WA Premier Colin Barnett says his party's win at the polls proves the Labor party is "on the nose". Source: AAP
WEST Australian Labor's last-ditch attempt to sway voters with personal attacks on the Liberals not only backfired, it may well have ensured the previously minority government romped it in.
Premier Colin Barnett's re-election was so overwhelming it will be a major shot in the arm for his federal counterpart Tony Abbott - who recently said he would model himself on the Perth politician - for the September 14 election.
While presiding over a booming economy and the historical likelihood of winning a second term was in the Liberals' favour, Labor kicked an own goal as the campaign drew to a close by repeatedly saying scandal-prone Treasurer Troy Buswell was the heir apparent to Mr Barnett.
While the opposition denied it, all fingers pointed to the Labor party when rumours swirled about Mr Barnett's age and health, and its transport spokesman Ken Travers conceded he had said the 62-year-old looked tired.
Mr Barnett was quick to dismiss the talk as grubby tactics and utter rubbish, and on Sunday he said the personal attacks had helped swing some voters' minds.
"People around the state don't like personality politics," Mr Barnett said.
Mr Buswell, dogged by bad press about his frat-boy sense of humour outside of parliament and sometimes in it, said Labor had wasted its breath, given most voters had already made up their minds about him.
Indeed, he achieved a swing of more than eight per cent in his seat of Vasse.
His swing matched that of the party which went from winning 24 seats in 2008 and needing an alliance with the Nationals to form government to potentially winning as many as 34 seats - and up to 40 for the coalition- to Labor's 19.
Along the way, the Liberals picked up previously safe Labor seats like Perth, Joondalup, Forrestfield, Balcatta and Belmont.
Counting will resume on Monday after being suspended on Sunday with 75 per cent of votes counted by Saturday night and a handful of seats still in doubt.
With the Liberal Party winning enough seats to govern in its own right, the make-up of the alliance will be of immediate interest to many, especially Nationals leader Brendon Grylls who reclaimed the seat of Pilbara off Labor.
Mr Barnett hinted strongly there would be a more Liberal imprint on where the Royalties for Regions money would flow.
"The focus will be more on basic services, country roads, rail upgrades, power distribution - those fundamental services, I think there is a need," Mr Barnett said.
On Sunday, Mr Barnett indicated it was insulting many had suggested his party's landslide win was because Labor was on the nose across the country.
It had more to do with good governing on local issues, he said.
"If it is all about federal issues, why is Labor ahead of the Liberal Party in Victoria? It does not add up," Mr Barnett said.
The party had its candidates selected long before the election was called, and they had put in the hours seat by seat, whereas the same could not be said for Labor.
Speculation has now turned to his cabinet line-up later this week, with environment minister Bill Marmion a contender for the crucial mines portfolio being vacated by the retiring Norman Moore.
And economists said it was business as usual for resources companies so active in the mineral-rich state.
The companies would continue to enjoy the support of a pro-business state government and a premier prepared to fight the federal government's mining tax.
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