One Nation gets another senator after WA candidate edges out Labor

One Nation has leapfrogged Labor in a shock victory to secure Western Australia’s sixth Senate spot and increase its presence in the Upper House by a third after the Australian Electoral Commission finalised the count on Thursday.

Labor’s Deep Singh, a former United Worker’s Union organiser, had been leading the count for the sixth spot for several weeks, but a late surge of preferences toward One Nation meant candidate Tyron Whitten won the seat on Thursday.

Pauline Hanson with newly elected One Nation WA senator Tyron Whitten.Credit: Save Australia/Facebook

Whitten will join One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and fellow senator Malcolm Roberts on the crossbench.

His victory leaves the Liberals with one less seat in WA, which was held by retiring Senator Linda Reynolds in the last term.

One Nation WA’s Facebook page congratulated Whitten on his victory.

“A well-deserved result for a passionate advocate of the people,” the party said.

“We look forward to the strong voice he will bring to Parliament on behalf of Western Australians.”

Whitten was elected with 5.87 per cent of the total upper house vote in Western Australia – or 98,000 first preference votes.

Whitten co-founded the construction company Whittens and on his candidate page said the government was selling out Australians with “policies that benefit corporations and global bureaucracies while leaving our own people struggling”.

“I refuse to sit back and watch our country be sold off to global interests,” he said.

“I’m stepping up to fight for the freedoms, values and opportunities that Australians deserve.”

Whitten’s election is the first One Nation WA Senator since Peter Georgiou lost his seat in 2019.

Georgiou replaced One Nation Senator-turned-Great Australia Party founder Rod Culleton after he was disqualified from Parliament in 2017.

The Australian Electoral Commission confirmed all six WA Senate spots on Thursday.

Former WA Labor secretary Ellie Whiteaker took top spot with Liberal senator Slade Brockman taking third spot.

Former lawyer and Pat Dodson’s replacement Varun Ghosh will also be returned along with the Greens’ disability spokesman Jordan Steele-John and Liberal Matt O’Sullivan.

Australian Electoral Officer for Western Australia Anita Ratcliffe said party scrutineers witnessed the automated distribution of preferences on Thursday.

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