WA Premier Colin Barnett has conceded defeat in the WA election, saying time was the overwhelming factor in the loss.
He congratulated Labor leader Mark McGowan for winning Saturday's election, and also thanked Liberal candidates and volunteers.
"We ran in my view a great campaign, there were a lot of factors out there, but at the end of the day, time was probably the factor," he told supporters.
He said his government had been in power for eight and a half years, and voters had made it clear that did not want them anymore.
"It is a phenomena I guess, particularly in Australian politics, that the electorate, the voters, only give a government, a people, a certain amount of time."
He said during his government, there had been five prime minister, five premiers of NSW and four of Victoria.
"We have provided long-term and stable and, in any judgment, very good and ethical government for the people of Western Australia, in often very, very difficult circumstances."
He said he was proud of how his government had performed and what it had achieved.
He said when he became premier in 2008 he made a number of commitments.
"The one I made to myself was that I would give it my best shot," he said.
"Maybe that wasn't good enough, but I assure you, I have given it my best shot in every sense."
He also thank the people of WA for giving him the opportunity to be premier.
"It's a great gift you have given to Lynn and I and I will treasure that for the rest of our lives, thank you."
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