THE POLL BLUDGER
Western Australian Legislative Assembly Election 2008

OCEAN REEF Labor 1.6%
New electorate Upper house region: North Metropolitan Federal division: Moore
	FREDERICK HAY Family First KEVIN MULLEN Christian Democratic Party ALBERT JACOB Liberal (bottom) JUSTIN WOOD Greens LOUISE DURACK Labor (top)

The redistribution's rearrangement of Perth's outer northern suburbs has created the new electorate of Ocean Reef from an area formerly divided between Mindarie, which has shifted north into coastal outskirts formerly covered by Wanneroo, and newly landlocked Joondalup. Variations in 2005 booth results bear little relation to demographic patterns, the most significant of which is the higher level of home ownership in the more established suburbs in the south. Labor's candidate is Louise Durack, social worker and organisational officer with the locally based Women's Healthworks, a “health, education and referral service for women”. Durack was one of a large number of candidates hand-picked by Alan Carpenter in early 2008 over the protests of disgruntled factional powerbrokers. The Liberals have nominated Albert Jacob, a Joondalup City councillor representing a ward that covers Ocean Reef and Mullaloo.

Ocean Reef has been described during the campaign by party sources as “of concern” to Labor, and “in play”.

ASSESSMENT: LIBERAL GAIN