THE POLL BLUDGER
Western Australian Legislative Assembly Election 2008

GOSNELLS Labor 11.5%
New electorate Upper house region: East Metropolitan Federal division: Hasluck
	CHRIS FERNANDEZ Liberal (bottom) MADELEINE GOIRAN Christian Democratic Party CHRIS TALLENTIRE Labor (top) DAVE BOLT Family First LUKE EDMONDS Greens

The new electorate of Gosnells covers the south-eastern suburbs of Gosnells and Thornlie, taking 54 per cent of its voters from the dramatically redrawn Southern River and 43 per cent from abolished Kenwick, the incidental remainder coming from Armadale. Gosnells first existed as an electorate from 1977 to 1989, when it was succeeded by Thornlie. It was held until 1983 by Bob Pearce, who then moved to Armadale, and thereafter by Yvonne Henderson, who carried over to Thornlie and retired at the 1996 election. Labor's Sheila McHale then retained the seat by a low-water mark 1.5 per cent before picking up an 8.9 per cent swing in 2001. Thornlie was in turn abolished at the 2005 election, which appeared to put McHale on a collision course with the similarly homeless Roleystone MP Martin Whitely for the new seat of Kenwick. This was resolved when Geoff Gallop persuaded the party's national executive to intervene to protect all sitting members, which saw McHale take Kenwick while accommodating Whitely in Bassendean. McHale, who has served as a minister throughout the Gallop/Carpenter government, announced her intention to retire in March. This made Gosnells available for one of Alan Carpenter's hand-picked candidates, Conservation Council of WA director Chris Tallentire. It had previously been expected that a place would be found for Tallentire in Bassendean at the expense of Whitely, who has lived to fight another term.

The Liberal candidate is Chris Fernandez, who represents Canning Vale ward on Gosnells City Council.

ASSESSMENT: Labor retain