The West Australian

By Jake Dietsch

Thu, 25 July 2024  6:20PM

A campaign to seize the last Liberal-held State seat in Perth is underway, with a group modelling its strategy on the sucessful campaign that saw Kate Chaney take the bue ribbbon seat of Curtin at the last Federal election.

Dr Catherine Jackson. Credit: Cott Independent

Cottesloe, or Cott Independent, has launched its campaign to find and support an independent candidate for the western subsurbs seat.

The group will follow a similar blueprint as 'Curtin Independent' - which found and then supported Ms Chaney in seizing the Federal seat.

The seat of Cottesloe was one of just two seats the WA Liberals won statewide in 2021 and is the only Liberal seat in the metropolitan area.

Dr David Honey - who has represented the seat since he replaced former Premier Colin Barnett in a 2018 by-election - lost Liberal preselection earlier this year to former Property Council executive director Sandra Brewer.

During their preselection battle, Dr Honey highlighted Ms Brewer's connections to the property industry in the famously anti-development western suburbs seat.

And it is likely an independent campaign would employ similar attacks.

A statement announcing the launch of Cott Independent has already pointed to "community concerns on a range of issues and the systematic stripping away of community consultation by successive state governments".

The group's spokesperson,  Dr Catherine Jackson, said voters in Cottesloe deserved more choice.

"The people of Cottesloe deserve a member of Parliament who will represent  their concerns and values, rather than those of a political party and the vested interests of their donors,  Dr Jackson said.

"Less than one per cent of WA voters are registered members of a political party, so it makes sense to have an Independent candidate to represent the real concerns of the community.

"We are seeking a candidate who is focused on the issues that really matter to people in Cottesloe, not their own political career or a wider party agenda.

"Other states including NSW, Queensland and the ACT - all of which are also facing a housing crisis - have banned  political donations from property developers and their close associates, but in WA we are still allowing this sort of political influence to continue,"  he said.

"We believe the voters of Cottesloe deserve integrity, transparency, better community consultation and real action on cost of living, housing, sustainable planning, health and education.

"At the last federal election, Curtin voters saw the value of an engaged community Independent MP who listens to and advocates for their electorate, and we believe many people in the seat of Cottesloe will value the same priorities when it comes to state issues."

The Liberal party has preselected former Uber boss Tom White to take on Ms Chaney.