Live coverage: Labor salvages three WA seats

Alannah MacTiernan celebrates her win with grandchildren Atlas (4) and Umi (7) Schapper. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

Fremantle's Melissa Parke celebrates her impending win. Picture: Sean Middleton Source: PerthNow

Ken Wyatt watches the count with his supporters. Picture: Jordan Shields Source: PerthNow

Alannah MacTiernan, Julie Bishop and David Wirrpanda at the polling booths today. Source: PerthNow

SEE our seat-by-seat WA analysis and relive all the local action from election night in our rolling blog.

WA will have one of its strongest ever representations of MPs in Federal Government, with 12 Lower House Liberal and National Party candidates to be part of a Tony Abbott-led Coalition.

Labor had another night to forget, but the result could have been worse - it held onto its three seats: Perth, Fremantle and Brand.

As expected, Alannah MacTiernan won Perth, but the party's defeat meant she was headed to the opposition benches.

Former Resources Minister Gary Gray claimed victory in Brand last night, with a swing against him (after preferences) of less than 2 per cent, enough for him to hang on.

It was a devastating result for Liberal candidate Donna Gordin, who was hopeful of victory after being narrowly defeated in the seat three years ago.

WA Labor senator Louise Pratt, who was fighting for her political career, said Labor had only itself to blame for the defeat.

"We governed the country very well, but not ourselves well," she said. "I think we need to take collective responsibility for that."

Senior Liberal sources said the Coalition victory would see at least four WA Liberals rewarded with ministries - Curtin MP Julie Bishop, Stirling MP Michael Keenan and senators David Johnston and Mathias Cormann.

Statewide wrap - see below for key individual seats

Labor's star candidate Alannah MacTiernan has likened Labor's leadership woes to a "Greek tragedy", blaming it on the election loss.

Shortly after claiming victory in retiring Defence Minister Stephen Smith's seat of Perth, Ms MacTiernan said Anthony Albanese or Mark Butler were best placed to take on the Labor leadership in opposition.

"We've gone through something that I guess we had to go through and I am really energised by the amount of enthusiasm out there," she said.

Alannah MacTiernan addresses a vocal crowd at the North Perth Town Hall. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

"I'm so glad that we've returned all three seats in WA and that the loss hasn't been as great as has been predicted around Australia.

"I think we're going to form a very credible opposition and rebuild for the future."

Full Perth wrap

HASLUCK
KEN Wyatt says he is prepared to embrace a bigger role if Tony Abbott hands him one.

Mr Wyatt defeated Labor's Adrian Evans in the marginal seat, with a healthy swing to the Liberals of 4.2 per cent.

He won Hasluck by a 0.6 per cent slither in 2010.

Mr Wyatt is set to create history - he'd be the first sitting member to retain Hasluck since the electorate was created in 2001.

Ken Wyatt watches the count with his supporters. Picture: Jordan Shields Source: PerthNow

Mr Wyatt said he appreciated the opportunity to work for his electorate.

"I really want to be back here to continue the work that I've been doing and building that strong community ethos," the history-maker said.

Full Hasluck wrap

BRAND
FORMER Rudd Labor government minister Gary Gray has claimed the seat of Brand.

Mr Gray said at a time when the ALP had been under stress nationally, there had been a swing to the party in the electorate which covers Rockingham, Kwinana and some parts of Mandurah.

With more than half the votes counted, there was a 2.7 per cent swing to Labor after preferences. Mr Gray's primary vote was up 0.5 per cent.

"We've had a very strong result in Brand," Mr Gray said, shortly after 8pm.

Federal MP Gary Gray addresses the crowd at his function. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

"We've got more counting yet to do but it appears that I've held the seat and it appears that my vote has increased which is very heartening after a long and arduous campaign that concluded on the strong issues for Labor and the issues that really do concern Rockingham, Kwinana and Mandurah.

"That's about education, it's about health care and it's about infrastructure.

"I'm pleased to be re-elected for another three year term."

Full Brand wrap

SWAN
A TRIUMPHANT Steve Irons was staying mum about his ambitions to become an Abbott frontbencher last night.

The Liberal MP, who won the seat by just 164 votes in 2007, was on track to tighten his grip on Swan, with a 3.6 per cent swing in his favour.

He told his supporters after six years in opposition he was looking forward to government.

"I am humbled by the fact that I am going back to be in a government," he said.

Steve Irons and wife Cheryle at the Amherst Street Hockey Pavilion in South Perth. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

He said the support of his "dynamo" wife had made a "helluva difference" to his political and personal life.

"It's hard to put into words, but I guess it has completed my life," Mr Irons said. "We're part of a team now."

Full Swan wrap

FREMANTLE
MELISSA Parke's victory in the seat of Fremantle is bittersweet, with the Labor MP losing her new place on the frontbench.

Parke told supporters at a Labor function tonight that: "we won the battle in Fremantle but we lost the war".

As Kevin Rudd conceded defeat, the former UN lawyer said goodbye to the international development portfolio she was handed just two months ago when Rudd returned to the leadership.

Ms Parke, who retained her seat with 54.2 per cent of the votes at 10pm, told PerthNow the Federal Labor party had "a lot to be proud of".

Fremantle's Melissa Parke celebrates her impending win. Picture: Sean Middleton Source: PerthNow

"It was not the wipeout that was predicted, so I think we've done really well, given what really was relentless negativity, not just in this campaign but since we formed minority government in 2010," she said.

"We now have a very important role to be an intelligent and conscientious opposition."

Full Fremantle wrap

CURTIN
JULIE Bishop has promised a new era of WA-Canberra co-operation under Abbott government.

"Can WA expect a better deal? Absolutely. I'm a West Australian first," Ms Bishop declared.

Dressed in bright royal blue, the Foreign Affairs minister-in-waiting said she was proud to increase her margin - with a 1.4 per cent swing to 67.6 per cent.

An A-list of political identities converged on the Subiaco community centre where the Bishop camp were not doing things by halves - a big marquee, flowing drinks, three TV flatscreens and maybe 300 or more helium-filled blue balloons.

Julie Bishop celebrates with WA Premier Colin Barnett. Picture: Ross Swanborough Source: PerthNow

Premier Colin Barnett and wife Lyn were happy to quaff red wine in celebratory mood.

"When the party was at its darkest moment, Julie held the team together," Mr Barnett said.

Full Curtin wrap

OTHER WA SEATS
THE National Party looks like retaining O'Connor after winning the seat three years ago.

Early polling indicated Chub Witham would win the seat, despite a close contest with Liberal candidate Rick Wilson.

Retiring National MHR Tony Crook won O'Connor from Wilson Tuckey in 2010.

In Durack, Melissa Price is poised to retain the seat for the Liberals, following the retirement of Barry Haase.

Meanwhile, Member for Pearce Judi Moylan said she wished Christian Porter the best of luck in the safe Liberal seat.

She said she "never had any doubt" that he was the fit candidate for the seat, which she had held for 20 years.

"It's very nice for me as the retiring member to have such a candidate take over," Mrs Moylan said.

"I think he's going to make a fantastic member and will hopefully increase the margin."

Wrap of remaining WA seats

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