WA Nationals accuse Labor of waging ‘war on the weekend’

The WA Nationals have fired their first major election salvo at Labor, accusing the party of waging a “war on the weekend”.

The line is similar to former prime minister Scott Morrison’s scare campaign during the 2019 election, when he accused then-Labor leader Bill Shorten of wanting to “end the weekend” with a push toward electric vehicles.

WA Nationals have launched a new campaign against Labor.Credit: Nationals WA

Opposition Leader Shane Love launched the Nationals’ campaign, which will be run by its candidates across social media, at Hillarys boat ramp on Friday ahead of the long weekend.

“WA Labor is waging a war on our very way of life, taking away and attacking aspects of life that define our weekends as quintessentially Australian,” he said

“Whether it’s fishing, off-road driving, or owning a firearm, Labor’s crusade against the weekend is a direct attack on hardworking families who just want to enjoy their time off.”

At the heart of the party’s campaign are four gripes: Labor’s firearms reform, fishing reforms, neglecting four-wheel-driving enthusiasts, and closing Horizontal Falls in the Kimberley to tourists.

The Nationals have already pledged to rewrite the Cook government’s recent Firearms Act reforms, which Labor said had overwhelming community support.

“Labor’s laws do nothing to remove illegal firearms from the hands of criminals; they are designed to make life harder for recreational shooters, sporting competitors, and farmers managing pests,” Love said.

Love said his party would also revoke the recent ratification of the South Coast Marine Park.

“Labor has now locked up more than 1000 kilometres of coastline with the South Coast Marine Park and plans to triple the size of the Marmion Marine Park after the election,” he said.

“These changes are hammering local fishers and stripping families of their right to enjoy the water.”

The nationals will also reverse the decision to close Horizontal Falls, and would open more areas of WA for off-road vehicle use.

“WA Labor’s war on the weekend is an attack on every Western Australian who values their freedom and their right to enjoy recreational pursuits,” he said.

“The Nationals WA will end Labor’s ideological assault on how you choose to spend your weekend – be it up a bush track, on the range, or down at the beach with your family.”

Premier Roger Cook said the Nationals were a joke and had turned their back on regional WA.

“They are too busy campaigning in Perth, because that’s where they want to consider their next electoral chances,” he said.

“They’ve turned their back on regional WA. We have reinvented the weekend. We’ve got extra trails. We’ve got extra tourism opportunities, outdoor adventure opportunities in Western Australia.

“While we’re at it, the Nationals and the Liberals want to force people to work small business people to work on the weekend through the deregulated shopping hours so they’re the ones that are destroying the weekend.”

The Nationals’ announcement came as Liberal leader Libby Mettam pledged $45 million to acquire two helicopters and establish a Royal Flying Doctor Service helicopter base in Geraldton.

“Our investment in new RFDS helicopters for the Mid West will address critical gaps in
emergency medical care for the whole region,” Mettam said.

Cook was in Albany on Friday to announce a $120.5 million commitment to expand the regional road safety program to local government roads and $25 million to deliver 51 new affordable homes at Hardy Road in Spencer Park.

Labor has also pledged $1.8 million to establish a Holocaust education centre at the JHub Jewish Community Centre in Yokine.

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