Michelle Roberts has become the latest Labor parliamentarian to call time ahead of the 2025 state election, relinquishing her preselection in an announcement to parliament today.
Michelle Roberts has become the latest Labor parliamentarian to call time ahead of the 2025 state election, relinquishing her preselection in an announcement to parliament today.
Ms Roberts, who is the Speaker in the Legislative Assembly, revealed to parliament that she would step down after a 30-year career in state politics.
She was first elected in the seat of Glendalough in the by-election in 1994, replacing former premier Carmen Lawrence, and has held the seat of Midland since its inception in 1996.
A cabinet minister across several Labor governments, including two high-profile stints as police mInister, Ms Roberts was one of three in contention for the party’s leadership following Geoff Gallop’s 2006 resignation.
She withdrew her candidacy before Alan Carpenter was elected unopposed.
Michelle Roberts with her Glendalough predecessor and former premier, Carmen Lawrence, in 1994.
Ms Roberts has been speaker since 2021, and is the last of the parliamentarians to be eligible for the state’s generous pension scheme, which was abolished in 2000.
Through that scheme, Ms Roberts could be eligible for an annual payment of almost $230,000 per annum or a lump sum payment of $2.7 million.
She is the latest in a slew of senior Labor figures to have departed from the party ahead of the 2025 state election.
Her resignation comes a month after Mandurah MP and Arts and Culture, Sport and Recreation, International Education, and Heritage Minister David Templeman announced he would quit state politics.
In announcing his departure, Mr Templeman said he had given some thought to the potential of occupying the speaker position, but decided to step away.
Women's Interests Minister Sue Ellery, Attorney General John Quigley, former ministers Bill Johnston, Alannah MacTiernan and Peter Tinley, and Lisa Baker, Matthew Hughes, Chris Tallentire, Kyle McGinn and Jess Shaw have all called time ahead of the 2025 election.
The highest-profile resignation this term remains that of former premier Mark McGowan, who stood down in May 2023 having led the party to a thumping victory at the 2021 state election.
Ms Roberts' replacements as speaker of the Legislative Assembly and WA Labor’s Midland candidate are yet to be chosen.
In 2022, Ms Roberts told Business News the secret to her longevity in the parliament had been her passion for politics.
“I live it, eat it, sleep it,” she said.
“If you don’t, you’re unlikely to stick around this long.”
The 2025 state election will be held on March 8.
