Tight regional contests bring benefits

ANALYSIS: There has never been a better time to be a voter in the regional port cities of Albany, Bunbury and Geraldton. All are marginal seats and the focus of very close attention from the major parties.

The experience is nothing new for Albany. The Liberals especially have been keen to reclaim it since the former local postmaster, Peter Watson, won it for Labor in 2001. Despite strong opposition, Mr Watson has retained the seat, sometimes by a whisker. But Albany has been the winner thanks to campaign promises.

The recent decision of the former popular Bunbury mayor John Castrilli to retire after 12 years as the local Liberal MP was greeted with disappointment by his supporters. His margin was 12.2 per cent after the latest redistribution of boundaries and the seat was initially considered safe Liberal.

Not any more. The loss of Mr Castrilli’s personal vote and the general swing to Labor have put the seat very much in play. Bunbury lawyer Ian Morison is the endorsed Liberal candidate, but he faces a tough fight from both Labor’s Don Punch and the Nationals’ James Hayward.

Consequently, all sorts of sweeteners are being showered on local voters. Premier Colin Barnett has promised $5.8 million to upgrade the South Bunbury Primary School at the same time as the opening of the $7.2 million Bunbury Fire Station.

Mr Punch has promised a series of initiatives to revitalise Bunbury, including port developments and preference for local firms contracting for government contracts, to boost industry.

On behalf of the Nationals, Mr Hayward has spoken of extending the Dampier-Bunbury gas pipeline to Collie, and a $12 million upgrade of local sporting facilities.

Bunbury hasn’t seen anything like it since 1983, when Labor’s Phil Smith won after 28 years of Liberal MPs. Construction of the Lord Forrest Hotel and the Bunbury Tower – still the city’s tallest building – followed the win by Labor.

A similar scenario is playing out in Geraldton, only in this case it is the Nationals’ Paul Brown standing down from the Legislative Council to challenge Liberal MP Ian Blayney in what was also considered a safe Liberal seat.

The unknown factor in both Bunbury and Geraldton is the impact of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and whether the recent preference deal with the Liberals will get Mr Morison (Bunbury) and Mr Blayney (Geraldton) across the line.

Regardless of which party wins in the three port cities, their voters should enjoy the fruits of being in (for this election, anyway) hotly contested seats