WA MP quits Labor
By Frank Noakes
PERTH — The Lawrence Labor government — already a minority government — was rocked by another resignation on October 7. Frank Donovan, member for the working-class suburb of Morley, said the controversial government decision, endorsed narrowly by the recent ALP state conference, to give a massive land grant to a private Catholic university was the final straw.
Donovan was a critic of Australia's role in the Gulf War and has made his displeasure at the direction of the Labor Party known on several occasions.
Donovan joins former ALP members Ian Alexander and Pam Buchanan on the cross benches in the state parliament.
It is believed that the progressive independents will seek to introduce their own legislation, on drug and abortion law reform, into parliament next year.