By Stephen Robson
PERTH — The recent WA state election revealed some quite different attitudes to the issue of preferences among the various alternative candidates.
The Australian Democrats dropped their usual policy of an open ticket on Labor/Liberal and decided to support the election of a Liberal government.
This step backward was viewed with much disquiet by organised progressive forces. Phone calls of protest over the preference decision flowed into the Democrats office following the announcement.
It indicates that influential leaders of the Australian Democrats here want to take the party back to its origins in the 70s as a group of disenchanted Liberal supporters.
The other possibility — of linking up with activists in various campaigns and social struggles — seems to have been rejected by the leadership.
The Greens (WA) had four criteria that determined their preferences. These were the merit of the individual candidates; the track record of the incumbent candidates; policies of the parties; and the national and local implications of the issue.
Each local Green group made its own decision on preferences. Usually, minor parties and community candidates received a high ranking.
When it came to the major parties, in about two-thirds of the seats where the Greens stood, final preferences went to Labor. In other cases, an open ticket was adopted. In a few cases, preferences flowed through to the Liberals.
Scrutineering by the Greens indicated that, where the Greens did direct preferences to Labor, around 80% of their voters followed the ticket. When not directed, Green preferences ran at about 70% to Labor.
In the seat of Perth, which was eventually won by Diana Warnock for the ALP by around 100 votes, preferences were crucial.
Former ALP state executive member Kath Mallot, who stood as an independent, did not direct preferences at all, including to other progressive candidates. She handed out two tickets —
one for Labor voters and one for Liberal. Mallot ran her campaign on the slogan "The party's over". It seemed that Mallot's main criterion was maximising votes rather than networking and building political alliances.
Fortunately the Greens and the Democratic Socialists did direct their preferences through to Labor, a decision that was probably decisive in the outcome of that seat.
In Fremantle, well-known Aboriginal community activist Clarrie Isaacs placed ALP incumbent Jim McGinty last. McGinty is much hated for his role in supporting the old Swan Brewery redevelopment.
Democratic Socialist candidates in Perth and Fremantle singled out alternative candidates, giving them high preferences, ultimately flowing through to Labor. Returning Labor to office was seen as preferable to the stepped up attacks from a Court Liberal-National government.