THE POLL BLUDGER
Western Australian Legislative Assembly Election 2008

MAYLANDS Labor 17.4%
Upper house region: East Metropolitan Federal division: Perth
	LISA BAKER Labor (top) HSIEN HARPER Greens AINSLIE GATT Liberal DUNSTAN HARTLEY Christian Democratic Party

Created in 1933, Maylands has been held by Labor since John Harman's win in 1968. Harman was succeeded in 1986 by Peter Dowding, an upper house member since 1979. Dowding succeeded Brian Burke as in February 1988 and was pushed aside two years later in favour of Carmen Lawrence, prompting his resignation from parliament. The ensuing by-election was won for Labor by Judy Edwards, who served as Environment Minister from 2001 until February 2006, when she announced she would quit cabinet concurrently with Geoff Gallop's departure as Premier and retire at the coming election. Lisa Baker, executive director of the Western Australian Council of Social Services, won preselection without fuss through the backing of the LHMWU Left, which secured the seat through a power-sharing arrangement with the Old Right (the “Grand Alliance”) that followed the eclipse of the New Right.

ASSESSMENT: Labor retain