While all eyes are on Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton as they “duke it out”, both with claims the country’s economic and political future would be better off under their respective Labor and Liberal parties, neither are proposing any serious shift to stop runaway climate change or address the calamitous lack of secure housing.

Meanwhile, many continue to struggle with the rising cost of living, unable to pay for the basics.

The Western Australian election on March 8 will be an opportunity to assess the major parties, as well as those offering progressive solutions.

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WA polls show Labor is significantly ahead of the Liberals, with incumbent Labor Premier Roger Cook also preferred.

A Newspoll, taken between January 29 and February 4, showed Labor with a 56–44 lead, with 42% saying they would vote Labor one. The Liberals received 32%, the Nationals held 3%, the Greens gained 12%, while 4% went to One Nation and 7% to all others.

Compared to the 2021 WA election, such numbers indicate there is still strong support for Labor, but with a swing of 14% to the Liberals.

In the 2021 election, after the worst of the pandemic, Labor picked up a stonking majority of lower house seats (53 of 59). The Newspoll results suggest many of these would be lost, but that the party would retain a majority in the lower house without much difficulty.

The same poll indicated that Cook is the preferred leader, with an........

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