Fremantle seat to watch in WA election amid people power and climate concern


Sunday 2 February
ABC News.


Appetite for climate action likely to affect Labor's chances in safe WA seat

In short:
The cost of living is set to be a top issue in the March state election, but analysts say teal-tinged independent candidates and the Greens could impact the major parties' votes.

Fremantle, a safe Labor seat, is one to watch, with independent Kate Hulett and Green's candidate Felicity Townsend strongly campaigning on climate change. 

What's next?
Analyst Peter Kennedy says the Labor vote in Fremantle will come down, but it remains to be seen by how much.


There's little doubt that the cost of living will be the prevailing issue dominating this coming West Australian election.

But for Jacqui Snyder and other volunteers supporting a new wave of teal-style independents, addressing climate change is also a top priority.

"That's absolutely my deepest worry," said Ms Snyder, a high school teacher spending her leave handing out pamphlets on stifling hot days for independent Kate Hulett in the seat of Fremantle.

woman holding campaign leaflet talking to male voter with pram and dog in Fremantle mall.
Jacqui Snyder is among over 300 volunteers signed up to help with Kate Hulett's campaign.

She believes the Labor Government hasn't done enough to address the state's rising carbon emissions.

And she's weary of party politics and political donations.

"I personally feel the disempowerment from the two-party system, feeling as though I can't enact any change," she said.

"When you have someone … who says, 'come and speak to me, I'm about you, I'm about people, I'm about climate and I want to do this with a really high degree of integrity', I think that's exciting."

woman trying to hand election pamphlet to cyclist
Kate Hulett is one of a number of teal-style independents running in the WA election.   

Appetite for climate action
Ms Hulett, a well-known small business owner in Fremantle, is one of five community independents contesting lower house seats at the state election so far.

Her campaign has just received a big boost securing crucial funding from Climate 200, the organisation that supported teal independents at the last federal election. 

Another four women under the broad community independent banner are contesting Bassendean, Churchlands, Nedlands and Cottesloe, with the last three also receiving funding from Climate 200.

candidate surrounded by supporters holding campaign signs and wearing campaign t-shirts
Ms Hulett had a big turnout to her campaign launch in Fremantle in January. 

Political analyst Martin Drum believes the emergence of teals for the first time at a state level could impact both Labor and the Liberals if the independents can tap into the current "volatility" in the vote.

"It's a real problem for the Liberals where they are hoping to win back seats," he said.   

"Will those voters go straight back to the Liberals this time, or will they seek to park their vote elsewhere?

"Both the major parties have been close to the mining sector and see the mining industry as essential to jobs.

Martin Drum sitting on bench in Fremantle's High Street
Martin Drum expects the community independents and Greens to pick up votes from people concerned about climate change.

"So essentially the major parties haven't gone really aggressive on dealing with climate change.

"And in some of these electorates, I think there's an appetite for that."

But the WA election has very different dynamics to the 2022 federal poll, where the independents made their mark against an unpopular Liberal government.

"The [WA] Labor government looks like being re-elected. It's early days but that's what the polls seem to suggest," Dr Drum said.

"So independents need to work harder to tap into a wave of protest and a wave of disenchantment that may or may not be there at a state level."

Labor defends environment record
Fremantle is regarded as a very safe Labor seat, held by government minister Simone McGurk.

This week, Ms McGurk said the party's record on the environment generally was very strong.

"We're the only state to get out of coal-fired power generation for government, we're getting out of logging of native forests, we've got the nation-leading plan for plastics, record allocations for conservation estate," she said.

Simone McGurk surrounded by volunteers in red Labor campaign t-shirts
Simone McGurk has held the seat of Fremantle for Labor since 2013.

But Labor isn't taking her margin in Fremantle for granted this election.

The Greens, with their candidate Felicity Townsend, believe this is their best chance of winning Fremantle since their by-election victory in 2009.