The leaders of the Labor and Liberal parties made a final pitch for voter support today as another opinion poll suggested the result of tomorrow's state election is too close to call.
The leaders of the Labor and Liberal parties made a final pitch for voter support today as another opinion poll suggested the result of tomorrow's state election is too close to call.
The Miss Maud coffee bean poll does not have the gravitas of professional opinion polls but with more than 30,000 coffee drinkers casting their vote, it is widely considered a useful guide.
The poll puts the Liberal Party slightly ahead on the primary vote with 34.3 per cent versus 32.9 per cent for Labor.
The big surprise was a 15.5 per cent vote for the Greens, which could help Labor win the election if most Green preferences flow to Labor, as traditionally occurs.
The restaurant chain has counted 31,000 coffee beans posted by customers over the last three weeks in 17 locations in Perth.
Held for most state and federal elections since 1996, the poll has often been viewed as an early test of voting behaviour.
"If you feel you have an impact, or you know you're involved, then you are happier," restaurant owner Maud Edmiston said today.
"So really by having the coffee bean stations ... people could share views ... because you could actually see what people were voting in your community.
"Up in some of the northern suburbs ... the Liberals were very strong while Labor was stronger in the city of Perth and down (at) Cockburn.
"(The) Greens were so strong in the Belmont area, they must have a headquarters down there," Mrs Edmiston said laughing.
Of the other minor parties, the Nationals polled 5.5 per cent, the Democrats 4.5 per cent and other parties and independents 7.3 per cent.
In a poll of 1,000 voters in a Perth restaurant, 31 per cent of respondents put health as the most important issue, 21 per cent nominated education and 17 per cent identified law and order.
Meanwhile Mr Barnett said today he is ready to govern despite the turmoil his party has experienced in the past four years.
Mr Barnett today delivered his last campaign messages in the Liberal Party meeting room at parliament house, a contrast to Premier Alan Carpenter's visit to Tapping Primary School in Perth's outer suburbs.
"Well, we are (ready)", Mr Barnett said.
"We have released just in four weeks 40 policy statements ... pretty good I reckon, pretty good.
"We have shown throughout this campaign that, yes, I am the leader of the Liberal Party, but we've demonstrated that this is not about Colin Barnett."
Mr Barnett took the Liberals to the 2005 election, but lost after a last-minute blunder about his proposal for the Kimberley water canal.
Since then, there have been another four changes of leadership.
"I've got examples here of experienced members of parliament, people of integrity and talented young members of parliament, who can for their generation ... take leadership positions representing young West Australians," Mr Barnett said," with four would-be ministers at his side.
"The Labor Party has simply campaigned with Alan Carpenter, why haven't they brought out Fran Logan?
"I mean does anyone want Fran Logan to have any role in any government or even be in the parliament?"
Mr Barnett was asked why former opposition leader Troy Buswell, who resigned after months of pressure over chair sniffing and bra snapping antics, wasn't at his side.
Mr Buswell was campaigning in the southern seaside town of Busselton, about 220km south of Perth, which he only holds by a small margin, Mr Barnett said.
Mr Barnett repeated his campaign slogans of good government and honest government, and said the Liberals would protect the state's health system and not allow brothels to open up across the state.
He talked of promising voters safety and security and said the Liberals would put back what the community had lost in declining levels of education.
Meantime Premier Alan Carpenter has urged voters not to risk an unprepared Liberal team at tomorrow's state election.
The premier has been playing down Labor's prospects of a win, with the ALP strategically releasing internal party polling showing the opposition would take government with 55 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.
But today he repeatedly told reporters Labor had a plan for the state's future prosperity while the Liberals were a risk to that future.
"Don't put our future at risk with Colin Barnett and the Liberals," Mr Carpenter said.
"They've got no policies, they've got no team and they're not ready for government."
Mr Carpenter said the election was going to be close.
"We've got to work hard all day today and all day tomorrow to make sure we get our message through to people."
A four per cent swing will sweep Labor from office but the betting agencies are predicting this won't happen with Labor still the strong favourites to win.
Lasseters Sportsbook has shortened the odds of a Labor victory from $1.30 to $1.25 after one punter this week bet 20 thousand dollars on Mr Carpenter remaining premier.
The Liberals are sitting at $3.75.
Centrebet is giving the Liberals a slightly better chance at $3.45 but with Labor still way out in front at $1.27.
