A landslide victory for Labor in the West in Saturday’s federal election means there will be some new faces representing WA in Canberra.
In all, five Western Australians will occupy a seat in the House of Representatives for the first time.
Here’s your quick guide to who they are.
Curtin: Kate Chaney
A lawyer by training, Kate Chaney spent about six years working for Wesfarmers and, more recently, as the director of Anglicare WA, a non-profit organization.
Ms Chaney joins parliament in at least four other “independents of green-green”, named for the colors of her campaign materials.
Kate Chaney won the coveted Curtin Blue Ribbon seat that spans the elegant western suburbs of Perth. (ABC News: James Carmody)
Together they raised about $ 12 million, including some major donations from the Climate 200 group.
On her website, Ms. Chaney reports about $ 1 million in donations, including $ 450,000 from Climate 200.
Although at one point he was a member of the Labor Party, the liberal blood runs strong in the veins of Mrs Chaney.
His uncle, Fred Chaney, who publicly supported his campaign, was a WA senator and Malcolm Fraser’s deputy Liberal leader.
His grandfather, Fred Chaney Jnr, was Robert Menzies’ cabinet minister.
Chaney’s campaign was based on promises to tackle climate change and pursue a federal integrity commission.
Hasluck: Tania Lawrence
Hasluck’s electorate extends east from the outskirts of Perth and has changed hands four times since its inception in 2001.
She will now be represented by Labor MP Tania Lawrence, who defeated Liberal member Ken Wyatt.
Ms. Lawrence spent 20 years working in the public and private sectors, including as Chief Policy Officer in the Premier and Cabinet Department.
Tania Lawrence takes over Ken Wyatt’s former Hasluck headquarters. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
He also spent nine years at Woodside, reaching the senior management level.
In early 2021 she left her role in government to start a distillery business with her husband.
Speaking to the media the day after the election, Ms Lawrence said she had spent almost a year meeting people in her community.
“My experience over the last 10 months has been constant. People were ready for change,” he said.
“They were disappointed, frustrated by Scott Morrison’s leadership, and they felt that when we were listening, we were wondering what issues were important to them.”
Pearce: Tracey Roberts
Tracey Roberts began her federal political career in a big way, fighting Pearce away from the Liberals for the first time in the history of the seat.
Before making the leap into the federal sphere, Ms. Roberts spent 12 years in Wanneroo City Council, first as deputy mayor, and then in the top job since 2011.
She also headed the WA Local Government Association and as Vice President of the Australian Local Government Association.
Tracey Roberts won the seat of Pearce for Labor, the first time the party has won it. (ABC News: Nic Perpitch)
Ms. Roberts was part of the State Recovery Advisory Group, which helped guide WA’s response to the pandemic, as a local government representative.
Her LinkedIn profile also shows that she was the foundation registrar at the Anglican Community School Peter Moyes, which opened in Mindarie in 2000.
Born in the UK, Mrs Roberts formally relinquished her British citizenship in 2021 to be eligible to run for the Australian Parliament.
Swan: Zaneta Mascarenhas
Born to Indian parents in the mining town of Kalgoorlie, Zaneta grew up in Kambalda, about a seven-hour drive east of Perth.
She studied chemistry and chemical engineering at Curtin University, where she served as president of the student union, before working as an engineer in various positions.
Swan’s new member, Zaneta Mascarenhas, is a former engineer. (ABC News: Robert Koenig-Luck)
Since 2009 he has been working for a company that helps companies cope with climate change.
Following the election, he celebrated the diversity of Labor activists in the West.
“It’s a pretty phenomenal effort, and that’s an indication of what the electorate really is and what the electorate wants,” he said.
“So that was the hat for everyone, and thanks to Western Australians for wanting to choose a parliament that looks like them.”
Tangney: Sam Lim
There was not much talk during the campaign about the suburban seat of Tangney, but it was where Labor leader Sam Lim got very upset by overthrowing Liberal Ben Morton.
Mr. Lim’s story has been in the headlines of the past few days, as he spent time as a dolphin trainer at a safari park in Malaysia, but there is so much more to it than that.
Growing up in Johor State, southern Malaysia, Mr. Lim’s childhood home had a leaky roof, earth and no running water.
Sam Lim says he faces a “big challenge to make it better” in Tangney. (ABC News: Cason Ho)
After the safari park closed, he started a business that helped him move to Perth and start his new life, running a coffee shop with his family.
In 2006 he fulfilled his childhood dream and became a WA police officer, and received the highest honor of the force in 2020.
Not long after, he approached her to present himself in Tangney, campaigning for the cultural diversity of the area.
Speaking the day after the election, Lim could barely contain his excitement.
“There is a big challenge for me to do better and I hope the Labor Party can be there for the next 45 years,” he said.