WA Liberals ‘near extinction’, scathing review finds

No-holds-barred post-mortem of Libs’ election drubbing finds party corruption, lazy, desperate and unethical conduct.

One-time Liberal opposition leader Zak Kirkup concedes defeat at the party’selection night function. NCA NewsWire / Tony McDonough

A scathing review of the Western Australian Liberal Party’s dismal state election result has recommended a sweeping overhaul of its structure after finding the party was “near extinction”.

The 100-page report, handed to members at a meeting of the party’s state council on Saturday, identified the “corruption” of party mechanisms and the “unethical and underhand” conduct by some party MPs among a host of factors that had led to the party’s current circumstances.

The report includes 66 recommendations, including a plebiscite model for preselections and mandated 40 per cent minimum female representation, as part of a plan to turn around its fortunes.

The Liberal Party recorded its worst ever result at the March WA election, winning just two of 59 lower house seats and losing its status as the opposition party to the Nationals.

The review, by party stalwart Danielle Blain and Perth lawyer Mark Trowell QC, noted that party factions were expected to fight against any reforms that threaten their power.

“Perhaps the factions should reflect on what the exercise of their power over the last decade or so has had on the fortunes of the party, which has in part, but admittedly not wholly, led to its near extinction,” the report said.

“Decent people have abandoned the party leaving what is effectively a political wasteland devoid of Liberal principles and values.”

Speaking after the report was presented to the state council, Ms Blain said the party’s fall from 31 seats in 2013 to just two seats in 2021 meant there was a genuine appetite for change in the party.

Liberal supporters at the party’s election night function. NCA NewsWire / Tony McDonough

“If ever there was an appetite for state council and the general members of the Liberal Party who care to actually stop, take stock and say, ‘we’ve just got to do something about this’, it is now,” she said.

Liberal Party president Faye Duda — who on Friday announced she would not nominate for another term in the position — told reporters that the findings of the report were “embarrassing and humiliating” for the party.

“But unless we face up to reality, we cannot rebuild,” she said.

The report tellingly stops short of naming names, amid an intense focus since the election on the influence of party powerbrokers Nick Goiran and Peter Collier. Both men have denied having excessive influence over the party.

The report said “corrosive factionalism” and the manipulation of party rules by senior members had influenced preselections at times against the best interests of the party itself.

“The most damaging consequence of rule by powerbrokers has been the selection of inferior quality candidates for parliament over a long period of time because as one submission observed, ‘selection was based on fealty, rather than ability’,” the report said.

“It is an anti-democratic practice that has not been sufficiently condemned by the party hierarchy.”

The review also confirmed, as previously reported by The Australian, that the party’s finance committee had not raised any money at all for the party in the year before the state election.

Contributions from regular donors had declined substantially in recent years, from a peak of $658,500 in 2015-16 to just $89,583 in 2019-20.

The review also slammed the conduct of the sitting MPs in the lead-up to the March election, singling out what it said was the “incredible laziness” of the opposition.

“The Parliamentary wing was not functioning effectively at all in the four years leading up to the 2021 election,” the report said.

“It was consumed with leadership issues, which also meant there was not a consistent message or set of policies to put to the voters.”

The report was also critical of the appointment of Zak Kirkup as leader just months out from the election, the energy policy he unveiled during the campaign, and his decision to concede weeks out from polling day.

The report said there were “surely” better choices for leader than Mr Kirkup after the resignation of Liza Harvey, with other candidates better placed to save some of the seats that were lost.

“Zak Kirkup’s election as leader so close to the state election was a desperate and ill-advised move on the part of the Parliamentary wing. It should never have happened, and all members of the parliamentary wing who actively encouraged this move must take responsibility for that, as they should for the election result,” the report said.

It noted that some submissions to the review were critical of Mr Kirkup’s public image, including appearing in public unshaven and without a tie.

“Zak Kirkup was just too inexperienced and perhaps a little overwhelmed by being thrust into the leadership role, for which he was understandably unprepared, and senior members of the parliamentary wing must take responsibility for that happening,” the report said.