The WA Liberal Party will maintain a contract with digital agency Ammo Marketing, despite calls from parliamentary leader Libby Mettam to reassess the arrangement.
The Liberal Party WA will maintain a contract with digital agency Ammo Marketing, despite calls from parliamentary leader Libby Mettam to reassess the arrangement.
The call came as Cam Sinclair-led Ammo scrambled to make good for its involvement in a poll commissioned by an unknown businessperson, which led to a week of leadership turmoil within the party.
Ammo was revealed earlier this week to have commissioned a Sodali & Co poll on the Liberal leadership, which painted Mr Zempilas as a preferred leader ahead of Ms Mettam.
The poll was leaked to The West Australian newspaper and prompted a stinging rebuke from Ms Mettam, who lashed out at “guttless little cowards in the shadows” who she accused of commissioning it.
An unnamed businessperson commissioned the poll.
Mr Zempilas has denied involvement and claims that while he has been given the name of a businessperson in relation to the poll, he is not sure if the information he has is correct. He declined to relay the name to Ms Mettam on that basis.
Mr Zempilas remains an employee of Seven West Media, which publishes The West Australian.
Mr Sinclair has close links with Mr Zempilas, having run both of his successful City of Perth lord mayoral campaigns.
In an email seen by Business News to Liberal HQ, Mr Sinclair, a long-term Liberal Party member, reaffirmed his commitment to the party cause and apologised on behalf of his agency.
“I deeply regret and apologise for the error in judgement and failure to consider the conflict of interest in relation to the work Ammo was engaged to deliver and Ammo’s contract with the state election campaign,” he said.
“Ammo is no longer engaged by the client who commissioned the work.
“Through Ammo’s engagement with [Liberal Party] head office in the lead up to the state election, we are absolutely committed to ensuring the best possible outcome for the WA liberal Party, its leader Libby Mettam and candidates.”
Mr Sinclair is understood to have also stepped away from his role running Mr Zempilas’ campaign as the Liberal candidate for the seat of Churchlands.
Ms Mettam called this morning for the party to review its arrangements with Ammo off the back of the polling saga.
But WA Liberal state director Simon Morgan said the matter had since been discussed and Mr Sinclair’s assurances had been taken on board by Ms Mettam.
“I have discussed the matter with Cam Sinclair, who has apologised and give me an assurance to discuss with me any actual or perceived conflicts that may arise in future,” he told Business News.
“I have discussed the assurances Cam Sinclair has provided with Libby Mettam and she has said she accepts them.”
Shadow treasurer Neil Thomson quit the opposition front bench on Tuesday, after voting against Ms Mettam in a secret party ballot triggered by the poll.
