Federal Liberal issues blamed for poor WA result as party concedes defeat to Kate Chaney in CurtinBy WA state political reporter Keane Bourke and Grace Burmas Topic:Elections5h ago5 hours agoSun 4 May 2025 at 3:11amLiberal candidate Tom White failed in his bid to unseat Independent Kate Chaney in Curtin. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)In short:Liberal candidate Tom White has conceded defeat in the traditionally blue ribbon seat of Curtin, with teal independent Kate Chaney retaining the seat.WA's sole Labor cabinet minister Madeleine King says her party's growing dominance in the state is a direct result of the Coalition's policies and "staggering" backflips.What's next?The winners of Bullwinkel, Fremantle and Forrest yet to be determined, while Labor says it now has a clear mandate for its controversial live sheep export ban.abc.net.au/news/what-went-wrong-for-the-liberals-in-wa-after-labor-wins/105249948Link copiedShareShare articleThe Liberals have conceded defeat in what was meant to be one of their best chances of winning back their former heartland in Western Australia.Teal independent Kate Chaney has held Curtin, which encompasses Perth's affluent western coastal suburbs, on a slim 1.3 per cent margin, after being won by the Liberals for all but one election since it was created in 1949.Teal independent Kate Chaney has been re-elected as the member for Curtin. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)The ABC has called the seat for Ms Chaney with a two per cent swing in her favour, with Liberal challenger Tom White conceding defeat on social media on Sunday morning.Election essentials:Federal election updates and live resultsHow Labor carved a path to a landslide victoryWhat was the result in your seat? Look up the map of your region"The Curtin electorate has never seen a contest like this one. Both sides threw everything at it," he wrote."Defeat stings, but it's much less painful than the permanent, dull ache of wondering what might have been had I never tried."I have no regrets."Attacks and point scoringMs Chaney said she was relieved voters saw through a "negative" campaign from the Liberal Party."It was really tough, the level of negativity and personal attacks that came out of the liberals was pretty intense," Ms Chaney told ABC Radio Perth."We really stuck with the positive message and I'm so relieved to see that people see through the negative campaigning."Kate Chaney says the personal attacks against her by the Liberals were intense. (ABC News: Courtney Withers )Ms Chaney said the Coalition failed to learn from mistakes made in the 2022 election, when she first picked up the blue-ribbon seat."The 2022 election sent a message to the Liberal party that they were moving too far to the right and away from moderate voters in places like Curtin," she said.Liberals fail to learn from catastrophic WA electionsPhoto shows Despondent Liberal party members at Tom White's election night function.In March the Liberals suffered an ignominious defeat at the WA election — yet Saturday's result shows they're still not listening to voters, writes Keane Bourke."That message has been reinforced last night."I really hope that the Liberal party spends less time thinking about attacking and point scoring and more time thinking about what the country actually needs."Federal issues problematicFormer state Liberal leader, Zak Kirkup said the WA result was dictated by "a lot of unforced errors and policy positions" that were "problematic" in the west.Zak Kirkup has blamed federal issues for the Liberals' result in WA. (ABC News: Kenith Png)Among those policies, he said, was the party's initial pledge to force public servants to work from the office, before backing down."Why were we spending days explaining that?" Mr Kirkup said on ABC Radio Perth."Some unforced errors there that I think had an impact, unfortunately, on very hard-working local campaigns here."WA's sole Labor cabinet minister Madeleine King said Labor's growing dominance in the west was a direct result of the Coalition's backflips and "lack of spine".Loading...High water mark exceededLabor's result going into the election — having won four traditionally Liberal seats at the 2022 election — had been considered a high water mark in the west.But it went one better last night, wresting the traditionally conservative northern coastal seat of Moore from the Liberals.Labor also increased its margin in each of the four seats it picked up last time, despite a significant focus from the Liberals and multiple visits from leader Peter Dutton.Madeleine King, the member for Brand, says she was staggered by how often the coalition backflipped. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)Ms King said Moore was not a seat the party had expected to win, but indicated it was in large part thanks to internal issues within the Liberals.The party had chosen not to pre-select incumbent MP Ian Goodenough, instead putting forward former MP Vince Connelly who was running for this third seat.Mr Goodenough had warned that could ignite a "civil war" within the seat and ran as an independent, a move which Ms King said helped Labor."[Labor candidate Tom French] capitalised on that confusion in the electorate," Ms King said.But Mr French had a different view, putting it down to hard work.“We weren’t really paying attention to what anyone else was doing, we were just running our own campaign," he said on Sunday.Tight race in Fremantle A close count continues in Fremantle, where the contest between Labor’s Josh Wilson and Climate 200-backed independent Kate Hulett, who nearly ousted Fremantle MP Simone McGurk at the state election, will likely come down to preferences.Josh Wilson is in a tight race against Kate Hulett. (AAP: Tony McDonough)The Australian Electoral Commission said resolving the count in the seat was one of its priorities for Sunday.“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,” Mr Wilson said.Kate Hulett also ran for the seat of Fremantle in the state election eight weeks ago. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)Meanwhile, Ms Hulett told the ABC on Saturday night it showed people were keen on independent voices."People are sick of the two major parties, and you give them an alternative and they vote for it.," she said.'Mandate' for live sheep export banLabor and Liberal candidates in the newly-created seat of Bullwinkel are also facing a nervous wait to decide who will win the notionally-Labor electorate.A key issue in the semi-regional electorate was Labor’s looming ban on the live sheep export trade, which had been strongly opposed by some.The Keep the Sheep campaign was very visible throughout the election campaign, even in city seats. (ABC News: Andrew O'Connor)But Minister King said Labor had been given another mandate to continue with the policy.“I know there will be people that are disappointed that they didn’t get what they wanted, but equally we’re really focused on how we transition that industry now,” she said. Incumbent Liberal MP Melissa Price said she was "relieved" after retaining her regional seat of Durack, which she's held since 2013 — but said the national loss was tough.The member for Durack Melissa Price says she's relieved to have retained her seat. (ABC News: Chris Lewis )"I'm really disappointed and I really haven't even had time to digest it," she told the ABC in Geraldton on Saturday night."Some of the [Liberal Party] results I'm really surprised at … no doubt we've got some soul searching to do."How are the key seats faring?LoadingPosted 5h ago5 hours agoSun 4 May 2025 at 3:11am, updated 2h ago2 hours agoSun 4 May 2025 at 5:42amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesLabor victory a 'win for the ages'Topic:ElectionsPhoto shows Smiling Albanese with a coffee at a table with trees behind'Tough results' for Greens, as leader Adam Bandt fights close contest for his seatTopic:Australian GreensPhoto shows Adam Bandt faces several microphones while holding a giant novelty red toothbrush.Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce reveals prostate cancer diagnosisTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsPhoto shows Barnaby Joyce sits in parliament.Labor set for easier Senate as Pocock, Lambie risk being sidelinedTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows David Pocock sits behind Jacqui Lambie while she speaks in the senateAnthony Albanese enters the Labor pantheonCAnalysis by Casey BriggsPhoto shows Four people on stage hold hands in triumph as the crowd takes photosRelated storiesFor anyone paying attention in WA, the Liberal wipe-out was no surpriseKAnalysis by Keane BourkePhoto shows Despondent Liberal party members at Tom White's election night function.Labor picks up extra seat in WA in emphatic win over depleted LiberalsTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows Roger Cook stands with a woman and young child outside a polling station.Related topicsAlbanyBroomeBunburyElectionsGeraldtonGovernment and PoliticsKalgoorlieKarrathaPerthTop StoriesLabor victory a 'win for the ages'Topic:ElectionsPhoto shows Smiling Albanese with a coffee at a table with trees behind'Tough results' for Greens, as leader Adam Bandt fights close contest for his seatTopic:Australian GreensNationals MP Barnaby Joyce reveals prostate cancer diagnosisTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsLabor set for easier Senate as Pocock, Lambie risk being sidelinedTopic:ElectionsAnthony Albanese enters the Labor pantheonCAnalysis by Casey BriggsJust InTwo dead, two critical after car crash in GippslandTopic:Road Accidents and Incidents10m ago10 minutes agoSun 4 May 2025 at 8:13amRobinson unable to ride Bells wave, dumped out of Gold Coast ProTopic:Surfing40m ago40 minutes agoSun 4 May 2025 at 7:42amIt wasn't Nampijinpa Price's MAGA hat that lost the NT for the CoalitionMAnalysis by Matt Garrick40m ago40 minutes agoSun 4 May 2025 at 7:42amWhat are Labor's core values, and what have they promised?Topic:Elections43m ago43 minutes agoSun 4 May 2025 at 7:39amMore Just InBack to top