JANET WOOLLARD’S parliamentary career has ended on a sour note with her Liberal and Labor rivals accusing her of waging a dirty tricks campaign on polling day.

The former MP—who decisively lost her seat of Alfred Cove on Saturday—had authorised leaflets telling people “How to Vote Labor” and in smaller writing “and not give your vote to the Liberal Party”.

Coloured red—Labor’s colour—the leaflets urged voters to put Dr Woollard first and then Labor’s David Houston (his name was misspelled as Houstan).

Fine print at the bottom revealed Dr Woollard, not the ALP, had authorised them.

“It was all cleared by the electoral commission,” Dr Woollard said in her defence.

“It did raise eyebrows, but it was just pointing our where the preferences were going.”

Both the Labor and Liberal parties complained to the WA electoral commission but were told nothing could be done.

“Unfortunately truth is not required under the electoral act,” WA Labor state secretary Simon Mead told the Herald.

“We rang to ask [the commission] to withdraw it, to stop them from handing it out because it was untrue.”

Liberal candidate Dean Nalder—the seat’s new MP—said he was “pretty surprised and disappointed” with the leaflets and the commission’s response.

“It’s something I’ll follow up with the electoral commission and ask them to explore. To me it’s not appropriate. You want people to … make an informed choice when they vote.

“I would never want to win under [these circumstances], I would never feel good about that, it’s just inappropriate.”

by DAVID BELL