One Nation claims historic Secret Harbour by-election win in Western Australia

One Nation is claiming victory in the Secret Harbour by-election in Western Australia, with counting indicating it is on track to secure its first lower house seat in the state. The party says its candidate, Luke Herdegen, has delivered a historic result in a seat long regarded as safe Labor territory. Labor had not conceded at the time of the claim.

Sponsored

Rod Caddies, One Nation's Western Australia leader, said the party was claiming victory at 9.30pm local time. The result is based on counting that showed One Nation ahead in the contest, although the final formal outcome was not included in the supplied material. Labor's candidate was Georgia Tree, described as a political staffer turned Woodside lobbyist.

The seat has been held in Labor hands in different forms and under different names since 1989, including most recently by Paul Papalia on an 11.5 per cent margin. That history makes the by-election result notable because it points to a substantial swing in an area that had been considered part of Labor's heartland. WA Labor Premier Roger Cook had previously described the contest as a "fight for our lives" because of the threat posed by One Nation.

The claim matters beyond one electorate because it may mark a breakthrough for One Nation in Western Australia, where the party has not previously won a lower house seat. A result of this kind can be read as a measure of the party's support and of how effectively it can translate that support into seats under local conditions. It may also shape how major parties assess campaigning in seats where minor parties can build momentum.

Sponsored

The supplied material does not give a full breakdown of the count, turnout, or whether postal and preference flows could still alter the result. It also does not include a formal concession from Labor or a final declaration from election authorities. What happens next will depend on the remaining count and any official confirmation of the winner.

The by-election is being watched closely because it comes from a seat that had been seen as secure for Labor for decades. A confirmed win for One Nation would give the party a new foothold in the state's lower house and could influence political strategy in Western Australia more broadly. For now, the result remains a claimed victory based on counting, with the final outcome still to be formally settled.

#OneNation #SecretHarbour #WesternAustralia #byelection #Labor