More than a million people will be heading to vote this month — and the result could have implications for the wider country.
Political eyes will move from Canberra to Kalgoorlie, the Kimberley and surrounds, with the outcomes of the 8 March Western Australia state election potentially shaping political momentum and strategy for both major parties ahead of the forthcoming .
What happened at the 2021 WA election?
Labor, led by Mark McGowan, , winning 53 out of 59 seats in a landslide.
The sweeping win reshaped the political map and was followed by Anthony Albanese's federal triumph the following year.
But this election is different, McGowan is gone — — and his successor, Premier Roger Cook, now faces his first major test.
While WA's mining-driven economy remains strong, have become the dominant issue: one that both state and federal leaders are watching closely.
Labor holds a commanding majority in the WA Legislative Assembly.
Cost-of-living pressures are front and centre
For 29-year-old Mark Marcelo, life in WA doesn't feel as comfortable as the state's booming economy suggests.
Marcelo, who is based in Perth, works as a fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) chef in the mining industry — a sector often associated with high wages and financial security.
But despite earning a stable income, he says keeping up with rent is a struggle, and the Great Australian Dream of owning a home is slipping further out of reach.
Mark Marcelo, a fly-in-fly-out worker who lives in Perth, says despite earning a good salary he is still struggling with the rising cost of living. Source: SBS News / Christopher Tan
"But prices are rising faster than wages, and home ownership is becoming impossible."
Marcelo is not in a dual-income household, making it even harder for him to break into the property market.
Recent data from financial comparison site Finder revealed that a household needs to earn at least $170,000 a year to afford a median-priced home in Perth.
"WA is a wealthy state, but I don't really feel its benefits," Marcelo said.
"Politicians need to listen ... for many of us, things are only getting harder."
What changed at the 2022 Federal Election in Western Australia
While cost-of-living is a major concern, Curtin University political expert John Phillimore says it's not just a WA issue — it's a national problem, meaning voters may not be as critical of the state government over it.
WA Labor's strong position — but without McGowan
One of Labor's biggest early-term challenges was the backlash to its updated Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, introduced in response to
While the legislation aimed to protect Indigenous heritage, it faced strong opposition from landowners and industry groups,
But generally Labor has remained on steady ground, bolstered by a $3.1 billion surplus this financial year.
Phillimore says the state's strong economy has helped keep Roger Cook's WA Labor government stable.
The party has also delivered on its long-awaited METRONET public transport project, which has been in the works for more than 16 years.
Although plagued by cost blowouts and delays, its December opening — so close to the election — means voters may focus on the achievement rather than the setbacks.
WA Labor also has a clear stance on one of the state's biggest economic drivers: mining.
Under Mark McGowan, the party firmly positioned itself as pro-mining, ensuring minimal disruption to the state's major industry.
The Rio Tinto West Angelas iron ore mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, a key site in the state's multibillion-dollar iron ore industry. Source: AAP / ALAN PORRITT/AAPIMAGE
With mining off the table as a battleground issue, the Liberals have instead shifted their focus to cost-of-living pressures as their main line of attack.
The Liberal party's road to recovery
After its disastrous 2021 election loss, the WA Liberals are still rebuilding.
Then-leader Zak Kirkup not only lost the election in a landslide but also his seat.
It was a political wipeout so severe that the Liberals were left with just two seats — so few that they couldn't even form the official opposition, a role that instead went to the WA Nationals.
At the time, Senator Michaela Cash described the result as "rock bottom" for the party.
Now, under leader Libby Mettam, the Liberals are looking to regain lost ground.
Political analysts say the WA Liberals, under Libby Mettam, must reclaim at least 10 to 15 seats to be competitive in the 2029 election. Source: AAP / RICHARD WAINWRIGHT/AAPIMAGE
A starting point will be reclaiming wealthy seats that swung to Labor under McGowan in 2021.
But, Phillimore warns that longstanding tensions between the WA Liberals and Nationals could undermine their chances if policy clashes arise, especially as both parties vie to reclaim seats from Labor.
Why WA matters nationally
Phillimore says holding the WA election before the federal campaign benefits Labor.
He says that WA Labor's dominant position allows it to absorb some backlash against the Albanese government, and that protest votes against Labor in WA won't necessarily lead to a federal Liberal resurgence.
Although WA Labor is all but certain to lose some seats, its substantial majority provides a buffer against potential setbacks.
The critical question remains whether a Liberal revival in WA could generate momentum for Peter Dutton's federal campaign or if the state's political landscape will continue to favour Labor.
The stakes on 8 March
For West Australians like Mark Marcelo, this election isn't just about politics — it's about whether the next government will take real action on the cost-of-living crisis.
"These are hardworking citizens you've got ... don't take them for granted."
With the Liberals needing a historic comeback, Labor seeking to maintain its dominance without McGowan, and national leaders watching closely, the WA election on 8 March could shape not just the state's future — but the country's.
