LABOR says it has picked up a data entry error in a crucial seat in the West Australia election which now means the party can form a minority government in its own right.
Foreign Minister and senior Labor Party strategist Stephen Smith said a a re-examination of the count in one of the state`s northwest seats showed it would fall to Labor.
"A close look at the figures over the weekend and people`s attention being drawn to the data entry error in the northwest Cape (coast) seat, that seat in my view has clearly been won by Labor," Mr Smith said in Perth today.
"So it now opens up the technical possibility that Labor could govern in its own right with the support of two independents.
Mr Smith acknowledged it was a remote possibility but could occur if everything fell Labor`s way.
"There are half a dozen, six, seven or eight seats still regarded as too close to call ... so it requires seats like Wanneroo, Riverton, Albany, Collie-Preston and Forrestfield to all fall Labor`s way.
"So that is a remote possibility, but it is technically open for that to occur."
Mr Smith said the much more realistic outcome was for the Nationals to support a minority Labor or a minority Liberal administration.
He would not comment on the effectiveness of the WA Labor party election campaign, which has been strongly criticised today by former state secretary John Halden.
"I was literally only in the state for three or four of the weekends when the campaign was on and a couple of the working days," Mr Smith said.
"So I`m personally not in a position to make an overall judgment on the quality of the campaign. What will occur will be an exhaustive review."
