The Poll Bludger - Australian State and Federal Elections

VASSE Liberal 9.6%
Upper house region: South West Federal division: Forrest
	MITCHELLA HUTCHINS Greens MARILYN ELSON Labor GAIL GIFFORD Christian Democratic Party TROY BUSWELL Liberal (top)


Two-candidate booth results are LIB vs IND (Bernie Masters) in booths that served Vasse at the 2005 election, and LIB vs ALP in Capel and Warren-Blackwood (lighter shade of blue for Liberal vote)

Troy Buswell's seat of Vasse covers south-western coastal areas from Busselton and Dunsborough on Geographe Bay through to the wine-growing and tourist centre of Margaret River. It was created at the 1950 election in place of abolished Sussex, which had existed since self-government began in 1890. Neither Sussex nor Vasse has ever been held by Labor. Veteran member Barry Blaikie was succeded in 1996 by Bernie Masters, who in 2001 suffered a 13.5 per cent primary vote slump that left him in danger of defeat by the Nationals. He went on to lose preselection for the 2005 election to Buswell, the president of Busselton Shire, a result he blamed on deputy leader and Barnett adversary Dan Sullivan. Masters came within 210 votes of retaining the seat as an independent, after edging 124 votes ahead of the Labor candidate at the penultimate count. The one-vote one-value redistribution has seen Vasse resume rural areas of the Shire of Busselton which were lost to abolished Capel at the previous redistribution, and it further gains the Margaret River (northern) half of the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River from Warren-Blackwood.

Buswell has had what could be described with understatement as an eventful first term in parliament. Winning immediate promotion to the front-bench in the small business and industry portfolios, he quickly developed a formidable reputation as a parliamentary performer. Eight months later he secured the deputy leadership when Paul Omodei stood aside after being convicted over the accidental shooting of his son in the thumb. The first of Buswell's many brushes with controversy came the following March when he reportedly voted in support of Paul Omodei's leadership challenge after pledging his support to Matt Birney. This provoked an especially sharp reaction from Hillarys MP Rob Johnson, who stated: “His cowardly and gutless disloyalty will be the start of his demise and I think you will find the shining star of Troy Buswell will diminish over the coming months. Let me tell you, if he is the future of the Liberal Party then God help the Liberal Party.”

Regardless of the merits of Johnson's analysis of Buswell's character, the assessment of his future prospects appeared to be awry, with a consensus emerging that only the looming federal election was preventing him from seizing the leadership from the floundering Omodei. Robert Taylor of The West Australian wrote that Buswell was seeking to unite members of his own faction, associated with current Senators Chris Ellison and Mathias Cormann and former Senator Ian Campbell, with the opposing Noel Crichton-Browne camp. This has been achieved through an alliance with party upper house leader Norman Moore, said by Taylor to be “strongly identified” with Crichton-Browne. Just as the plot seemed about to come to fruition in early January, Omodei's electorate officer Ron Scott told the Albany Advertiser of an incident in which Buswell had snapped (some said unhooked) the bra of a Labor staffer in a parliamentary office. Carine MP Katie Hodson-Thomas subsequently complained of being subjected to “inappropriate” remarks from Buswell in the presence of male colleagues, while other unnamed Liberals were quoted suggesting he had a reputation for such behaviour. This prompted Buswell's surprise announcement that he had decided not to pursue the leadership, as he needed “more experience in the House and more time to develop before I could be considered for that position”.

The West Australian responded with an editorial arguing that the party “must persuade Troy Buswell that while his behaviour in Parliament last October was juvenile, stupid and not befitting of a member of Parliament, it was not so reprehensible that he need rule himself out of leadership contention”. This evidently echoed the feeling in the party room, and Buswell was prevailed upon to call a leadership vote which Omodei did not contest, having read the writing on the wall. Rob Johnson expressed his displeasure by nominating against Buswell, reportedly receiving 10 votes to Buswell's 17 with one MP writing Omodei's name on the ballot. Other malcontents included Nedlands MP Sue Walker, who failed to attend the party room meeting and quit the party a fortnight later; Katie Hodson-Thomas, who announced on the morning of the vote she would not contest the next election; and Leschenault MP Dan Sullivan, who quit the party and will contest the election as a candidate of the new WAFamilyFirst.com.

Worse was still to come: in late April the Sunday Times published claims Buswell had sniffed the chair of a female Liberal staffer while making noises of sexual pleasure, an incident seen by enough witnesses that Buswell was in no position to refute it. The resulting furore culminated with Roe MP Graham Jacobs moving the first of two unsuccessful spill motions against Buswell, with Capel MP Steve Thomas declaring his interest in the job and Dawesville MP Kim Hames saying he would consider his options if the motion succeeded. A survey conducted by Westpoll showed 50 per cent of voters believed Buswell should resign, with Matt Birney and Colin Barnett both preferred as leaders. Paul Omodei quit the Liberal Party shortly afterwards following his failure to win preselection for his desired seat in the upper house, and it was speculated he might attempt to keep his career alive by running against Buswell in Vasse. Bernie Masters also said he was “seriously considering” again throwing his hat into the ring.

Along with many other mooted independent contenders, Bernie Masters thought better of entering the field as nominations closed.

ASSESSMENT: Liberal retain