**Labor Party Veteran Paul Papalia Retires Early, One Nation Party Wins First Lower House Seat in Western Australia**
A by-election was triggered in the Secret Harbour electorate of the Western Australian State Parliament following the early retirement of senior Labor Party member Paul Papalia due to family health reasons. On Saturday evening, August 29, One Nation party candidate Luke Herdegen defeated the Labor Party candidate to secure the party’s first ever seat in the lower house of the Western Australian State Parliament.
Preliminary vote counting results released by the Western Australian Electoral Commission on Sunday, August 30, with 75% of the votes counted, showed fitness gym operator and One Nation candidate Herdegen winning the two-candidate preferred vote with 57% against 43% for Labor Party candidate Georgia Tree.
In the 2025 state elections, Papalia won with 46.6% of the primary vote, while One Nation had an 8.4% vote share. In this by-election, One Nation’s primary vote increased to 39.1%, a significant rise of over 30 percentage points, making it a notable highlight of the election.
Currently, the Labor Party holds 46 out of 59 seats in the lower house of the Western Australian State Parliament, and the outcome of this by-election will not affect its governing majority. However, observers see this election as an important indicator of One Nation’s strength.
The One Nation party, led by Senator Pauline Hanson, has recently seen an increase in popularity. The party made significant gains in the March South Australia state elections and the May federal House of Representatives by-election, with some polls in June showing its support surpassing that of the Labor Party for the first time.
A total of 16 candidates ran in the election, with campaign issues including frequency of organic waste collection, cost of living, housing shortages, and inadequate community facilities.
Established in 1997, One Nation has long been on the political fringe, but its hardline stance on immigration and growing discontent among the public over housing shortages, rising living costs, and dissatisfaction with the Labor Party government have attracted an increasing number of supporters.
The party’s next target is the November elections in Victoria, where the longstanding Labor Party government may face a challenge after 12 years in power.
Herdegen, speaking on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television, said to his supporters, “The Labor Party in this state and across the country no longer has safe seats.”
Tree officially conceded defeat on Sunday morning, congratulating Herdegen on representing the Secret Harbour constituents in parliament and stating that it was an “honor” to fight for the community.
Herdegen responded by stating that this result was a defeat for the Labor Party, not just Tree individually. He urged, “For anyone who supports me, please show Georgia some care.”
Labor Party senior federal Minister Tanya Plibersek mentioned on the ABC program “Insiders” that this result indicated the need for the Labor Party to communicate to voters that they are the party truly working to alleviate pressures for ordinary Australians.
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook stated that the Labor Party will address the election results, calling it a “reminder that the people of Western Australia are facing challenging times.”
Located in the coastal suburb south of Perth, Secret Harbour has been a traditional stronghold for the Labor Party since 1989. Papalia held the seat since 2007 but it remained vacant after his resignation in July this year. The electorate is currently home to many young working families.