Nationals’ Love has big lead in Moore

When confronted with his current lead after almost two-thirds of the votes were counted, Nationals member for Moore Shane Love belatedly agreed to claim victory on Monday.

On the two-party preferred vote, Mr Love is ahead of Labor’s Barni Norton 59.1 per cent to 40.9 per cent.

“You would be unlucky to lose from there,” he said, after many people, including those inside his party, had already claimed the seat for the Nationals.

“I haven’t heard from any of my opponents, but they’re not conceding anything.”

But as it currently stands, Mr Love has suffered a 5.8 per cent swing against him. But he held the seat by a margin of 19.5 per cent.

Mr Love, the Nationals deputy leader who is set to play a key role in a tiny opposition, said he had started sending out “thank you” messages to all the community newsletters in towns not reached by the Midwest Times.

“So instead of saying ‘thank you’ to people for electing me I’m claiming ‘victory in our time’,” he said.

Second-time Labor candidate Ms Norton said a “butterfly festival in her guts” had been put to rest.

“Much as I would like to be the member for Moore it’s highly unlikely it’s going to be mine in 2021 and it wasn’t mine in 2017,” she said.

Her primary vote stands at 33.6 per cent, with Mr Love’s on 38.3 and Liberal Darren Slyns on 16.9 per cent.

“It’s a pretty good outcome,” she said. “It was the best campaign to be on this time because people have shifted their perspective on politics in place of respect and integrity and people can have their own opinion and not be abused.”

Ms Norton said supporting the Upper House campaigns of Darren West, Shelley Payne and Sandra Carr made her “go the extra mile”.

Moore includes the town of Northampton and parts of its shire, Chapman Valley Shire, the City of Greater Geraldton’s rural parts, and coastal communities down to Guilderton.

With the redistribution it now includes the southern inland shires of Wongan-Ballidu, Goomalling and Dowerin, which are not covered by the Midwest Times.

Mr Love has been the local member since 2013 when he was a Dandaragan farmer and Shire President.

His winning margin in 2017 was 63.93 per cent with of the primary vote. Mr Slyns was contacted for comment.