The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labor member and former Deputy Premier David Parker on 26 April 1990.
Of these, four were notable—Jim McGinty, the Labor candidate, was the secretary of the Miscellaneous Workers' Union.
Arthur Marshall, the Liberal candidate, was a veteran sports commentator for the Seven Network who had also founded a tennis academy.
Christabel Chamarette, for the new Greens WA party, was a psychologist and social worker.
Despite winning the seat comfortably, his votes trailed those of the Liberal candidate by several hundred votes until the tenth count, when the Greens preferences and through them the majority of John Troy's preferences were distributed.