A by-election for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Darling Range was held on 23 June 2018 following the resignation of Barry Urban on 8 May.
Won by Labor for the first time in the seat's history at the landslide 2017 state election, the Liberals regained the seat.Commentary, 2018 Darling Range by-election: Antony Green ABC
Background Following a large 19 percent two-party swing, Barry Urban was the first ever Labor candidate to be elected to the previously safe Liberal seat of Darling Range in the seat's 64-year history at the landslide state election in March 2017. In November 2017, Urban resigned from Labor and moved to the crossbench to sit as an independent, after questions were raised about his academic claims and his wearing an overseas police service medal he had not been awarded. Urban was referred to the procedures and privileges committee, which in May 2018 recommended his expulsion from the Legislative Assembly for contempt of parliament and misleading the House. Urban resigned immediately after the committee's report was released.
Labor originally selected Colleen Yates as its candidate for the by-election. However, on 24 May 2018, Yates announced that she would withdraw from the race, after reporters discovered that she had incorrectly claimed multiple university degrees which she had never obtained on her LinkedIn profile.Colleen Yates resigns as Labor Darling Range by-election candidate after Barry Urban scandal
Candidates Candidates (11) in ballot paper order2018 Darling Range by-election guide: Antony Green ABC PartyCandidateBackground Western AustraliaRussell GoodrickTV producer and journalist. Candidate for East Metropolitan region at the 2017 election. GreensAnthony PyleDisability support worker. Candidate for Armadale at the 2017 election.Greens put forward Anthony Pyle for June 23 Darling Range by-election Animal JusticeJehni Thomas-WurthCity of Armadale Librarian. LiberalAlyssa HaydenFormer member of the Legislative Council for East Metropolitan region. Fluoride FreeJohn WattCandidate for East Metropolitan region at the 2017 election. One NationRod CaddiesCandidate for Agricultural region at the 2017 election. Labor Tania LawrenceManager at Woodside Petroleum and former public servant. ChristiansEric Eikelboom SFFStuart OstleCandidate for Darling Range at the 2017 election. IndependentDoug ShawRealtor and property manager. Former state president of Pauline Hanson's One Nation.One Nation's WA president quits party to make solo poll run at Darling Range by-election: The West Australian 20 June 2018 IndependentGeorge O'Byrne
Polling +Darling Range by-election pollingDateFirmCommissioned bySamplePrimary voteTwo-party voteALPLIBONPGRNOTHUNDALPLIB 14 June 2018ReachTELThe Weekend WestReachTEL: 54-46 to Labor in Darling Range - The Poll Bludger 17 June 2018>600 37.5% 31% 9.4% 3.5% ~8.5% ~10% 54% 46% 2017 election 41.5% 30.4% 8.7% 7.7% 11.8% 55.8% 44.2%
Results
Ninety-two minutes after polling booths closed, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Antony Green called the by-election for the Liberals.
See also List of Western Australian state by-elections 2018 Cottesloe state by-election
References
External links 2018 Darling Range By-election (Western Australian Electoral Commission) 2018 Darling Range by-election guide: Antony Green ABC 2018 Darling Range by-election guide: The Poll Bludger 2018 Darling Range by-election guide: The Tally Room