Liberal leader Mettam braces for possible ousting after rout

Libby Mettam has all but conceded her leadership is terminal, and took a swipe at plotters who tried to replace her with media personality Basil Zempilas.

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam. Picture: Colin Murty

West Australian Liberal leader Libby Mettam has all but conceded her leadership is terminal and swiped at plotters who tried to replace her with media personality Basil Zempilas in the lead-up to Saturday’s election.

Ms Mettam declined to confirm she would contest the leadership in a ballot predicted to be imminent, and said whoever leads the party to the next election must have clear air, the support of colleagues, and four full years to do the job.

Basil Zempilas. Picture: Colin Murty

Brought in to stabilise the WA Liberals after their historic 2021 loss left them with just two lower house seats, Ms Mettam acknowledged on Sunday that the party’s performance had been very disappointing.

The Liberals had hoped to gain between 12 and 15 lower house seats this weekend to give themselves a good chance of returning to government in 2029.

Instead, the party could end up with just seven lower house seats compared to Labor’s more than 40.

“This is about ensuring that whoever the leader is has the support of the Liberal Party and has the best chance at the 2029 election,” Ms Mettam said on Sunday.

“It is about looking at the gains we did make and why we didn’t make gains in the areas that we should have.”

Ms Mettam faced pressure during Mr Zempilas’s arrival in state politics last year as the Liberal candidate for the state seat of Churchlands.

The Perth lord mayor and Seven West Media star was touted as leadership material and the party’s potential saviour before his candidacy was endorsed.

A partyroom discussion about her leadership was triggered by murky polling about which Mr Zempilas strenuously denied knowledge.

The person who commissioned it soon identified himself and resigned from Mr Zempilas’s campaign team.

Asked if she would continue to serve as leader if asked to, Ms Mettam said: “I will continue to serve the Liberal Party in whatever role the party believes is in the interests of our team.”