WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ELECTION 2017
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ELECTION 2017
VasseMargin: Liberal 21.2%* |
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Candidates in ballot paper order
The scene of a by-election in October 2014 following the mid-term resignation of Troy Buswell, Vasse covers coastal areas of the South West from Busselton and Dunsborough on Geographe Bay through to Gracetown and Cowaramup to the north of Margaret River. The Liberals have won the seat at every election since it was created in 1950 in succession to abolished Sussex, which was likewise never held by Labor. Troy Buswell came to the seat at the 2005 election after defeating incumbent Bernie Masters for preselection, and then prevailing by 210 votes when Masters ran as an independent. Masters had in turn held the seat since 1996, but suffered a heavy swing in 2001 that left him in danger of defeat by the Nationals. He again ran against Buswell in 2013, but managed only 8.0% of the vote. Buswell's eventful parliamentary career included a spell as Opposition Leader from January to August 2008, which ended in the wake of revelations he had sniffed the chair of a female staffer. He had two stints as Treasurer, from September 2008 to April 2010 and again from July 2012 and March 2014, both of which ended unhappily – the first when it emerged he had been conducting an extra-marital affair with Greens MP Adele Carles, the second after he damaged a number of cars while driving home from a wedding, ultimately leading to over $3000 in fines and the suspension of his licence. With Buswell's departure, the Liberals preselected Libby Mettam, a former Channel Nine and ABC journalist and media adviser to Barry House, member for the upper house region of South West. Mettam retained the seat at the by-election by a margin of 3.0% over Nationals candidate Peter Gordon. |
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