Weekend Washup: Your week in WA politics and power

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security chairman Andrew Hastie, who has been negotiating bipartisan support for the foreign interference laws, said Mr McGowan was out of step with a national consensus.

Later in the week, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the state government had spoken to Australian security agencies to "quadruple check" if there were any security concerns over a $120 million contract that could be awarded to Chinese tech giant Huawei.

Call for inquiry into 27 late-term abortions

South Metro Region Legislative Councillor Nick Goiran and more than 7000 petitioners called for a parliamentary inquiry into the deaths of 27 babies born alive after late-term abortions.

Information about the 27 babies was revealed by the government under parliamentary questioning, but few details were forthcoming from the state's health services after repeated requests from WAtoday.

But a mother of one of the 27 babies told her family's story.

'Another day, another short-term GST fix'

Not everyone was thrilled by federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's promise to "top-up" WA's share of the GST, with one experienced political editor labelling the announcement "flat-out bribery".

CCI chief economist Rick Newnham wasn't so direct, but said Western Australians were "looking for a long-term solution which is in the national interest".

"Under the current GST formula there is no accountability, no incentive for states to grow their own economy and no reward for running an efficient state government," he said.

MP calls for paedophiles to be put to death

Federal MP Steve Irons called for the introduction of the death penalty for paedophiles and "people who continually abuse children".

Mr Irons said in an interview with WAtoday on Tuesday that both he and his wife grew up in families that suffered from either sexual or violent child abuse.

"We're both strong believers that once an adult has crossed that line, it's like crossing the Rubicon," he said.

"Once they've done it, they'll continue to do it no matter what and, whether it's alcohol-induced or whatever it is, those children should never be returned to their abusers at all.

"Everyone's too scared to say, I don't care what culture they come from, or what race or ethnicity they are, they need to go to jail for the rest of their life and never be in contact with a child ever again, or – should I say it? – put to death."

'Cunning and devious' billboard

And anti-vaxxer billboard on Brisbane street copped it from Health Minister Roger Cook and Perth MP John Carey.

Mr Cook said the government is looking into laws that would help them ban it, but Liberal Democrat Legislative Councillor Aaron Stonehouse reckoned "there shouldn’t be a law against stupidity".

Darling Range pulls into the home straight

On Saturday, one week before polls in the Darling Range byelection close, WA Labor were due to "launch" their campaign at the Serpentine Jarrahdale Community Recreation Centre.

The Liberals were also scheduled to reveal details of a "campaign initiative that will not leave voters scratching their heads when it comes to working out who to vote for".

Meanwhile, 2426 electors in the seat of Darling Range had voted early as of Friday and polling commissioned by The West Australian confirmed the numbers obtained by WAtoday last Friday indicating Labor was comfortably in front.

Labor is leading Liberals 54-46 on a two-party preferred basis according to the research.

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