There is now a dual message that is more lethal than the Labor Party anticipated, and which offers fresh hope for the Liberal Party. It is caused by the combination of ineffective state ALP governments, the absence of any Liberal incumbent on which to cast blame, and the disposition of the Australian voter for political balance.

Nationals leader Brendon Grylls says he will form government with whichever party endorses his plan to earmark a quarter of the state’s mining and petroleum royalties for regional Western Australia. Earlier, Mr Grylls stated that he is not interested in the lure of the deputy premier’s job or a frontbench position in the new cabinet.

This week saw big problems emerge for the Labor Party in New South Wales and Western Australia, while federally the Nationals shrank even further with the loss of Lyne. In the Senate, Steve Fielding voted down the luxury car tax increase, while in the United States, Sarah Palin has garnered an immediate and positive reaction.

Whatever the outcome of the next few days, Western Australia’s regional area seems set to hold the whip hand. It is an ironic twist, given that the one-vote, one-value electoral redistribution was supposed to dilute the power of the bush. Instead, the swing to the Liberals will give regional WA more power than ever.

Needing to win nine seats to form a conservative government with the help of the Nationals, the Liberals were almost certain to win ten after yesterday’s state election. Huge swings of more than six per cent against the government in many seats exceeded poll predictions of a four per cent swing to the opposition.

Labor called the state election one day after Colin Barnett was elected Liberal leader, making this year’s election the earliest in 100 years. The first half of the campaign was timed to overlap the Olympic Games, to drown out the Opposition. That tactic backfired and Barnett got a two-week honeymoon.

The Newspoll indicates Labor could lose at least nine seats - and office - if a 4 per cent swing in marginal seats becomes uniform across the state. The results are seriously bad news for Labor, which earlier this week said it would have lost an election held last weekend.

The Western Australian Labor Party received $2000 four years ago from a Sydney businessman and property developer convicted of conspiring to supply over $100,000 worth of drugs - raising fresh questions about political donations. Electoral records show the donation was made to the WA Labor Party in the 2004-05 financial year.

The West Australian Premier has admitted for the first time his Government has not performed well, as internal party polling continues to show Labor at risk of losing tomorrow’s state election. Labor insiders said that the tactic of portraying the Government as the underdog had now become the reality.

The militant Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union - which has again come under a cloud amid claims that the building industry has returned to the bad old days of thuggery and standover tactics - will face an investigation in Western Australia over alleged irregularities on its 8000-strong membership roll.