THE POLL BLUDGER
Western Australian Legislative Assembly Election 2008

MOORE Liberal 19.7%
Upper house region: Agricultural Federal divisions: O'Connor/Pearce/Kalgoorlie
	DES PIKE Greens PETER JOHNSON Labor BERNIE WALLACE Christian Democratic Party NORMAN GAY Citizens Electoral Council GRANT WOODHAMS Nationals (bottom) DAVID SHIER Independent BOYD DAVEY Family First GARY SNOOK Liberal (top)

Extending from the northern boundary of the metropolitan area to Kalbarri 550 kilometres kilometres to the north, Moore has been dealt with in a straightforward fashion by the redistribution, keeping all its original area and gaining half the voters from abolished Greenough (nearly all of the remainder going to Geraldton) plus two shires and 1247 voters from Merredin. Both seats had existed since self-government in 1890, although Moore was abolished between 1904 and 1911 and again from 1930 to 1950. Labor has never held Moore, and only won Greenough in 1924, 1927 and 1943. The victor on the latter occasion, John Verdun Newton, was declared missing in action in a bombing raid over Germany three months later. The by-election eventually held to replace him in September 1945 was won by Liberal candidate David Brand, who held the seat throughout a career that included the longest premiership in the state's history.

The merger of Greenough with Moore has produced a contest between the sitting member for each: Grant Woodhams of the Nationals and Gary Snook of the Liberals, both of whom entered parliament at the 2005 election. A former Dardaragan Shire president, Snook was immediately given the junior portfolios of property rights and the Wheatbelt before winning promotion to Shadow Agriculture Minister when Paul Omodei became leader in March 2006. He further gained local government in the minor June 2008 reshuffle which followed the sacking of Hillarys MP Rob Johnson. Grant Woodhams, who had been well known locally and throughout the state as an ABC presenter, pulled off the rare feat of gaining a seat for the Nationals at the expense of a sitting Liberal at the 2005 election. Woodhams was first able to overcome the Labor candidate, whom he outpolled 26.1 per cent to 22.9 per cent, then defeating one-term Liberal member Jamie Edwards (38.8 per cent) on preferences.

ASSESSMENT: NATIONALS GAIN