WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam has declared herself a fighter, while lashing operatives in the party’s shadows accused of pushing for Basil Zempilas to replace her.
WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam has declared herself a fighter, while lashing operatives in the party’s shadows accused of pushing for Basil Zempilas to replace her months out from an election.
In a bombshell revelation, the party will consider its leadership this week, following a barrage of recent press suggesting a public desire for change at the top of the WA Liberal Party.
Announcing that news Ms Mettam took aim at a poll published by two Seven West Media-owned mastheads, The Sunday Times and The West Australian, labelling it “flawed and clearly biased”.
The privately commissioned poll of 1093 voters – around 0.7 per cent of the voting population of Western Australia – found the Liberals had gone backwards in 14 key seats.
A story badged ‘exclusive’ ran on the front page of The West Australian today highlighted the results, suggesting Mr Zempilas was the public’s preferred Liberal leader.
The same poll data was used a fortnight earlier in The Sunday Times, also badged ‘exclusive’, in a conversation with City of Perth Lord Mayor and Liberal candidate for Churchlands Basil Zempilas.
Mr Zempilas is a Seven West Media employee.
Seven West maintains the polling was funded by a business investor with no links to the football commentator-turned-politician, who has publicly backed Ms Mettam as the party’s leader.
Ms Mettam said the private poll had been “whispered in the ears of some Liberal MPs and candidates to unsettle, undermine, and destabilise” her team.
“When showed this polling, I was told the desire of those who commissioned it was that I walk away from the Liberal leadership so Basil Zempilas could become leader for the final stretch to the election,” she said.
“I was told I should step aside quickly if I wanted to avoid the polling being provided to the media to further damage me and the Liberal Party.
“Once again, my determination and commitment to improving the lives of Western Australians had been underestimated.
“I’m not a quitter, I’m a fighter.”
Ms Mettam said she did not know who had funded the poll.
“Rather than hide like gutless little cowards in the shadows - they should show some strength of character and be transparent as clearly their intentions are,” she said.
“While this “polling” was designed and conducted by others to benefit Basil Zempilas, I welcome and thank Basil for publicly making his support for me and his position clear.”
The Liberal leader said she took Mr Zempilas at his word that he would not challenge for the leadership of the party.
She will now put the challenge to the party room, offering colleagues the opportunity to move a motion of no confidence in her leadership.
“If no motion is moved, then the matter is settled,” she said.
“If a motion is moved and is lost, then the matter is settled.
“If a motion is moved and is successful, I will gracefully accept my colleagues’ judgement and will vacate the leadership.”
Despite currently sitting outside of the parliament, Mr Zempilas has left the door open to putting his hand up for the leadership in the event Ms Mettam resigned or is dumped by her colleagues.
The spectre of Mr Zempilas has loomed large over the party since he officially announced his candidacy on January 27, following months of speculation, in an exclusive editorial published in The West Australian.
The highest profile new candidate to put their hand up for the Liberal party since its election annihilation in 2021, his name was bandied as a potential party leader long before his candidacy was confirmed.
Ms Mettam took the WA Liberal leadership from David Honey in January 2023, after challenging the outgoing member for Cottesloe for his seat.
Cook hits out
Premier Roger Cook took the opportunity to lash the inner workings of the Liberal Party in a press conference this morning - seizing on Ms Mettam's wording.
“I think what's happened in the Liberal Party, is you've got these cowards in the shadows, all these blokes sitting back waitting for Libby to just do all the hard work,” he said.
“Quite frankly, they're lazy. They're not committed. They don't have solutions, they don't have plans.”
Mr Cook suggested today's statement was an attack on Mr Zempilas.
“You've seen the leader of the Liberal Party, Libby, making ample commentary about cowards in the shadows, about people who aren't in the parliament at the moment, and pointing to those who have got aspirations to be in the parliament,” he said, in response to questions on Mr Zempilas' role in the push.
“I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to work out who she's referring to.”
