Colin Barnett congratulates Mark McGowan on ‘emphatic, convincing’ victory with ALP on track to take at least 14 seats from his party
3.30pm GMT
We will bring you more analysis of the Western Australian election result, including a detailed breakdown of the new Legislative Council, on Sunday morning. Err, later on Sunday morning.
Thanks for sticking with us through this fairly brutal redrawing of the WA political landscape. It will be interesting to see what comes next
3.02pm GMT
There’s still a lot that is unknown in the Legislative Council race, but we now have quite a lot of votes counted so have some idea of who might win. Overall about 30% of the vote has been counted in five out of six regions, with barely 5% counted in the Mining and Pastoral region.
It’s clear that the Liberal Party has been hit hard. On current numbers, the Liberal Party has lost a seat in every region, and has lost two in the East Metro and South West regions. The Nationals are currently on track to maintain their five seats.
2.28pm GMT
At this point we know most of what we will know tonight regarding the lower house. By my count Labor has won at least 38 seats. The Liberal party is on 11, and the Nationals are on five.
I have five seats listed as undecided. Kalgoorlie is very messy and we don’t even know which candidates are the top two, so it’s not possible to conduct an indicative preference count. The preference count has barely started in Pilbara, so it’s not clear if that seat will stay with the Nationals leader, Brendon Grylls, or flip to Labor.
2.22pm GMT
Let’s take a final look at that spectacular election result.
Colin Barnett has been ousted as premier, replaced by premier-elect Mark McGowan. Three Barnett government ministers have lost their seats, along with the Speaker and a number of other senior figures.
2.01pm GMT
An update from the count in the Pilbara: the WA Nationals leader, Brendon Grylls, is behind Labor’s Kevin Michel in first-preference votes but could still retain the seat once the preferences are distributed.
One Nation has polled quite well in the seat, with 11.3% of the vote for David Archibald.
Brendon Grylls acknowledges swing against him in @bhpbilliton dominated town of Newman as #Pilbara seat too close to call tonight #wavotes pic.twitter.com/xZ5It2XaBi
1.45pm GMT
Ladies and gentlemen, the next premier of Western Australia.
1.39pm GMT
Here’s Mark McGowan’s victory speech in full:
Thank you, thank you! Thank you. Can I just begin by saying thank you to the people of Western Australia? To the people of Western Australia, you have been magnificent. Can I also just say there: Western Australia is truly a wonderful state. It’s the greatest – the greatest people in the greatest state in the greatest country in the world.
I love this place. It’s done more for me than I can ever repay. I came here 27 years ago in my Corolla across the Nullabor, and today – and today the people of Western Australia have made me premier. Thank you.
1.21pm GMT
The premier-elect, Mark McGowan, has arrived at Rockingham and is giving his victory speech.
I love this place. It’s done more for me than I can ever repay. I came here 27 years ago in my Corolla across the Nullabor, and today – and today the people of Western Australia have made me premier. Thank you.
Today we showed we are a state of decency and intelligence, not a state of stupidity and ignorance.
Premier in waiting Mark McGowan pic.twitter.com/i33J7fXIcE
1.16pm GMT
Mark McGowan is expected to arrive at the Labor function any second now, but before he does, a note about what this win means for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation.
The Yamatji man Ben Wyatt, cousin of the federal Liberal MP Ken Wyatt, will be the next treasurer. It’s the first time an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander has held that position in any Australian jurisdiction, which is huge. It’s also likely the state will have an Aboriginal affairs minister who is also an Aboriginal person, which is very significant.
Will @benwyatt be the first Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander treasurer? Because that's pretty cool. #wavotes
1.06pm GMT
We’re starting to get some small numbers in from the upper house.
1.04pm GMT
Here’s Colin Barnett’s concession speech, in full:
First, can I congratulate Mark McGowan and the Labor party. They have had an emphatic, convincing victory. I do sincerely congratulate them and wish them well to provide good government to the people of Western Australia.
I would like to thank all of the candidates, including sitting members of parliament; all of the campaign teams, the many, many volunteers who have worked on booths for the Liberal party, and indeed for all parties, right across this great state of Western Australia.
12.55pm GMT
The outgoing Western Australian premier, Colin Barnett, has arrived at the Liberal party function in Cottesloe and delivered his concession speech.
First, can I congratulate Mark McGowan and the Labor party. They have had an emphatic, convincing victory. I do sincerely congratulate them and wish them well to provide good government to the people of Western Australia.
To me, the overwhelming factor was time.
12.49pm GMT
Premier Colin Barnett has reportedly arrived at the Liberal party function in Cottesloe. Stand by for the concession speech.
12.42pm GMT
I’m now seeing predictions of Labor winning 40 of the 59 lower house seats. It only had 20 members of the Legislative Assembly going into this, so it has doubled its numbers.
This is a record-breaking election for Western Australia.
12.33pm GMT
Guardian Australia’s election analyst, Ben Raue, has came to the same conclusion as the ABC. Fourteen firm seats for Labor, with a possible three more to follow.
WA's message to PM:
1. Hands off penalty rates
2. No more deals with One Nation
12.28pm GMT
From the Australian’s chief reporter, Andrew Burrell.
Labor will win 19 seats.
12.22pm GMT
The One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, has blamed her party’s poorer than expected result (One Nation has just above 4% of the vote so far, down from a polling high a few weeks ago of 11%) on the preference deal.
"The preference deal with the Liberal Party has done us damage.... it was a mistake"
- @PaulineHansonOz pic.twitter.com/3u5Q0mag0u
One Nation supporters cheering as Paulin Hanson does a live interview in the same room. #wavotes @abcnewsPerth pic.twitter.com/ldCm10YMPr
12.15pm GMT
With 30 seats decided in our favour, WA Labor WILL form the next Government of Western Australia and @MarkMcGowanMP will be our Premier. pic.twitter.com/Bdgy4810Pp
12.13pm GMT
Two significant developments.
First, the Barnett government environment minister, Albert Jacob, is at risk of losing his seat of Burns Beach. The seat is recording a 11.7% swing and Jacob is trailing Labor’s Mark Folkard, 40% to 44% on first-preference votes with about half of the ballots counted.
Obviously when the swing’s on there’s not necessarily a lot of justice, it can be quite savage, and obviously Albert Jacob has been caught up in that.
But with a 7 per cent swing against him. https://t.co/uLxNlhNvmA
12.04pm GMT
Penny Wong is the first senior Labor frontbencher to congratulate Mark McGowan.
Congratulations @MarkMcGowanMP @PatrickPG and all at @walabor! Great to see Labor back in the west! #WAvotes2017
Pauline Hanson arrives to applause at the One Nation party #WAvotes2017 pic.twitter.com/FJSTug23iw
11.59am GMT
A reminder that the Labor party has rolled out an actual red carpet for Mark McGowan, who is yet to show.
The red carpet @MarkMcGowanMP will walk down to address @walabor in #Rockingham & take the mantle of WA Premier elect. @abcperth #wavotes pic.twitter.com/XP6RKYj6NB
11.56am GMT
It looks like Labor has picked up an additional 13 seats, which would give it 33 seats in the lower house.
They are Balcatta, Collie-Preston, West Swan, Forrestfield, Perth, Swan Hills, Southern River, Bunbury, Burns Beach, Darling Range, Belmont, Morley, and Wanneroo.
11.48am GMT
Both major commercial networks in Perth, Seven and Nine, have dubbed Labor leader Mark McGowan the new premier.
Both Channel 7 and Channel 9 have called it for Labor. #wavotes pic.twitter.com/tJ9RnNpZNZ
11.45am GMT
Antony Green, on the ABC, says the Liberal party first-preference vote has collapsed by 16% statewide. Some seats in Perth have recorded a drop of between 20% and 30% in Liberal first-preference votes.
11.41am GMT
The trend at the moment suggests that Labor is on track to gain all of the Liberal seats held on margins of less than 11%.
11.35am GMT
Before we go to Ben Raue with some numbers, here’s a bit more on the side story of the ABC being kicked out of One Nation’s party.
Says Fairfax political reporter Matthew Knott:
Amazing ABC blocked from entering One Nation party. I walked in no probs. Media adviser says decision was made at high level #WAVotes2017
11.32am GMT
Well, that was quick. The ABC’s Antony Green says he’s ready to “all but call it” for Labor.
Says Green, looking at his nifty model parliament:
That’s a pretty definite 30. At the moment I’m predicting 33. At this stage I think we can declare that the Labor party will win ... and it’s a matter of working out how narrow it is. At this stage the Liberals and Nationals, Liberals aren’t aren’t winning enough seats.
11.23am GMT
Peter Abetz, brother of the more famous Eric, appears to have lost Southern River.
Peter Abetz tells @6PR: "I think I've lost my seat".
I just said on 6PR to Peter Abetz: "If Souther Tiver is gone, the Government is gone." Abetz: "I agree." @6PR #wavotes
11.17am GMT
In possibly the least surprising result of the night, WA Labor has called the seat of Perth for John Carey. Carey resigned as mayor of the City of Vincent, whose footprint overlaps the electorate, to run against the Liberal MLA Eleni Evangel.
Congratulations @JohnCareyPerth on winning the seat of Perth! #wapol #wavotes #WeAreWALabor pic.twitter.com/9CE3Frg8J6
Congratulations @cassierowe on winning the seat of Belmont! #wapol #wavotes #WeAreWALabor pic.twitter.com/HpHaNYYJMP
11.07am GMT
The ABC has reportedly been barred entry from One Nation’s election night party, which is being held in a bowling club in Melville, in Perth’s southern suburbs.
James Ashby said that it was a private function and he was sure that we would understand.
@abcnews has been refused entry to the One Nation #wavotes election night HQ. pic.twitter.com/t0A9D6xyeK
11.01am GMT
The ABC’s election guru, Antony Green, has doled out some early results.
The Nationals MP Mia Davies in the Central Wheatbelt appears likely – with 6% of the vote counted – to retain her seat. The Nationals vote is up in the regional electorate and the Liberal party vote is down.
Central Wheatbelt is held by the Nationals by an 8.8% margin over the Liberal party. It appears that there has been a drop in the Liberal vote and a strengthened Nationals vote, with One Nation polling a distant second, based on six polling places.
10.44am GMT
One Nation is doing fairly well in regional booths, with only 3,600 votes (about 3% of the whole) counted. They’ve got 126, while the WA Nationals are leading the (very, very small and statistically inconsequential) pile with 495.
Four hundred votes counted so far have been from the electorate of Kalgoorlie, which brings us to this printing error.
English is my second language - but even I wouldn't stuff up spelling an electorate. Top work Pauline. You should run the country. pic.twitter.com/nywB6MNrmv
10.38am GMT
Important update on election night viewing from the West Australian’s economics editor, Shane Wright.
And in Iron Man, Tony Stark has just told the world he is Iron Man ... #wavotes
There’s more people called Kim on the panel than there are women on @9NewsPerth #wavotes #wapol
10.33am GMT
We’ve got about 1,000 votes counted so far, mainly from smaller country booths. The Western Australian Electoral Commission’s live count is here.
10.28am GMT
The federal justice minister and Liberal MP from Perth, Michael Keenan, has in part defended the preference deal with One Nation, and in part dismissed it as unimportant.
Keenan is one of the panellists on ABC24, alongside the Labor MP Tim Hammond and the ABC political journo Jessica Strutt.
I don’t think they’ve got some answers in terms of Australia’s political futures at all … and doing a preference deal is not about endorsing that party at all.
10.24am GMT
It’s not even half an hour since the polls closed but the Liberal party is already reportedly talking post-election leadership challenges.
This from the 6PR morning presenter and former political editor of the West Australian, Gareth Parker.
I can reveal that Joe Francis has told Lib powerbrokers he wants to nominate for leader if Libs lose - but he might not hold his seat. @6PR
10.17am GMT
The WA treasurer, Mike Nahan, is on ABC24 talking up his government’s record over the past nine years, but also conceding that it will be very difficult to win a third term.
No, we’re not giving up but we know it’s a third term is always devil. Through a soft economy, we’re definitely going to lose some but the real question is who’s best to lead the state into growth in the future, that’s the essence issue, and it does come to hip-pocket issues but the real issue is who’s going to lead to growth and jobs.
You can see around if you look not just green shoots in the brown but real brown shoots, the economy is in recovery.
10.08am GMT
Labor has rolled out an actual red carpet for its election night do in Rockingham, in Mark McGowan’s electorate.
The red carpet is ready, the stage set for a @MarkMcGowanMP victory speech in Rockingham. I'll be LIVE for @7NewsPerth from 6pm #WAdecides pic.twitter.com/JEOrd2hlT8
Liberal election night HQ is very empty. @7NewsPerth #WAvotes2017 pic.twitter.com/NBPXFDOYmp
10.01am GMT
Could we be headed for its biggest swing away from a sitting government in Western Australian history? Let’s find out!
9.53am GMT
Here’s a bit more on that Channel Nine/Galaxy exit poll.
#Galaxy Exit Poll WA State Primary Votes: LIB 33 (-14.1 since 2013) NAT 5 (-1.1) ALP 41 (+7.9) GRN 8 (-0.4) ON 6 (+6) #wavotes #auspol
9.48am GMT
While we’re waiting for the polls to close, which will happen in nine minutes’ time, let’s take a minute to appreciate how much better the federal opposition leader, Bill Shorten, has got at a vital election-day duty since the federal election last year.
That was then.
Bill Shorten eats his first sausage sanga on Election Day in Sydney #ausvotes #auspol #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/7FHGAklI8u
9.43am GMT
Also not talking about Pauline Hanson is the Nationals WA leader, Brendon Grylls.
Grylls spoke to the ABC’s Joanna Menagh before casting his vote at Tambrey primary school this afternoon.
Brendon Grylls spoke to us before voting #wavotes pic.twitter.com/P0IK16BRXG
We’ve created a debate and there’s people who won’t support our plan, but there’s people who will.
The One Nation juggernaut was driven by the media who drove that agenda and didn’t stop talking about it. You can justify that.
I’m concerned about the inane amount of questions I’m asked on this topic.
9.33am GMT
The conventional wisdom at the start of the WA election campaign was that Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party would be a rising force that, in the manner of President Donald Trump and the Brexit vote, would take everybody by surprise. That seemed even more certain when the Liberal party struck a preference deal that would funnel votes towards the far-right party in the upper house.
People are clearly very, very anti-Barnett, they want him gone, and it’s clear there is a swing against the Liberal party across the state.
Channel Nine / Galaxy exit poll gives One Nation a Primary Vote of 6%. Almost 50% of One Nation preferences go to Labor. @9NewsPerth
I’m not talking about One Nation, it’s about the Liberal party today.
I’m here to vote, this is a happy day for me and Lynn, I don’t really care too much about Pauline Hanson or One Nation, my opponent is the Labor party and the choice for Western Australia is: do you want a Liberal government or do you want to go back to Labor and probably back to Dullsville?
8.57am GMT
Good evening! In just over an hour, we will start to see the first results filter in from the Western Australian state election.
The latest Newspoll, published this morning, has Labor leading 54 to 46 in two-party-preferred terms, which would see the Liberal and National parties lose their grip on government after nine years in office and put Labor’s Mark McGowan, who this morning had to be prompted by a media aid to remember if he had any hobbies, in the top job.
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