Odds shortening on Jane Kelsbie’s re-election in Labor’s Warren-Blackwood seat

The odds are slowly tipping in favour of incumbent MP Jane Kelsbie retaining the seat of Warren-Blackwood.

The first-term Labor MP has been given underdog status since she was swept to power amid the Mark McGowan tidal wave in 2021, ousting 11-year Nationals WA veteran Terry Redman in the process.

However, a change in electoral boundaries means she will be campaigning across the entire Shire of Augusta-Margaret River at the next State election, with the region polling high for Labor and the Greens.

Coincidentally, Margaret River and Cowaramup have come in for greater State Government attention during the past month, including the Margaret River Pro, funding commitments for the wine industry and long-awaited news of the Gourmet Escape’s successor.

Ms Kelsbie had also edged out Liberal Party leader Libby Mettam’s focus on Cowaramup by going in to bat for the town’s long-standing traffic issues, as well as backroom discussions around growth pressures on Cowaramup Primary School.

She told the Times she was “excited” to be endorsed to run again for Labor but was focused on “continuing to work hard for our beautifully diverse electorate”.

“Electoral boundaries can change from one election to the next,” she said.

“Saying that, I’m pretty pleased to welcome the rest of the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River — including Cowaramup and Gracetown — into Warren-Blackwood.

“I’ll continue to be a strong local voice who champions the needs of our regional communities in the Cook Labor Government and who continues to work hard to do what’s right for Warren-Blackwood.”

Labor sources have confirmed that although Premier Roger Cook doesn’t expect the same majority of seats to be won as in the heady days of the 2021 pandemic, Warren-Blackwood is among the outliers worth defending.

There has been more advocacy from the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River under new president Julia Meldrum about growth-related issues including housing, pressure on WA’s most-visited national park, and mental health support for residents unable to reach services in Bunbury.