with Labor candidate Josh Wilson in the closely watched contest for the seat of Fremantle.
That long election period played out in just eight short weeks after Hulett’s candidacy was initially announced in Fremantle. During the entire campaign, trucks sporting “Keep the Sheep” slogans drove around town, providing an exceptional impact on the visibility of the campaign. This strange occurrence is a testament to the recent wave of environmentalism amongst voters, because candidates like Hulett are pushing for these changes.
The Rise of Independents
As the dust settles from the election, Kate Chaney looks to be the best of the bunch independents. She went on to win reelection in Curtin, although with a diminished margin. Even so, Chaney’s victory is extraordinary—in light of her razor-thin 1.3 percent margin. This result marks a truly competitive contest that is starkly different from previous and long-held election outcomes in the Curtin electorate.
Chaney believed that 2022 election was a strong message to the Liberal party. They were going too far right, bordering on toxic, and losing moderate voters on the ground in places like Curtin. She thinks the voters’ mood has shifted as well. She went on to speak about the viciousness of personal attacks against her from Liberal opponents during the campaign.
“It was really tough, the level of negativity and personal attacks that came out of the Liberals was pretty intense,” – Ms Chaney
Even with the threat of negative campaigning looming, Chaney said she was still all-in on the positive messaging. We tried to take the high road and come with a message of promise. I am so thankful that folks were able to look past the terrible, nasty campaigning,” she continued. Whatever her secret sauce, Chaney’s approach clearly hits the mark with constituents who are fed up with business as usual party politics.
The Labor Party’s Performance
Unlike other elections that we have reviewed, the results of this election brought into relief the performance of the Labor Party. Even WA’s only Labor cabinet minister, Madeleine King, admitted to being caught off guard by some results. While she has criticized current practices, she’s hopeful about what’s to come.
“The way that the results were coming in later last evening and some of the indications we have about the preference flows make me feel hopeful,” – Madeleine King
King’s remarks speak to a larger impulse inside his party to understand what voters want and adapt their approaches to match. Of the need for the party to reflect, she said especially given the patchy results across different electorates, “we really need to look in the mirror.”
Melissa Price held onto her seat in Durack—one of the most pro-coal seats in the country—which she has represented since 2013. She voiced disappointment regarding some of the Liberal Party’s performances and emphasized the necessity for reflection and adjustment moving forward.
“Some of the [Liberal Party] results I’m really surprised at … no doubt we’ve got some soul searching to do,” – Melissa Price
In light of these developments, former state Liberal leader Zak Kirkup attributed WA’s electoral results to “a lot of unforced errors and policy positions” that failed to resonate with voters. His remarks serve as an important wake-up call for truly recalibrating the party’s tactics and strategies to better meet the needs and desires of constituents.
Campaign Strategies and Voter Sentiment
As we detailed in our previous analysis, candidates in this election used a mix of data and technology to try to reach voters. Hulett elaborated on how Americans are fed up with the old party establishment. She noted, “People are tired of the Democrats and Republicans. When you present them an alternative, they vote for that alternative.” Her comments highlight a broader trend of growing support for independent candidates as voters seek alternatives to established political options.
Josh Wilson, Labor, celebrating the new math—that indeed had changed the politics. He continues to be buoyed by the positive preference flows that still favor his party.
“I’m staggered by how often the coalition backflipped,” – Madeleine King also echoed sentiments regarding unexpected campaign dynamics.
Tom French, another successful candidate in this election cycle, said his campaign team focused on their own campaign. They decided that it was their job to care less than their competitors. Fighting dirty, he said they took the high road and ran only their own campaign. They simply didn’t look to see what others were doing.
