Federal election 2022: How Forrest front-runners Bronwen English and Nola Marino are feeling as polls opens

As Australians head to the polls Saturday, the two front-runners for the South West’s Forrest electorate have spoken about how they’re feeling ahead of today’s result. Nine candidates have nominated for the historically blue-held seat, although the final count is only likely to be fought between the Liberal and Labor candidates. Labor’s contender Bronwen English said she was feeling energised ahead of Saturday’s poll, while Liberal MP Nola Marino, who has held the seat since 2007, said she had been pleased talking to the voters who had cast their ballot early. “I have been really pleased from attending the pre-poll facilities in our electorate that people in Forrest are seriously engaged in the democratic process. I expect that attitude to be reflected when polls open today,” Mrs Marino said. She was relieved everyone on the electoral roll would be able to cast their vote. “I’m also pleased that the Australian Electoral Commission has expanded the criteria to enable people in isolation due to COVID to cast their vote via the AEC’s Secure Telephone service,” she said. Support for the Liberal MP hasn’t waned over time, with Mrs Marino maintaining a 21 per cent margin at the 2016 election and further increasing her hold on the seat in 2019 with a 26 per cent margin. In the electorate’s 100-year history Labor has held Forrest only twice, the electorate returning to Liberal hands in 1972, and sitting safely in the hands of Mrs Marino for almost 15 years. Mrs English hopes to upset this blue balance and create what she called a “partnership with Canberra” with an Anthony Albanese-led Labor Government. She said she was feeling positive ahead of Saturday’s count. “I’m feeling positive and energised as we go into polling day,” Mrs English said. “All through the campaign and at the pre-polls, there has been a mood for change in Forrest and I’m hopeful of a big swing towards Labor. “Ultimately, I’m just so thankful to the all the people who have joined me the past six months on the doors and phones speaking to South West voters about the stronger representation our community deserves and a better future we can have under an Albanese Labor Government.” The Forrest electorate covers the cities of Bunbury and Busselton and shires of Augusta-Margaret River, Capel, Dardanup, Donnybrook-Balingup and Harvey, comprising more than 105,000 enrolled voters at the 2019 election, making it WA’s biggest rural electorate by population size. The South Western Times contacted every Forrest candidate to ask six important questions in the lead up to the May 21 poll. Their answers are here in full.