WA's Secret Harbour by-election raises question of whether MPs should live in electorate

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The absence of a train station at Karnup is becoming one of the major issues in the Secret Harbour by-election, with the Liberals today pledging to build one if elected in 2029. Another potential issue has been none of the key candidates living in the electorate but they're not alone, with ABC analysis finding at least eight lower house MPs also don't live in their seats.

Transcript

00:02An empty block with big hopes.

00:05The certainty of Labor being returned is greatly diminished.

00:10Partly because of trains like this not stopping in Carnap.

00:14The Liberals pledging to build Carnap station,

00:16which was first promised by Labor in 2012.

00:20The Deputy Premier says work is being done to plan housing near the station.

00:24What we've said all along is as we finalise the planning,

00:28we'll be able to give a timeline on Carnap.

00:30The Liberals will be hoping it gives them a boost

00:33in the looming Secret Harbour by-election,

00:35despite the fact they'll be in opposition

00:37until at least the next state election in 2029.

00:41You can't get to work on a promise, you get to work on infrastructure

00:44and that's what this $90 million commitment

00:47to the Carnap train station is going to do for this great electorate.

00:5190 is not the cost of delivering the Carnap station.

00:54It is completely under-costed.

00:55The station is shaping as a key issue in a campaign

00:59in which none of the main contenders live in the electorate.

01:02Labor's Georgia tree normally lives near the CBD

01:05but has moved to the area for the campaign.

01:08One Nation's Luke Herdigen and Liberal Ryan Robertson

01:11both live over the border in Rockingham.

01:14I'm very active in the community.

01:15I sponsor half of this electorate with sport.

01:20I'm here, I'm listening.

01:21Deceit being represented by an outsider wouldn't be unheard of.

01:25At least eight lower house MPs, all Labor, don't live in their electorates.

01:30Among them, Deputy Premier Rita Safiotti

01:32who lives about 12 kilometres from her electorate of West Swan.

01:36The Premier, Roger Cook, is also in that group

01:38having recently moved from Kwinana to West Perth.

01:41I'm not criticising it, but what I'm saying is

01:44it's a demonstration of Labor's approach

01:48versus the Liberal approach.

01:50It is your effectiveness and your passion

01:53and your connection with the people in the community,

01:55not the piece of real estate that you belong to.

01:58Early voting for the by-election opens in three weeks.

02:01Those two are the participants.

02:01Thanks for having me.

02:07Ohhh...

02:07That's a great job.

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