Willagee by-election: November 28
Tuesday, November 24
Comments thread troublemaker Frank Calabrese has caught the attention of The West Australian’s Inside Cover.
Saturday, November 14
The Fremantle Herald reports Gerry Georgatos is forming a new party he proposes to call the “Real Greens”. Such a name would certainly not be permissible under the Commonwealth Electoral Act, but the state’s Electoral Act does not contain a provision equivalent to that prohibiting a name which “a reasonable person would think suggests that a connection or relationship exists between the party and a registered party if that connection or relationship does not in fact exist” (which was designed to disqualify Liberals for Forests and others like it). Georgatos also disputes Lynn MacLaren’s denial last week that she had been behind the preselection of Hsien Harper, saying she had previously admitted this to him.
UPDATE: I’ve been provided with a more in-depth version of the same article, presumably from the Melville or Cockburn version of the Herald.
Sunday, November 8
The Sunday Times reports Georgatos will be directing preferences to Labor:
Labor candidate Peter Tinley’s chances of winning the Willagee state by-election have been boosted, with independent Gerry Georgatos giving preferences to Labor at the November 28 poll. Mr Georgatos, who unsuccessfully sought pre-selection for Willagee for the Greens, said apart from himself, he believed Mr Tinley was the best candidate. He said Greens candidate Hsien Harper was a “good person”, but he believed Mr Tinley was a better candidate. Mr Georgatos denied giving Labor his preferences as payback for not being pre-selected.
Friday, November 6
This week’s Fremantle Herald features a letter from Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren (right) in which she rejects claims the branch meeting that preselected Hsien Harper was stacked, saying the party’s “consensus decision-making” means “branch stacking isn’t possible”. One who begs to differ is Steve Walker, who has told the paper he quit because of “the appalling dishonesty and branch-stacking within the party”. Notwithstanding that he is no longer involved with the party, Walker claims the Willagee preselection was “all the handiwork of Lynn”, whom he labels “the Brian Burke of the Greens”. The paper also corrects its assertion last week that Walker’s gripe had been that he was overlooked for preselection in Fremantle at the expense of Adele Carles – his aspirations had in fact been for the South Metropolitan seat currently occupied by MacLaren. Walker then proceeded to run as an independent, and lodged an above-the-line preference ticket which was punitive with respect to MacLaren personally: while her Greens running mate Scott Ryan was put second, MacLaren was placed behind all major party candidates (since MacLaren was elected anyway, the real impact of his votes was to help elect the Liberals’ Phil Edman ahead of Labor’s Fiona Henderson).
The Herald page linked to above also profiles Christian Democratic Party candidate Henri Chew, and informs us a candidates’ forum will be held at 7:30pm on Wednesday, November 25 (three days before the by-election) at Melville Senior High School’s performing arts hall. There are ads in the paper for Hsien Harper on page one and Peter Tinley on page three, scans of which appear below.
Page 1 of 5 | Next page
Categories: WA By-Elections
885 Responses
Comments page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |« One of many days in September | How green was my paper: episode two »
William for Willagee!
by on Sep 25, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Who will the Green run I wonder?
by Musrum?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 9:53 pm
and why should they bother – it’s on a margin of 17% for the ALP
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Frank, the Greens will run. With them the main opposition in the by-election, they are likely to get more coverage then a regular election. This is also a chance to see Adele Charles in action.
Thats how I would play it anyway.
by Dave?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 10:13 pm
And if the Libs don’t run and it’s a narrow ALP Victory it will prove once and for all that there is a Greens/Liberal alliance – and they can’t cry that Willage is no longer ALP heartland – it is the second safest ALP seat in the state.
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Dave Kelly = good candidate. Watch that 17% margin get slashed though, Frank.
by Ozymandias?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Yes, but there won’t be a new playmate for Adele though
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Here are the Booth results from the State election.
http://www.waec.wa.gov.au/elections/state_elections/election_results/2008_State_General_Election/District_of_Willagee/polling_place_results.php
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 10:39 pm
The West’s take on Carpenter’s retirement.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/6102445/alan-carpenter-resigns/
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 11:01 pm
And no, he won’t be taking a golden handshake either:
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,26126458-948,00.html#comments
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 11:14 pm
“And if the Libs don’t run and it’s a narrow ALP Victory it will prove once and for all that there is a Greens/Liberal alliance”
Frank, your insane if you actually believe this.
1. The Libs wont run because its a by-election. Not to help the Greens but because it doesn’t help them.
2. If Lib voters vote Green, it just means that they hate the ALP more then they hate the Greens.
When the ALP dont run in by-elections, and there is a narrow Lib win, does that make it a Green/ALP alliance? Of course it doesn’t.
SNIP: Unparliamentary language deleted – The Management.
by Dave?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Frank is not Kelly one of the reasons the ALP is in opposition now,when the hell are the ALP power brokers in WA going to learn about putting union hacks into parliament.
Given the fact that WA is not that in love with unions,why are the ALP and the behind the scenes faction leaders so bloody stupid,why not let the local members put up their own candidate,not some union hack who has never done a days work in his life
by John Ryan?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Audio of the announcement here:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/audio/2009/09/25/2697248.htm
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 25, 2009 at 11:56 pm
John,
If you listen to Carps audio I just posted you you hear him say the ALP was originally borne out of the Union Movement – so it is perfectly acceptable for someone from the union movement to be pre-selected.
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 12:03 am
I don’t know what they’re smoking at The Western Patriot, but methinks they are wRONg.
http://westernpatriot.com.au/2009/09/carpenter-quits-wa-labor-elated-2683
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 4:22 am
John Ryan @ 12. Your description of Dave Kelly as a union hack who has never done a day’s work in his life is way wrong. The LHMU represents many of the lowest-paid of WA’s workers, and as its Secretary, Kelly has overseen an impressive increase in its membership at a time when -so the MSM regularly trumpets- union representation is falling. He is smart, well-spoken, a good media performer and tireless in his efforts to improve pay and conditions for his union’s members.
The tone of your post @ 12 strongly suggests, John, that you have never been a union member, much less worked in a union office. You have not a clue about what work is done in those places. Your comments on Dave Kelly are therefore ill-informed regurgitations of the Coalition/MSM talking points about unions and unionism, and add nothing to the debate.
by Ozymandias?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 10:46 am
Clearly Frank is worried here, I have no idea why the ALP’s ex leader is leaving the sinking ship but he may feel that its the time to leave the sinking ship.
Some of you who are obsessed may have seen my ‘Nuclear posts’ last night on a different topic. For those who didn’t I basically ran a few posts saying that the ALP would suffer badly from rumours around the placement of Martin Ferguson inspired Nuclear Reactors around various capital cities. Now these are just rumours, but I’ll share their motivation. They were inspired directly by Frank’s nonsense of the Liberal Green conspiracy theory. Well Frank here we go,.
“Greens candidate for the seat of Willagee “insert name of next member of WA pairliament” today called on the WA government to categorically rule out the placement of a Nuclear reactor in the Perth/Freemantle region.”
by Barking?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 11:37 am
Re the possibilities of a change, we need to look at the role of the Minors in this election and wheter there are any high profile lib independant is the area. It will however be interesting and do any of you WA people know do the Freemantle Willagee state seats cover the same Federal seat, this could create another “melbourne”.
by Barking?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 11:42 am
Ozymandias,I have been a union member all my working life,from my days as an apprentice Car and Wagon builder in Midland Workshops,under the guidance of the late Jack Marks.
I was a member of the CMFEU untill I retired to look after my late wife,I was a rep on Mt Newman for the old BWIU,while I worked there,I am of the opinon that the branch members should be able to elect the people that want not some union offical.
God knows I read the Australian I don,t believe much of whats in it, but The Worst to my mind has not improved,as I want to read about more that some stupid AFL players big toe I watch TV ABC, SBS and Pay, and read books and internet,I still do not resile from what I said above, sorry if you disagree,but from your assumptions you are dead wrong about me.
by John Ryan?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Apologies for my dead-wrong assumptions, John, which were obviously on a par with your assumptions about Dave Kelly.
by Ozymandias?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I cannot be bothered responding to clueless easterners who don’t know the local circumstances of a state seat, but suffice to say read Williams stats of wisdom
But here is the full interview with Carpenter from Stateline.
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200909/r442714_2139304.asx
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Hmm, Peter Tinley has put his name forward.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,26129122-948,00.html
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Rebecca Carmody on Carps.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,26130226-5005374,00.html
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 26, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Frank at 5:
Jeez, not this again. There. Is. No. Alliance. Get over it.
Willagee will probably stay Labor – then again, I said that about Fremantle too. The Greens got 28% at Hilton and 20% at East Hami Hill last time, so should do well there (probably win the Hilton booth), and maybe Coolbellup (near Murdoch uni, plenty of students live there); Labor will clean up in the south and central bits. Greens may also do OK in the northern bits that go for the Liberals (part of Alfred Cove / Melville I think?) – Carles did well in the nearby bits of Fremantle. I’d tip a margin between 5% and 10% for Labor – sending 2008 Liberal votes 80% to Green and 20% to Labor gives a 7.8% margin, which sounds about right.
Might be a Melville councillor or two trying their luck as an conservative independent, too. Katherine Jackson got a few % in Alfred Cove’s very weird contest in 2005.
by Bird of paradox?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 27, 2009 at 2:23 am
Oh, and one more thing I just thought of: Roe Hwy stage 8 could well be an issue. The Liberals have exhumed that one, and want to extend the Roe from the freeway to Stock Rd in Hami Hill – most of that route is in Willagee. The road’s planned to run through the small gap between Bibra Lake and North Lake, so there’s something the Greens / various annoyed locals will be running with.
by Bird of paradox?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 27, 2009 at 2:29 am
Well Labor is against Roe 8 as well, so expect them to run on it as well, and they can rightly say that as a major party, they have more sway on the issue than the minor parties.
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 27, 2009 at 2:33 am
Was against it, Frank. They used to be in favour of extending trading hours not so long ago, too… dunno what happened to that. Add in the fun and games Ripper had with McGowan and Wyatt over uranium last week, and it’s hard to see what they stand for – they need to sort that out damn quick if they want to win the next election.
Considering that, Labor’s man will need Alannah MacTiernan standing behind him if he makes Roe 8 an issue, as she was the minister responsible for canning it. She’s worth an extra few % for Labor… then again, she might not feel like taking that on in her last few months in state parliament. Any publicity’s good publicity though, I guess.
By the way, here’s a massive sook Dennis Jensen threw about that road a few months before the last federal election. Glen, can your mob do something about that twit? He seems to survive losing his pre-selection quite well… time to pull out the big guns.
And here’s a maybe-uncomfortable parallel from Victoria… Burwood state by-election, 1999. Are the Liberals definitely not running at this by-election? I just read the seat profile linked in the OP, and apparently the ALP vs Lib margin in 1996 (when the seat was created) was only 2.3%. 1996 was a high water mark for the Liberals (only time they ever won a majority under the old gerrymandered system), so they’d need a high-profile candidate if they wanted to give it a shake, but then again… who the hell is Bob Stensholt?
by Bird of paradox?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 27, 2009 at 3:53 am
According to Carps new boss at Notre Dame whom I was speaking to on Twitter – he reckons the Libs won’t run a candidate, and the Greens will benefit but Labor will retain the seat
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 27, 2009 at 5:35 am
And in case you’re wondering it’s fellow whom I’ve known since his humble days as an Electorate Office for the former member for Swan Hills
http://www.nd.edu.au/fremantle/schools/arts/staff/mdrum.shtml
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 27, 2009 at 5:38 am
As I probably should have pointed out in that profile, Willagee then extended eastwards into Winthrop and Booragoon areas that now help make life comfortable for Christian Porter in Bateman.
by on Sep 27, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I wonder if Dave Kelly was advised not to run in response to the Fremantle fiasco – though I’ll bet some smartarse will declare Tinley not to be local enough, despite living on the Border, sort of like how Jaye Radisch lived in nearby Woodbridge (West Midland for us old timers) even though she was the member for Swan Hills, which was on the border.
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 28, 2009 at 3:07 am
My bet would be that there are other seats better suited to Dave Kelly, and that he’d need no advice to figure that out.
by on Sep 28, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Harry Phillips is giving comfort to the Greens:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/28/2698780.htm?section=justin
by on Sep 28, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Harry Phillips obviously hasn’t perused the demographics. I say a rabble rousing Independent would have more of a chance.
by on Sep 28, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Oh I agree – Fremantle and Willagee are poles apart – despite the fact that they are neighbouring electorates.
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 28, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Oh and this new Unions WA Campaign will help Labor
http://www.noworkchoicesinwa.com/
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 28, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Eoin Cameron and Peter Kennedy on Politics, with the main item being Carpenter’s retirement.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/audio/2009/09/28/2698163.htm
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 28, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Slightly off topic but related – Why The Western Patriot is in an editorial bind re reporting stories involving Jon Ford.
http://westernpatriot.com.au/2009/09/readers-disappointment-at-lack-of-hard-line-on-jon-ford-2691
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 28, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Since we are not all Crikey subscribers, can William please share with the class what he wrote here ?
http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/28/carpenter-moves-on-mactiernan-calls-his-bluff/
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 28, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Sure! I said this:
by on Sep 28, 2009 at 11:04 pm
ABC TV News report on the By-election.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/09/28/2698972.htm
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 29, 2009 at 12:41 am
From that vid:
I like the way they put that over half a dozen stock shots of central Freo and nowhere else. It’s the very un-telegenic Hilton they want… yes it’s bleak fibro Homeswest-ville, yes they vote Green there too. I think the only shot of Willagee in the whole feature was Carpenter turning up to vote at Cooby Primary. Lift yer game, ABC.
by Bird of paradox?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 30, 2009 at 8:42 am
Well “Their ABC” want to give the impression that the Greens Heartland is yuppiefied areas like Freo
Hilton is bogannsville – the only greens are those on Newstart 
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Sep 30, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Pretty silly statement. By that definition there is a Greens/Labor alliance in Bradfield.
by Hamish Coffee?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Oct 1, 2009 at 9:34 am
It’s mostly unrelated, but the local council elections are in a few weeks time. I’ll be watching Fremantle to see how Brad Pettitt does… it’s all non-partisan, but he’s the greenish candidate for mayor (currently a councillor – I don’t think Tagliaferri is re-nominating, so he’s got a good chance). That’ll probably be just as good a form guide for the Greens as the Willagee by-election.
By the way, Sam Wainwright (who ran in thaaaat by-election and didn’t totally disgrace himself) is running for council too – Hilton ward (within Willagee). There’s an article here all about it and related stuff, including the unlikely thought that three greenish mayor candidates (so there’s more than one, then) could get 74% of the vote and still lose, thanks to FPP voting. Warning, it is the Green Left Weekly, so do take with a pinch of salt.
Also, Andrew Sullivan was apparently elected unopposed in South ward, whatever that means. Might be a lack of other candidates, might be people like his work too much to run against him… if the latter, Fran Logan has a job for a while whether he likes it or not. Labor will win a by-election in Willagee, but they surely don’t want one in Cockburn.
by Bird of paradox?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Oct 1, 2009 at 11:55 am
I’m not paying much attention to the local government election, which is helpful because it means my perspective is much the same as that of the average voter for a change. I think Pettitt will win easily, simply because his campaign is about ten times more visible than anybody else’s. Tagliaferri is indeed not running.
by on Oct 1, 2009 at 1:32 pm
On a somewhat related note, we just got in the mail from our local liberal member Frank Alban a letter pointing out what he’s done in the last year, plus a 3 page glossy brochure (which it points out was NOT printed at taxpayers expense) extolling the last 12 months of the Barnett Govt.
I wonder if the timing is due to this By-election and whether Liberal Upper House MP’s in non liberal seats are also posting this stuff out ?
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Oct 1, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Nominations opened today. Greens confirm they’ll run (surprising no one), while the Libs have yet to decide. Meanwhile, no word on whether there will be anyone contesting preselection with Peter Tingley for Labor.
Better get a move on, folks, nominations close next Tuesday.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/01/2701610.htm
by on Oct 1, 2009 at 8:13 pm
I’ve also posted this on the main thread but it would be more at home here
ABC TV Perth item re WA Greens being denied Party status by Colin – is the honeymoon over ?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/10/01/2702573.htm
by Frank Calabrese?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Oct 1, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Version for the Youtube-impaired here:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/01/2702330.htm
That word ‘should’ there is gonna be the killer – it’s lawyer time. There’s gonna be a clause somewhere to do with discretionary powers of the premier that’s probably never been tested in court (because, hey, how often would the law about party status end up in court?). Gonna be nasty. Interesting to see Ripper sticking up for the Greens, considering they’re about to fight them in Willagee.
by Bird of paradox?wpmp_switcher=mobile on Oct 2, 2009 at 8:13 am