State election 2021: Preference system slammed after election of ‘daylight savings’ MP who lives in Seattle

The State government has promised to look at “flaws” in the WA voting system, days after a single-issue micro-party candidate was elected to the upper house on just 98 votes. The commitment comes as former upper house MP Dave Grills slammed the candidate’s election as an “absolute joke.” Daylight Saving Party leader Wilson Tucker was elected as one of six upper house MPs for the Mining and Pastoral region. The 36 year-old — who lives in the United States — received just 98 primary votes. He was elected after his party used preference whisperer Glenn Druery to negotiate preference flows from other micro parties. A state government spokesperson said that upper house reform ought to be addressed “at some point in time.” “We are currently focussed on delivering our election agenda, including donation transparency reform,” the spokesperson said. “As the Premier indicated during the election campaign, flaws in the Legislative Council voting system needs to be addressed at some point in time.” Mr Tucker is the leader of the Daylight Savings party, which — as the name suggests — wants WA to adopt daylight savings. He will represent the Mining and Pastoral region, which voted 65.89% to 34.11% against adopting daylight saving in a 2009 referendum. WA has rejected daylight savings in referendums in 1975, 1984, 1992 and 2009. Dave Grills represented the Mining and Pastoral region as a National party member between 2013 and 2017. He called Mr Tucker’s election “ridiculous.” “It’s an absolute joke. It makes WA into a political laughing stock,” he warned. “Under this system, you don’t get the best candidate available. You get the candidate who’s been able to manipulate preferences.” “He doesn’t even live in WA. He will have no idea about the lives of the people in the region.” Mr Grills called for upper house voting to be reformed. Currently, voters have a choice of voting above the line - and accepting whatever preferences their first choice has picked - or voting below the line, and ranking every single party and candidate. “The sooner we get rid of the group voting tickets the better,’ Mr Grills said. “(If you vote below the line) You have to fill in about 53 numbers, that’s absolutely ridiculous. You can make a mistake. Then that’s a waste of a vote. Nobody’s vote should be wasted. Speaking to the Kalgoorlie Miner this week, Mr Tucker defended the system that delivered him a seat. “I’m not a career politician and I bring a different perspective to the Upper House and I think it is a good thing, especially when you look at the make up right now of WA with the landslide that Labor has had, I think having a different voice on the crossbench is ... in the best interests for WA and the Mining and Pastoral region,” he said. Mr Tucker also promised that he would move back to Western Australia to serve his term in parliament. “I was never intending to live forever in the US, it was more of a short-term decision that I made,” Mr Tucker said. “WA and Perth have always been my home and they will always continue to be my home.”

State election 2021: Preference system slammed after election of ‘daylight savings’ MP who lives in Seattle

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