Grant Taylor-Thursday, December, 2016 

WA election: Mark McGowan discusses life outside politics and being an outsider

LAURA GARTRY SAT MAR 04 

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-04/wa-labor-leader-mark-mcgowan-discusses-life-outside-politics/8315748?pfmredir=sm

Mark McGowan (pictured with parents Dennis and Mary in 1995) had humble beginnings.

Mark McGowan had a near-death experience with a squash racket in his teens, drinks German wheat beers, and if the bookies are right is set to become first WA premier in 30 years not to have attended the University of Western Australia.

But what else do we know about the Labor leader and father of three?

The University of Queensland graduate ended up in Perth by chance almost 30 years ago and admits it is "unusual" for someone from outside of WA to progress into a leadership position in the state Labor party

Mark McGowan became a Navy lawyer after his hopes of becoming an Air Force pilot were dashed by eyesight problems.

SUPPLIED: WA LABOR

After finishing a law degree in Brisbane, Mr McGowan hoped to join the Air Force to become a pilot, but was ruled ineligible because of his eyesight.

"The truth is I wouldn't have got in anyway because I am not very good at maths, so I wouldn't have lasted very long," he laughed.

He came second in the selection for a navy legal officer position, but the person ahead of him dropped out and he accepted a position in Perth.

Not a local, but also not an outsider

Mark McGowan and his wife Sarah heading to a Navy ball in the 1990s.

Mr McGowan said not coming from WA had its disadvantages in political life.

"When you didn't go to UWA, you didn't grow up in the western suburbs and …
you didn't have that background, you are coming from behind," he said

"I am not from that group, but I do not feel like I am an outsider.

"It takes a long time to break through that, but it is unusual to have come from somewhere else and get to the position I am in."

'I was quite a straight kid'

Mr McGowan grew up in regional New South Wales and attended high school in Coffs Harbour with his younger brother.

"I went to the opposite of an exclusive school, put it that way," Mr McGowan said.

"I was quite a straight kid … I tried hard at school because I wanted to impress my parents."

 Mark McGowan at 12 years of age.

His father Dennis owned a squash centre and his mother Mary was a primary school teacher.

Mr McGowan described his parents, who still live in Coffs Harbour, as "very ordinary".

"… they are not wealthy, they do not have any airs and graces, they are currently coming over to visit in a caravan."

"I don't go back there very often, I get back maybe once a year to visit."

At age 15, he suffered a skull fracture playing in the state junior squash titles.

"… A guy let go of his racket and it hit me in the side of the head, nearly killed me … it knocked me out," he said.

"I was concussed but I eventually got up and kept playing, I shouldn't have. I was having dizzy spells … I wasn't able to play sport for three months."

Political beginnings

Inspired by former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke's ability to "transcend class" Mr McGowan was elected to WA's Parliament in 1996.

Mr McGowan conceded his skin was a lot thicker now than it was back then.

"I was bit too ambitious too early on … 
and I think people saw it. You have to bide your time in political life, it is marathon not a sprint," he said.

"If you get advancement too early well sometimes you can be promoted beyond your ability and you burn out."

 Mr McGowan and his wife Sarah celebrate his election to WA's Parliament in 1996.

Since his election, Mr McGowan has held many senior portfolios in both government and opposition, and is the longest-serving MP to run for premier in 40 years.

He described his wife Sarah as a constant source of support and advice during his political career

"She is very good adviser … she can see through all the crap. Sometimes you are in a bubble," he said.

Life outside of politics

Mr McGowan said he did not have enough time for hobbies so he used his free time to play with his kids or walk the dog.

During his interview with the ABC, his media adviser prompted him to list a hobby.

"Camping, you like camping," she said.

"I like camping there you go, I haven't been for a while but if I get the chance I like to go," Mr McGowan responded.

Seemingly a workaholic, he spends up to two hours on the road every day.

Mr McGowan's children have played a key role in the 2017 election campaign.

ABC NEWS: JACOB KAGI

"You don't spend as much time with your children as you should. But hopefully the upside of it is,
 when I do spend time with them it is quality time and they are proud of their dad," he said.

Mr McGowan's three young children have played a key role shaping his profile during the campaign.

When asked about any political mistakes or regrets, Mr McGowan declined to identify any.

"There are lots of things I regret, but I don't really want to raise them because I don't want my opponents to use them against me," he said.

"…I think it might draw attention to something that bothers me and I don't want that … it will probably appear in Liberal Party ads,"

"After 20 years, I don't want the last 10 days to be a disaster," he said.

POSTED SAT MAR 04

Key Seats for the Western Australian 2017 State  Election

http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/wa-election-2017/guide/key-seats/

Liberal / National

West Swan (*)

LIB 0.9%: The electorate of West Swan takes in a disparate array of suburbs on Perth's northern fringe. It includes Herne Hill, the newer suburbs around Henley Brook, Brabham, West Swan, Dayton, Bennett Springs, Malaga and most of Ballajura, before extending north-west to include market gardening areas of the City of Wanneroo and the far northern Perth suburb of Banksia Grove. It was an electorate first contested in 2008 when current Labor MP Rita Saffioti was elected. She defended this marginal seat with a swing against her of only 2.2% in 2013, and on paper faces a challenge in 2017 as the redistribution has given West Swan a notional Liberal margin on the new boundaries. Saffioti should hold this seat for Labor given a personal vote and the expected state swing to Labor, but her Liberal opponent Rod Henderson will no doubt have different views.

Belmont

LIB 1.0%: Belmont lies south of the Swan with most of the physical area of the electorate taken up by Perth Airport, the Kewdale freight terminal and the Welshpool industrial area. Residential suburbs include Rivervale, Kewdale, Belmont, Cloverdale, Redcliffe, Ascot and parts of Burswood, South Guildford and Hazelmere. Belmont had been a Labor seat from its first contest in 1962 until being lost to the Liberal Party in 2013. Former members for the seat include two Labor Party Leaders in Col Jamieson and Eric Ripper. The electorate's demographics had been changing in recent years, and with Ripper's retirement in 2013, Liberal Glenys Godfrey won the seat at her third attempt with an above average 7.6% swing. As in 2013 the Labor candidate is Cassie Rowe.

Forrestfield

LIB 2.2%: Forrestfield covers a string of suburbs east of Perth Airport and the Roe Highway. From north to south the electorate includes High Wycombe, Maida Vale, Forrestfield, Wattle Grove and Kenwick. It was first contested at the 2008 election and won by Labor, its candidate Andrew Waddell narrowly defeating Liberal Nathan Morton. Morton returned to defeat Waddell in 2013 and will re-contest against new Labor candidate Stephen Price in 2017.

Perth

LIB 2.8%: Centred on the Perth central business district, the electorate also includes Kings Park, the Perth CBD, West Perth, Mt Hawthorn, North Perth, Leederville, Highgate, Northbridge and parts of East Perth. Perth had a long history as a Labor held seat, but was won by the Liberal Party's Eleni Evangel in 2013 with a 10.4% swing, twice the state swing. In 2017 she will be opposed by the Labor Party's John Carey.

Collie-Preston (*)

LIB 2.9%: The electorate of Collie-Preston includes three south-west shires, Collie, Dardanup and Donnybrook-Balingup, most of the Shire of Capel and a part of the Shire of Harvey. The largest centre is the coal mining town of Collie, but the electorate also includes Boyanup, Capel, Dardanup, Donnybrook and some outer suburbs to the north of Bunbury. Labor MP Mick Murray won Collie by 34 votes in 2001, the final Labor gain and last seat decided at that election. Murray was easily re-elected for Collie-Wellington in 2005, overcame one-vote one-value boundaries to win Collie-Preston in 2008, but survived by just 56 votes in 2013. The redistribution since has wiped out Murray's margin and he will need to increase his vote in 2017 to win back this now notionally Liberal held seat. His Liberal opponent is Elysia Harverson and the Nationals have nominated Monique Warnock.

Kalgoorlie

NAT 3.2% v LIB: Most of the population of the Kalgoorlie electorate is in the built area of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, but the electorate also takes in the more remote Shires of Laverton, Leonora, Menzies, Coolgardie and Dundas. The district had a long history as a Labor seat, but the changing nature of the mining industry saw it won by the Liberal Party in 2001, the only seat lost by Labor on the election to office of the Gallop government. After two terms held by Liberal Matt Birney, Kalgoorlie was won by Labor turned Independent MP John Bowler in 2008, then by the National Party's Wendy Duncan in 2013. Duncan is retiring at the 2017 election, and the Nationals candidate is Tony Crook, who lost to Bowler in 2008 before winning the Federal seat of O'Connor in 2010, retiring in 2013. The Liberal candidate is Kyran O'Donnell, Labor's candidate Darren Forster.

Swan Hills

LIB 3.7%: The electorate of Swan Hills includes the thinly settled north-east corner of the metropolitan area, with most of the electorate's population concentrated in rapidly growing Ellenbrook, The Vines and Aveley, as well as the Shire of Mundaring suburbs of Mount Helena, Chidlow, Beechina, Wooroloo and parts of Sawyers Valley and Mundaring. Swan Hills was one of the many marginal Labor seats not defended by a sitting MP on the introduction of one-vote one-value boundaries in 2008, playing a part in the victory of current Liberal MP Frank Alban. He was re-elected in 2013 with a 2.4% swing in his favour, less than half the state wide swing against Labor. Alban will be opposed in 2013 by Labor candidate Jessica Shaw.

Morley

LIB 4.7%: The electorate of Morley lies in Perth's inner-northern suburbs and includes the suburbs of Nollamara, Noranda and parts of Dianella and Morley. Re-created as a safe Labor seat ahead of the 2008 election, Labor declined to nominate its Ballajura MP John D'Orazio as candidate and paid a heavy price when he nominated as an Independent and recommended preferences for the Liberal Party. Liberal Ian Britza was elected after the second largest swing in the state, Labor's candidate decisions in Morley and neighbouring Mount Lawley playing an important part in the defeat of the Carpenter government. In 2013 Britza overcame a redistribution that wiped out his majority to win re-election, but he will face a sterner challenge in 2017. His Labor opponent is East Metropolitan MLC Amber-Jade Sanderson.

Balcatta

LIB 7.1%: Balcatta is an inner-northern Perth electorate that includes the suburbs of Balcatta, Joondanna, Stirling, Tuart Hill, Hamersley and parts of Osborne Park. The electorate has been created and abolished several times in the state's political history, but until 2013 it had always been a Labor seat. It was gained by the Liberal Party's Chris Hatton in 2013 after an above average 9.5% swing, helped by the retirement of Labor MP John Kobelke. Balcatta is certain to be a more competitive seat in 2017 and Hatton's Labor opponent is City of Stirling councillor David Michael.

Mount Lawley

LIB 8.9%: The electorate of Mount Lawley covers a strip of inner northern Perth suburbs including Yokine, Coolbinia, Menora, Mt Lawley and parts of Dianella, Inglewood, Morley and East Perth. The seat had previously existed as a safe Liberal seat between 1950 and 1989, but was re-created with a notional Labor margin on the introduction of one-vote one-value electoral boundaries in 2008. For internal reasons Labor declined to nominate Yokine MP Bob Kucera as its candidate, and Liberal Michael Sutherland won Mount Lawley with one of the largest anti-Labor swings at the election. Sutherland added 7.7% to his margin in 2013 and will defend the seat in 2017 against Labor's Simon Millman.

Bicton

LIB 10.0%: Bicton runs along the southern shore of the Swan River and includes the suburbs of Attadale, Bicton, Palmyra, East Fremantle, Melville and parts of Alfred Cove and Myaree. It is a new electorate formed from the western parts of the former seat Alfred Cove, and also includes East Fremantle and Melville from the neighbouring Labor seats of Fremantle and Willagee. The abolition of Alfred Cove created a pre-selection scramble amongst Liberal MPs, and Alfred Cove MP Dean Nalder won the ballot to contest the safer seat of Bateman, while more marginal Bicton will be contested by Bateman MP Matt Taylor. His Labor opponent is City of Melville councillor Lisa O'Malley.

Kalamunda

LIB 10.3%: Kalamunda is centred on the Darling Range suburbs of Kalamunda, Gooseberry Hill, Lesmurdie, Walliston and Carmel. The electorate also includes Darlington, Glen Forrest, Parkerville, Stoneville, Mahogany Creek and parts of Mundaring north of the Helena River. It has always been a Liberal seat, but the margin for sitting Liberal MP and Health Minister Don Day is at the point on the pendulum where a uniform swing would deliver victory to Labor. The Labor candidate is Matthew Hughes.

Joondalup

LIB 10.4%: Joondalup covers a string of outer northern Perth suburbs including of Beldon, Mullaloo, Ocean Reef, Heathridge, Edgewater, Connolly and parts of Currambine and Joondalup. Joondalup was one of the seats retained by Labor on its defeat at the 2008 election, but lost to the Liberal Party in 2013. The recent redistribution has doubled the Liberal margin from 4.5% to an estimated 10.4%, which puts Joondalup at the point of the pendulum where a uniform swing could deliver a change of government. The Liberal MP is Jan Norberger, his Labor opponent Emily Hamilton.

Geraldton

LIB 10.9% v NAT: In the state's mid-north, the electorate of Geraldton covers the urban areas of Geraldton and surrounding rural areas. Geraldton has been contested at every election since the first Western Australian election in 1890, and was Labor held for all but one term between 1917 and 1991. It was lost by Labor at a 1991 by-election and looked to have permanently left the Labor orbit until the 2001 election. One Nation polled 21.0% and the Liberal first preference vote halved, delivering an unexpected victory to Labor's Shane Hill. He was re-elected in 2005 but could not overcome the one-vote one-value electoral boundaries introduced for the 2008 election. Since then Labor has slipped to third place and Geraldton was a Liberal-National contest in 2013. With the revival of Labor's vote, Geraldton may be a three-way contest in 2017. Liberal MP Ian Blayney will be opposed by Labor's Lara Dalton and the National's Agricultural Region MLC Paul Brown.

Southern River

LIB 10.9%: In the south-east suburbs of Perth, the electorate of Southern River includes a mix of newer and older suburbs, taking in parts of Canning Vale, Huntingdale, Southern River and Gosnells. Something of a swing seat at elections over the last two decades, Southern River has been held by Liberal Peter Abetz since gaining it from Labor in 2008. Abetz boosted his margin with a 15.1% swing in 2013, but the redistribution has since reduced the Liberal margin from 17.0% to 10.9%. The large swing in 2013 was in part due to Labor concentrating on defending its own seats. The campaign in Southern River will be more vigorous in 2017 as the seat sits around the point of the pendulum where Labor can achieve government. Abetz's Labor opponent is local schoolteacher and City of Gosnells councillor Terry Healy.

Wanneroo

LIB 11.0%: Covers the outer northern Perth suburbs on the eastern side of Lake Joondalup north of Ocean Reef Road including Carramar, Tapping, Ashby, Sinagra, Wanneroo, Hocking and Pearsall. Wanneroo has been a traditional swing seat and changed hands in 2008 when won by the Liberal Party's Paul Miles. He achieved a swing of 10.2% on re-election in 2013, but is likely to face a sterner challenge in 2017. His Labor opponent is Wanneroo local councillor Sabine Winton.

Burns Beach

LIB 11.3%: The electorate of Burns Beach lies in Perth's outer north and includes the suburbs of Mindarie, Clarkson, Tamala Park, Burns Beach, Kinross, Iluka and parts of Joondalup and Currambine. It replaces the former seat of Ocean Reef, the new boundaries reducing the Liberal margin from 19.0% to an estimated 11.3%. Ocean Reef was created as a marginal Labor seat ahead of the 2008 election but was won by the Liberal Party's Albert Jacob, adding 16% to his margin with a big swing in 2013. With Labor likely to give more attention to northern Perth seats in 2017, Burns Beach will be a key seat despite its 11.3% margin. Albert Jacob will re-contest for the Liberal Party and his Labor opponent is Mark Folkard.

North West Central

NAT 11.5%: Covering a vast swathe of the state's inland and north west, the electorate of North West Central includes the Shires of Ashburton, Exmouth, Carnarvon, Shark Bay, Northampton north of the Murchison River, Upper Gascoyne, Murchison, Yalgoo, Cue, Mount Magnet, Meekatharra, Sandstone, Wiluna and Ngaanyatjarra. In the last three decades the electorates in this region of the state have undergone regular boundary and name changes and have been represented by all three major parties. Current MP Vince Catania was first elected for Labor in 2008, but defected to the National Party in July 2009 and was easily elected as a Nationals candidate in 2013. Labor slipped to third place in 2013 but the seat may revert to a traditional two-party race in 2017. Catania's opponents will be the Liberal Party's Julee Westcott, and Labor's Shane Hill, who was MP from Geraldton 2001-08. The electorate is larger in area than New South Wales and covers 32.3% of Western Australia.

Pilbara

NAT 11.5%: Pilbara is a vast electorate in the north of the state covering the Shire of East Pilbara, the Town of Port Hedland, and the City of Karratha. The main population centres in the electorate are Port Hedland, Newman, Dampier, Karratha, Wickham, Roebourne, Nullagine and Marble Bar. The seat was traditionally held by Labor, but in 2013 National Party Leader Brendon Grylls took the risk of abandoning his seat of Central Wheatbelt to try and win this northern seat. He won after an 18.7% swing, easily the largest swing in the state. Having resigned and now returned as Nationals Leader since the last election, Grylls is currently attracting opposition in his seat from mining interests opposed to his idea to increase legacy mining royalties. He is opposed in 2017 by Labor's Kevin Michel and Liberal Mark Alchin.

Bunbury

LIB 12.2%: The electorate of Bunbury includes the entire City of Bunbury local government area plus Dalyellup in the south from the Shire of Collie. Bunbury developed a reputation as the state's bellwether electorate for three decades. It was won by the party of government at every election from 1974 until won by the Liberal Party's John Castrilli as the Gallop Labor government was re-elected in 2005. Castrilli increased his margin at the 2008 and 2013 elections but will be retiring at the 2017 election. The new Liberal candidate is Ian Morison while the Labor candidate is Don Punch.

Hillarys

LIB 16.0%: Hillarys is a normally safe Liberal seat in Perth's northern suburbs incorporating Kallaroo, Craigie, Hillarys, Padbury and Sorrento. It is of interest in 2017 due to sitting MP Rob Johnson splitting from the Liberal Party and re-contesting as an Independent. He will be opposed by the Liberal Party's Peter Katsambanis, who is contesting Hillarys rather than his current Legislative Council seat.

Roe

NAT 16.7% v LIB: Roe replaces the southern wheatbelt electorate of Wagin, but the seat has been extended east to include Esperance and southern parts of the abolished Liberal seat of Eyre. The major centres of Roe are Narrogin, Wagin, Boddington, Lake Grace, Katanning, Kojonup, Gnowangerup, Ravensthorpe and Esperance. Wagin's National MP Terry Waldron is retiring at the 2017 election, but Eyre's Liberal MP Graham Jacobs will contest Roe. The new National candidate is Peter Rundle. Labor traditionally finishes a distant third in this seat.

Labor

Midland

ALP 0.5%: Based on Guildford and Midland in Perth's east, the electorate also includes the suburbs of Woodbridge, Viveash, Midvale, Stratton, Jane Brook, Swan View, Greenmount, Koongamia, Bellevue, Caversham, Helena Valley, Boya and parts of Hazelmere and Middle Swan. It is normally a safe Labor seat, but sitting MP Michelle Roberts came within 24 votes of defeat at the 2013 election. The Labor margin has been boosted slightly in the redistribution, and Roberts should not be at risk of defeat in 2017 given state polls suggest a significant swing to Labor. That will not stop Liberal candidate Daniel Parasiliti from trying to win Midland at his second attempt.

Albany

ALP 1.0%: The city of Albany lies on King George Sound on the south coast of Western Australia. Most of the voters in the electorate live in the urban areas of Albany, but the electorate includes all the City of Albany Council and the smaller Shire of Jerramungup. One of only four electorates to have been contested at every WA election, Albany has been held by all parties over the years but looked to have left the Labor orbit when lost to the Liberal Party in 1974. It was a surprise when former Olympic runner Peter Watson won Albany for Labor at the 2001 election, the seat recording the state's largest swing to Labor. Proving his victory was no fluke, Watson was re-elected in 2005, overcome the disadvantage of new one-vote one-value boundaries in 2008, and even increased his majority in 2017 as Labor went backward across the state in 2013. The Liberal candidate is Greg Stocks, and as in 2013 the National candidate is Robbie Sutton.

Butler

ALP 1.0%: Butler covers Perth's furthest north beachside suburbs west of Wanneroo Road and north of Hester Avenue and Quinns Road. From north to south it includes Two Rocks, Yanchep, Eglinton, Alkimos, Jindalee, Butler, Quinns Rocks, Merriwa and Ridgewood. The area has represented by Labor's John Quigley, under its former name of Mindarie from 2005 and as Butler since 2013. The seat saw an above average swing of 8.6% in 2013 but Quigley narrowly retained the seat. He should have an easier task of retaining Butler in 2017 given the expected swing to Labor, His Liberal opponent is City of Wanneroo councillor Linda Aitken.