The surprising job new WA Labor MP had before politics

One of Western Australia's new Labor MPs has opened up about his former life as a dolphin trainer.

Sam Lim, who was born in Malaysia and is the eldest of eight children, is tipped to become the member for Tangney.

He is set to dethrone Liberal Ben Morton from the formerly safe seat; another upset in the Coalition's WA bloodbath.

LIVE COVERAGE: Albanese declares his 'first acts' as PM

Lim served as a police officer for two years with the Royal Malaysian Police Force "but couldn't survive because the pay was so low".

"I applied for another job, my best job ever, dolphin trainer," he said with a laugh.

"I love it because dolphins are so genuine, dolphins never hurt you.

"If you feel hurt you jump into the swimming pool and the dolphin will come to you and try to comfort you.

"If you got angry and you jump into the pool, they run away."

READ MORE: Emotional Morrison addresses church after loss

Lim said the park he worked at entered liquidation and so all the animals were eventually released back into the ocean.

"That was the worst part of my career at that time but we got to say goodbye to them," he said.

"But yet we feel very happy they are back to their home."

Lim went on to reveal he grew up in a "very poor family."

"There was no power or water," he said.

"So we had to struggle, the first fifteen years of my life, but that 15 years built me up to today".

READ MORE: How Labor can get to a majority government

Lim migrated to Australia with his wife and three children in 2002 and joined WA's Police Academy in 2006.

He was awarded Police Officer of the Year in 2020 for his work with multicultural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.