ROD Henderson, who is running for the seat of Swan Hills in the next state election, says it is an advantage that the incumbent Jessica Shaw is retiring but he still sees himself as the underdog.

A City of Swan councillor, Mr Henderson lost to Ms Shaw in the 2021 election and also unsuccessfully contested the seat of West Swan in 2017.

But he told Echo News he had decided to run again in what he said was a bellwether seat.

“I’m quite well known in the Swan Hills district – that’s an advantage, Jessica Shaw has decided to retire – that’s another plus and I can just see at the moment there’s a swing going on towards the Liberal Party,’’ he said.

“It’s one of those flip-flop seats – Frank Alban had it for two terms, Jess had it for two terms – it might be it comes to the Liberals again for two terms.

“Certainly the Liberal Party is going to see a swing back to it there’s no doubt about that.’’

The seat has undergone some redistribution to accommodate the high population growth in the neighbouring seat of West Swan, which involved transferring part of Ellenbrook from Swan Hills to West Swan with the more highly populated localities of Aveley and Belhus shifting to Swan Hills.

To maintain an elector population in Swan Hills that is at the lower end of the permitted range, the electoral commissioners also transferred a significant area of the Shire of Mundaring from the district of Swan Hills to the district of Kalamunda.

After the WA electoral redistribution was released ABC election analyst chief Antony Green said in 2021 Labor won 53 seats, the Liberals two and The Nationals three.

“On the old boundaries the Liberals and Nationals needed a uniform swing of 23.4 per cent to gain the 24 seats needed for government,’’ he said.

“The new boundaries do little to alter the swing needed.’’

Mr Henderson said the Liberals had good candidates out there for this election.

“Certainly if you look at the policy that we’re just starting to release now people can start to see what we’re about and what our candidates are (about),’’ he said.

When asked if any policy released to date was of particular interest to Swan Hills residents he said it was a broad spectrum.

“There’s some very obvious ones and that is the cost of living pressures (are) massive so we’ll be looking at measures to deal with cost of living pressures.

“But the other big one is the fact that our hospitals are struggling, ambulance ramping has been absolutely off the planet and of course the police are literally 800 understaffed.”

While very positive he agreed it was going to be difficult for him to win Swan Hills.

“I’m not saying that I have a margin that I’m going to win on.

“I’m saying I’m definitely the underdog so that in itself is the uphill battle for me.”

Just days before the Ellenbrook line opened he said Metronet was $10 billion over budget, which was going to hurt the state’s bottom line big time.

“So for my purpose with only 10 per cent of the population using rail we’ve got to say ‘Okay what are the key things that make our road networks work so infrastructure like bridges and overpasses and all that kind of thing’.

“Infrastructure is the one single thing that I believe has been neglected if you look at water works, sewerage works, all the electrical installations to be able to service urban development they are way behind the eight-ball and that’s something that needs to be fixed up or otherwise we won’t be able to build those houses.’