After recounts and missing votes, the High Court has declared the 2013 Western Australian Senate election void and will send voters back to the polls.
WESTERN Australia will go back to the polls on April 5, after the state's governor Malcolm McCusker confirmed the date of the re-run of last year's Senate election.
After meeting with WA Premier Colin Barnett and electoral affairs minister Peter Collier today, Mr McCusker revealed the date of the election.
The September 2013 result was declared void by the High Court after some ballots were lost.
The High Court, operating as the Court of Disputed Returns, ordered the fresh poll following the loss of 1370 votes, discovered during a recount requested by Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, who narrowly lost out in the initial count.
Because of the close result, a full recount was ordered but the loss of those votes meant Justice Kenneth Hayne could not determine who was duly elected.
Zhenya "Dio' Wang, expected to be announced as a Palmer United Party Senate candidate in WA. Picture: Theo Fakos
The ballot bungle, which was investigated by former Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty, forced the resignation of the AEC's WA Electoral Commissioner Ed Killesteyn and State Manager Peter Kramer.
The election re-run is expected to cost taxpayers as much as $20 million, nearly double initial estimates of $10-13 million.
Acting electoral commissioner Tom Rogers told Senate estimates earlier this week the lower figures had been an early estimate of the cost.
The key dates in the build up to the poll include the closing of electoral rolls on March 7, and nominations closing on March 13.
MP Clive Palmer of the Palmer United Party will reveal his WA Senate candidates today. Picture: Strange Ray
Greens senator Scott Ludlam said the poll was a ``unique and extraordinary opportunity'' for the electorate to a message to Tony Abbott not to take WA for granted.
``It is a chance for West Australians to say they've had enough of the Abbott government and we want our country back,'' Senator Ludlam said.
``Bring it on.''
Senator Ludlam said it was not clear whether the AEC had fully implemented the recommendations of the Keelty report.
Federal Liberal MP Julie Bishop casts her vote at last year's election.
``And now with the resignation of two key officials, it's not clear whether those procedures will be in place,'' Senator Ludlam said.
``You'd have to hope so because people's confidence has been dented.''
Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten urged voters to back his party, saying it would stand up to the prime minister's ``harsh and short-sighted cuts to health and education''.
He also haunted Tony Abbott with his own words, citing the Liberal leader's March 2013 comment that he wanted to run a government like WA Premier Colin Barnett, who has suffered fierce criticism since being re-elected.
The AEC again apologised for the botched count, saying it had implemented key recommendations of the Keelty investigation, particularly relating to parcelling, labelling and transporting ballot papers.
But improving the AEC's training and culture would take time, acting electoral commissioner Tom Rogers said.
'IGNORE FINGE DWELLERS' -LIBERALS
West Australians have been urged to ignore ``fringe dweller'' candidates at the re-election of the state's Senate seats.
Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop and Defence Minister David Johnston launched the Liberal Party election assault, after the April 5 poll date was announced for the historic Senate election re-run.
Senator Johnston, who will again be the number one candidate on the Liberal's ticket, said the new poll would be a chance for WA to voice its displeasure at the carbon and mining taxes.
And Ms Bishop urged voters to turn away from minor parties if they wanted to ensure a strong voice for the state in Canberra.
``What we need to do is ensure there is a strong representation from WA inside the government - Labor senators can't deliver that, minor parties can't deliver that, fringe dwelling parties can't deliver that,'' Ms Bishop said.
``The minor parties can create chaos, but they cannot deliver the positive changes that Western Australia needs.''
Ms Bishop said she was expecting to see some effect of election fatigue in WA, whose voters will have been to the polls four times in just over twelve months following the new election.
``We did not ask for this election, and we did not seek it. The only people calling for this election were the Greens,'' Ms Bishop said.
``The circumstances are unfortunate, and regrettable but we have no choice but to go to the electorate.''
Michaelia Cash, Linda Reynolds and Slade Brockman comprise the rest of the Liberal ticket.
PALMER UNITED TO REVEAL CANDIDATES
Zhenya ``Dio'' Wang, Chamonix Terblanche and Des Headland have been named as the Palmer United Party (PUP) candidates for the re-run West Australian Senate election.
Mr Wang, who led the party's ticket at the September poll and will do so again, is an executive at a mining company majority-owned by Clive Palmer, ASX-listed Australasian Resources.
He initially pushed out Greens Senator Scott Ludlam for the sixth Senate seat but lost out in a recount following the missing votes debacle.
Mr Headland is an AFL premiership player with Brisbane and former favourite with the Fremantle Dockers.
He previously ran for the House of Representatives for PUP but is this time vying for the Senate.
Former One Nation MP for WA's Agricultural Region, Frank Hough, missed out.
He was hopeful of being first or at least second on the party's ticket.
Before the September poll, PUP dumped devoutly religious former teacher Theresa van Lieshout as a candidate less than a fortnight after endorsing her, with Mr Palmer dubbing her an ``opportunist''.
He admitted he had backed her before he met her.
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