Western Australia’s hard border and COVID-19 dominated the leaders debate between Premier Mark McGowan and Zak Kirkup.
The Opposition leader’s extraordinary move to concede two weeks before election day was also highlighted in the only televised debated between the leaders.
The Liberal leader admitted he was unlikely to win the election and turned his focus to winning and retaining as many seats as the party can.
The move follows polling which suggests Premier McGowan’s party will be returned to government with an increased majority.
Premier McGowan has been able to "quite masterfully" play to some of the worst instincts of Western Australian politics, says Sky News host Paul Murray.
Mr Murray spoke of the upcoming state election in Western Australia.
"If there's ever been an election in the history of Australia where you can deliver a protest vote, it is this one," Mr Murray said.
WA Opposition leader Zak Kirkup wants to replace State-owned coal-fired power from Collie with wind and solar from the Mid-West by 2025 in a surprise move that has left Labor as the clean energy laggards in WA.
Kirkup’s energy plan announced last week also offers infrastructure support for a green hydrogen industry north of Geraldton and pledges net-zero emissions from the State Government by 2030.
Labor Energy Minister Bill Johnston has gone out of his way for two years to avoid being realistic about the future of Collie coal or supporting Mid-West wind farms.
Johnston was warned early on that growing installation of rooftop solar generating surges of power in the middle of the day combined with inflexible coal-fired power could make the South West power grid unstable as soon as 2022.
Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan’s response to the state’s single COVID-19 cases was “absolutely hysterical” but enormously popular, according to Sky News host Rita Panahi.
Premier McGowan locked down the state for five days starting last Sunday after a hotel quarantine worker tested positive to the UK-strain of virus.
Throughout the lockdown, WA only recorded that initial single case.
Ms Panahi said a lot of people knew Premier McGowan's approach “was always crazy”.
“This is just been an absolutely hysterical, over the top response but it has been enormously popular. He’s going to romp it in,” she said.
“Everything that’s happened in the last week isn’t going to take the shine off him.”