▁in ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁a ▁re cess ion , ▁political ▁or ▁military ▁crisis . ▁ ▁Western ▁Australia ▁went ▁against ▁the ▁national ▁tr end , ▁with ▁the ▁Liber als ▁suffering ▁only ▁a ▁ 2 . 1 4 - point ▁swing ▁against ▁them ▁– ▁lower ▁than ▁all ▁except ▁Tas mania ▁and ▁the ▁A CT ▁– ▁but ▁yet ▁gain ing ▁one ▁net ▁seat . ▁The ▁we aker ▁Labor ▁performance ▁was ▁attributed ▁to ▁the ▁strong ▁economy ▁and ▁vot ers ' ▁unw illing ness ▁to ▁do ▁anything ▁which ▁might ▁risk ▁their ▁present ▁prosper ity ▁– ▁a ▁sentiment ▁played ▁to ▁by ▁Liberal ▁campaign ing ▁strateg ies ▁– ▁and ▁also ▁the ▁behaviour ▁of ▁union ▁officials ▁Kevin ▁Reyn olds ▁and ▁Joe ▁Mc Donald ▁who ▁had ▁made ▁head lines ▁during ▁the ▁campaign . ▁ ▁Senate ▁results ▁ ▁Labor ▁and ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁won ▁ 1 8 ▁seats ▁each ▁in ▁the ▁half - S en ate ▁election . ▁The ▁Gre ens ▁won ▁three ▁seats , ▁with ▁Independent ▁Nick ▁X en oph on ▁being ▁elected ▁on ▁primary ▁votes ▁alone . ▁This ▁took ▁the ▁ 7 6 - member ▁Senate ▁total ▁to ▁ 3 7 ▁Co al ition , ▁ 3 2 ▁Labor , ▁ 5 ▁Green , ▁ 1 ▁Family ▁First , ▁and ▁ 1 ▁Independent . ▁With ▁a ▁majority ▁being ▁ 3 9 ▁sen ators , ▁when ▁the ▁new ▁Senate ▁met ▁after ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁balance ▁of ▁power ▁was ▁shared ▁between ▁X en oph on , ▁Family ▁First ' s ▁Steve ▁Field ing ▁and ▁the