Jonathan Huston, the first-term MP who won back the blue-ribbon seat of Nedlands at the 2025 state election, has quit the Liberal Party.
Huston said he will now sit as an independent, reducing the Liberal Party’s representation in the lower house to six seats in the 59-seat chamber.
Speaking to the media, Huston said he broke with the party because he wanted to advocate for significantly higher levies on mining companies.
“The people of Western Australia are not getting, and should get, a fairer share of the mineral and resources wealth of the state. That is the fundamental point,” he said.
“This is a way to unlock enormous amounts of value for the people of Western Australia,” he told The Australian.
Western Australian Liberal leader Basil Zempilas described the decision as disappointing for the electors of Nedlands, who had voted to be represented by Liberal Party values in parliament.
Huston was also a vocal supporter of changes to Western Australia’s surrogacy laws last year, expressing support for same-sex couples to start families more easily. He spoke in favour of the legislation when it was considered by parliament and later attended celebrations held by Rainbow Families WA.
The seat of Nedlands was held by the Liberal Party for its entire 91-year history before it fell to Katrina Stratton during Labor’s landslide victory in 2021. In 2025, Stratton moved to the Legislative Council and the seat returned to the Liberals. Former premiers Sir Charles Court and his son Richard Court both represented the seat.
