Terry Redman not willing to declare victory in surprisingly close contest with Labor in Warren-Blackwood

Nationals WA Terry Redman has not been willing to declare victory tonight with his lead in Warren-Blackwood sitting at under three per cent cent with more than half of the vote counted. Labor candidate Jane Kelsbie had enjoyed a 10.4 per cent swing in primary voting by 10pm, as her party swept to a devastating win across WA. Although the ABC had called the seat for Mr Redman — who had 51.3 per cent of the two-party preferred vote to Ms Kelbie’s 48.7 per cent — he said the result was not yet set in stone. Mr Redman was ahead in primary voting by 35.6 to 31.2 per cent. The surprisingly close contest was an example of the historic popularity of Mark McGowan’s Labor Government, which looked set to secure 53 of 59 Lower House seats. Earlier today, Ms Kelsbie was banking on that popularity to give her a “good chance” of defeating her Nationals WA rival. “It’s quite nerve-racking and it’s a massive gap — a 12.8% swing would be needed to beat Terry and the Nationals — but the way McGowan has governed the State I think there’s a good chance,” Ms Kelbie said yesterday. “And if not this year, I’m coming for him in four years.” The electorate of Warren-Blackwood covers more than 23,000km in the South West of the State, from Margaret River east to Stirling Range National Park. Both Ms Kelsbie and Mr Redman hail from the south coast town of Denmark. While Ms Kelsbie cast her vote in Manjimup, Mr Redman spent the morning speaking to voters in his hometown, which he has represented in State Parliament for 16 years. The former Nationals WA leader has prevailed at four consecutive elections — in Stirling (2005), Blackwood-Stirling (2008) and Warren-Blackwood (2013 and 2017). “That said, I’m feeling confident but not complacent about the outcome of this election and we’ll be fighting right to the end,” Mr Redman said this morning. Mr Redman would not be drawn on the potential for his party to form Opposition in the event of a Liberal Party wipe-out — or his interest in any subsequent leadership roles. “The priority for us now is to win as many seats as we possibly can,” he said.