ALP 1.1%
Incumbent MP
John Quigley, since 2013. Previously Member for Innaloo 2001-2005, Member for Mindarie 2005-2013.
Geography
Outer north of Perth. Butler stretches along the coast at the northern edge of Perth, from Quinns Rocks to Two Rocks, and also covering Yanchep, Butler, Jindalee, Merriwa and Ridgewood. The seat covers the north-western corner of Wanneroo council area.
Redistribution
Butler contracted, losing inland areas including Carabooda to Wanneroo, and Clarkson and Somerly to Burns Beach. These changes cut the Labor margin from 1.8% to 1.1%.
History
The seat of Butler was created in 2013, taking in parts of the former seat of Mindarie, which had existed since 2005.
The Labor MP John Quigley won Mindarie in 2005, after winning the seat of Innaloo in 2001. Quigley was re-elected in 2008 and 2013, most recently to represent Butler.
Candidates
- Jan Van Niekerk (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers)
- Ola Sommer (Micro Business Party)
- John Quigley (Labor)
- Linda Aitken (Liberal)
- Ryno Joubert (Australian Christians)
- Susan Hoddinott (One Nation)
- Ron Smith (Julie Matheson for WA)
- Tom Webster (Greens)
Assessment
Butler is a very marginal Labor seat, but it is likely that the seat will become safer for Labor if there is a general statewide swing away from the government.
2013 result
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Redist |
John Quigley | Labor | 10,510 | 45.5 | -4.4 | 45.2 |
Linda Aitken | Liberal | 9,991 | 43.3 | +9.3 | 44.2 |
Thomas Webster | Greens | 2,067 | 8.9 | -1.5 | 8.6 |
Steven Leeder | Australian Christians | 529 | 2.3 | +0.1 | 2.0 |
Informal | 1,699 | 6.9 |
2013 two-party-preferred result
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Redist |
John Quigley | Labor | 11,951 | 51.8 | -8.6 | 51.1 |
Linda Aitken | Liberal | 11,136 | 48.2 | +8.6 | 48.9 |
Booth breakdown
Booths have been divided into two parts: north and south. The south covers a large majority of the seat’s population.
Labor won small two-party-preferred majorities of around 52% in the north and south, while the Liberal Party won a majority of the special votes.
Voter group | GRN % | ALP 2PP % | Total votes | % of votes |
South | 7.9 | 51.6 | 9,950 | 60.9 |
North | 9.6 | 52.2 | 2,744 | 16.8 |
Pre-poll | 9.2 | 47.7 | 1,082 | 6.6 |
Other votes | 9.9 | 49.6 | 2,567 | 15.7 |
Two-party-preferred votes in Butler at the 2013 WA state election