Daylight Saving Party leader Wilson Tucker will oppose daylight saving if it ‘conflicts’ with his electorate

The leader of the Daylight Saving Party Wilson Tucker has pledged to oppose daylight saving if it “conflicts” with what his electorate wants. Mr Tucker received just 98 votes in the state election — or 0.18 per cent of the primary vote. But in a shock upset, he was elected to represent the vast Mining and Pastoral Region, after paying “preference whisperer” Glenn Drury an undisclosed sum to secure minor party preferences. The Mining and Pastoral region has traditionally been strongly opposed to daylight saving – voting against it in four successive referendums. Mr Tucker is “passionate” about the benefits of turning the clocks back, and claims that it will be “legislated eventually”. However, when asked if he would vote for daylight saving without the support of his electorate, Mr Tucker pledged to put the interests of his constituents first. “Look I would probably put my MP hat on and side with the people in the Mining and Pastoral region,” Mr Tucker said. “I fully acknowledge that the people in the rural areas don't receive the benefits of daylight saving typically. “So first and foremost, I will be doing my best to represent their interests. If it does conflict, then I'll certainly be prioritising the people in the region.” Mr Tucker said he would consult with interest groups in the region to gauge their perspective on the issue. The former software engineer’s election has ignited an electoral reform debate in WA. The Government has used it as a justification for the establishment of a Ministerial Expert Committee to examine “how electoral equality might be achieved” in the Legislative Council. This committee will consider possible reforms to ticket voting — the system that saw Mr Tucker elected — along with possible “one vote, one value” reforms that could see regional representation diminished. Mr Tucker conceded it was “tough” to justify his election on such a slim vote count, but insisted that the system was already “stacked in favour” of major parties with huge marketing budgets. “Having a diversity of thought and opinion from people of different backgrounds is important,” he said. “With other crossbenchers, I want to help hold the Government to account by bringing attention to their shortcomings. “And I will work my hardest to represent the people of the Mining and Pastoral region, whether they voted for me or not.” As the name suggests, pushing for the adoption of daylight saving is the single issue at the heart of the Daylight Saving Party. However, Mr Tucker said he was also passionate about Indigenous welfare and the impact of climate change.