Voters 'stick with Mick'

As Collie-Preston’s votes were being recounted in Perth yesterday, incumbent MLA Mick Murray was already celebrating a narrow win by going fishing at Preston Beach.

Mr Murray said while the recount of the electorate’s 20,000-plus votes may change the result slightly, he felt “cautiously’’ confident he would hold the seat.

Mr Murray was announced as the winner by 59 votes by the WA Electoral Commission on Saturday night, retaining the seat he has held for the past 12 years.

A recount was offered to the Liberals because the margin was less then 100 votes.

The final result was due to be announced last night. Mr Murray said he had spent the week following the State Election pondering his retirement as he waited to hear the final result.

On Tuesday, when Liberal candidate Jaimee Motion was in the lead, he said he thought he had been sunk by the election debutante.

But the 63-year-old appears to have earnt another four years in Parliament, after the battle.

Mr Murray said Liberal support in Eaton and Dalyellup reflected the big challenge of an electorate with three distinct populations.

“The three communities are spread apart,” he said.

“Collie is different to Eaton which is different to Dalyellup and there is diversity between them – each is their own.”

He took a swipe at Labor’s leadership for not committing to funding for a bridge over the river connecting Eaton and Treendale, saying the Liberal’s $18 million promise on the issue had hurt him badly.

He said he would spend the next four years making sure the Liberal-led government delivered on the promises made prior to the election.

Mr Murray waited two weeks to hear the result of the 2001 election when he won the seat from the Nationals’ Hilda Turnbull by 34 votes.

Ms Motion was unable to be reached for comment yesterday.