Liberal leader Libby Mettam has declared she’s “not a quitter” and intends to stay on as Liberal leader.
The Liberal team are locked in a party room meeting where she’s said she’ll invite any sitting member of her team to put forward a no confidence motion and call for a new leader.
The Liberal leader has been forced to repeated deny that the party would have better prospects at the 2025 state election if Churchlands candidate Basil Zempilas took on the leadership position.
Zempilas, who is currently the Lord Mayor of Perth, is not in the parliament but is a candidate for the next election.
Discussion about Mettam’s leadership intensified yesterday following The West Australian newspaper sharing a poll that claims that the Liberals would not gain any seats beyond the two they currently hold is Mettam remains as leader.
The poll was commissioned by an unknown business group, and Mettam has described it as unreliable and biased.
Speaking on ABC Perth Radio this morning Mettam wouldn’t be drawn on who commissioned the poll, or the role the West Australian newspaper has played in the campaign to have her replaced. Zempilas has a long association with 7West Media the owners of the publication and writes a weekly column for the paper.
Mettam told the ABC that she would not serve as deputy under Zempalis.
In a statement released earlier this morning Mettam said she had no intention of stepping down.
“I’m not a quitter, I’m a fighter,” she said.
“I’m not resigning. I am however prepared to have my leadership tested and this issue resolved. I believe that this is the only way we can move forward.
