Peter Kennedy

OPINION: The McGowan government will need to get straight down to business, given the backlog of issues it needs to address.

ANALYSIS: If the actions of his predecessors are any guide, the Liberal Party will be looking for a candidate to replace former premier Colin Barnett in his seat of Cottesloe within months.

ANALYSIS: The failure of Nationals WA leader Brendon Grylls and straight talking Liberal frontbencher Joe Francis to retain their seats is a devastating blow to their parties. But it can only get worse.

ANALYSIS: Outgoing Liberal minister Joe Francis, who appears to have lost his seat of Jandakot, says Colin Barnett should have been replaced as premier last year to improve the government’s re-election prospects.

ANALYSIS: One state Liberal Party MP believes that hostility towards the outgoing premier, Colin Barnett, was responsible for up to 10 per cent of the unprecedented swing that swept the Liberal-National governing alliance from power in Saturday’s election.

ANALYSIS: Labor's shadow treasurer, Ben Wyatt, says the Federal Government wouldn't dare deprive WA of the $1.2 billion which will be freed up if his party wins Saturday's election and abandons the Roe 8 highway project.

ANALYSIS: Pauline Hanson has done her cause no good with the claim that there is ‘sheer hatred’ in Western Australia towards Premier Colin Barnett. Labor leader Mark McGowan might be more popular with the voters, but the ‘sheer hatred’ tag is extraordinary.

ANALYSIS: The Labor Party has no intention of backing down on its planned 4 per cent stamp duty surcharge on foreign buyers of residential properties if it wins the general election on March 11.

ANALYSIS: The row between Premier Colin Barnett and opposition leader Mark McGowan over the cost of their election promises is a clear sign the campaign is getting to the pointy end. But don’t rule out surprises.