Barnett did well to get the Libs into the current position but he cannot claim the electorate had sent a clear message for a change of government. If the message had been clear, Barnett would be Premier. He isn’t.

The message, as I read it, is that people are sick of the arrogance and complacency of the two major parties who take their supporters for granted, as the Libs are now doing with the Nats. More not-so-humble opinion in my own blog on the Western Australian 2008 election.

Thanks for the coverage.

The Liberal Party and the Labor Party are both ’statist’. In fact there isn’t a parliamentary party in this whole country that isn’t ’statist’. This country is statist. It began as a jail and ever since we’ve basically expected the govt to solve every problem there is.
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Like children.

Thats true. This country started off as a small over-crowded admin unit. And thats what its winding up as. SUch places invariably require fairly tight regulation to get by.

Everyone wants the govt to do their bidding. And since this AUS is a populist democracy the govt winds up doing everyones bidding, just like an over-indulgent parent.

There are distinct partisan differences in statist product differentiation.

The L/NP is more into warfare (eg military procurement) and “wealthfare” (eg tax loop-holes) statism. These goods are mostly delivered at the federal level.

Whilst the ALP is more into welfare (eg community services) and “workfare” (eg industrial awards) statism. These goods are mostly delivered at the state level.

Obviously the federally administered warfare and wealthfare states benefit the high-status ie Right-wing. So to the extent that these areas are politically important it will be of electoral benefit to the LN/P.

COnversely the state-administed welfare and workfare states tend to benefit the low-status ie Left-wing. So to the extent that these areas are politically important it will be of electoral benefit to the ALP.

Of course the feds can attempt to take over a state area, such as Work Choices. But that exception proves my rule as the LN/P probably lost office owing to the stupid politics of this move.

With increasing affluence, urbanization and “ethnicization” the LP is always going to be the Natural Party of Opposition in state government. Community services such as health and education are superior goods which absorb a higher share of income as wealth grows.

They are also best delivered by political authorities. It is natural to have the ALP – a statist party – administer the expanding state apparatus.

So there will be a natural pro-ALP electoral bias in state elections. (Not in fed elections though, where fundamental ideological issues are addressed.)

But the inexorable statist tendency sets up the danger of ALP cronyism and corruption, most evident in NSW but also in WA (Brian Burke).

So the LP can always make a decent living off public dissastisfaction with ALP political dis-eases. It will come back sure as apples.

An historical one to some extent. Currently in WA – where government forms – metro lower house electorates average 22,000 voters, rural/regional 19,000.

In the upper house there’s still a 3-1 weighting towards regional representation but changing that will be difficult. There’s not that many people living outside the metro area in WA and it’s a very big state.

You people need proportional representation.

Alfred Cove – Janet Woollard – Liberal
First elected on a “Liberals for Forests” ticket.

Churchlands – Liz Constable – Liberal
Ran as an independent due to internal Liberal party issues (albeit many years ago).

Kalgoorlie – John Bowler – Labor
A Labor MP who was kicked out for dealings with Brian Burke, but continued to vote with the Government.

Kwinana – Carol Adams – Labor
Was a party member but ran when she missed out on preselection.