Libby Mettam quits as WA Liberal leader

Libby Mettam has stepped down as leader of the WA Liberal Party, clearing the path for Basil Zempilas to become the state’s opposition leader.

Libby Mettam announces her resignation as WA Liberals leader.. Picture: Colin Murty

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Media personality Basil Zempilas will become the WA Liberal Party’s eighth leader in seven years after Libby Mettam said she would step down.

While Ms Mettam was keen to stay on in the role she has held since January 2023, she was unable to secure sufficient support from her parliamentary colleagues in the wake of the party’s latest landslide election defeat earlier this month.

The Liberals have so far won just six of 59 lower house seats, well short of pre-election ­expectations that they would at least return to double-digit numbers. She said on Thursday that it had become clear from conversations with her parliamentary colleagues that they were wanting fresh leadership.

“It’s very clear what the right path to take is, and as I have consistently stated, I will only lead a party that has my support as ­leader. And it has been made clear that the party are seeking a new direction,” she said.

“I share disappointment with my parliamentary colleagues and candidates and the broader Liberal Party, and some Western Australians across the state, that we were unable to pick up more seats. While there was an 18 per cent swing against the Labor Party, we did not pick up the seats that we were hoping for.” Ms Mettam said both her and her party’s election prospects had been hurt by an ill-fated leadership challenge last November, in which Mr

Basil Zempilas. Picture: Colin Murty

Zempilas was put forward as a “campaign leader”. That motion was defeated.

Ms Mettam said that whoever secured the leadership would have her full support, both publicly and privately, and urged the party to stick with the new leadership team through to the 2029 election. “Leadership instability and questions around leadership have certainly been challenging for the Liberal Party, and what is important going forward is that … is not an issue,” she said.

“It is important that as a team that we get behind the leader, that there is support for the leader, and that both publicly and privately that leader receives that support going forward.”

She will nominate for the party’s deputy leadership, citing her status as the only lower house Liberal MP with parliamentary experience.

Mr Zempilas confirmed he would nominate for the leadership. Multiple party insiders said they expected him to be elected unopposed.

“Clearly, I would not be putting my name forward if I didn’t think I was capable of doing the job,” Mr Zempilas said.

“And we’re under no illusions we are an inexperienced lower house team when we step into parliament. I’m very pleased that Libby is going to be there with us. That is hugely important.”

While Mr Zempilas has long been touted as a future leader of the Liberal Party, his less than emphatic win in the once-safe Liberal seat of Churchlands has reinforced Labor’s belief that he is a polarising figure.

Labor conceded the seat only on Tuesday night, more than a week and a half after the election. Mr Zempilas beat incumbent Labor MP Christine Tonkin by just 376 votes, and the 2.2 per cent swing to the Liberals in the seat compared to a 9.3 wing towards Ms Mettam in her safe Liberal seat of Vasse.