WA election 2025: Libby Mettam leaves door open to leadership change, says party must back successor to 2029

Libby Mettam has all but resigned herself to handing over the Liberal Party leadership to a newcomer, as she spoke of the destabilising impact the uncertainty over her position had on the campaign. Speaking to media on Sunday after a third-straight electoral thumping, Ms Mettam said the leadership was up to the parliamentary party, but stressed whoever was chosen after the election needed to hold the role all the way to 2029. Ms Mettam’s comments came after a late night conversation between senior Liberal senator Michaelia Cash, party president Caroline di Russo, state director Simon Morgan and incoming Churchlands MP Basil Zempilas, where the topic of the leadership was canvassed. The West Australian understands the group discussed holding off an immediate change in the leadership until after the Federal election — due by May 17 — so as not to distract from the campaign. The delay will also allow for the swearing in of the new Upper House in mid May, with at least five new members projected to take Liberal seats and to get a vote in the party room. Asked if she wanted to remain as leader after the election on Sunday, Ms Mettam refused to give a definitive response. “I will be talking to my colleagues. There is no doubt leadership speculation at the beginning of the campaign had a destabilising effect,” she said. “Whoever the leader is going into the 2029 election, they need four years to work as a leader, to build momentum in the community, and to have the support of the Liberal Party going forward as well. “It is important that the leader has the support of the Liberal Party team, and it is important that whoever the leader is going forward is the leader going into the 2029 election, and and it is important that my colleagues make that decision.” Asked if she was resigned to handing over the leadership, Ms Mettam said: “This cannot be about me.” “I believe I gave the election campaign my all. I believe that I put in every effort, and have always worked in the best interests of the party and what I have believed to be the best interest of the state. “I will continue to do that, and I will continue to serve the Liberal Party in whatever role the Liberal Party believe is in the best interests of our team.” It came as Mr Zempilas on Sunday ruled out rash decisions in the wake of the election result, saying questions of leadership change cannot be answered until the complete picture is clear. Praising Ms Mettam’s effort, Mr Zempilas said he expected to form part of the Liberals’ leadership team after his narrow election as the new Churchlands MP. But Mr Zempilas said talk of leadership change after a poor showing from the Liberals was too early. “We really need to know the full picture of what this Parliament looks like for the Liberal Party, we don’t know that yet,” he said. “It’s fair to say that what the Liberals offered up to the electorate and to the people of Western Australia, they haven’t accepted and haven’t said, ‘Well, that’s what we want at this time’, so getting that right is going to be important going into the future.” Mr Zempilas, who was pictured dancing at his after party, right, said a silver lining of the result was the decreased margins across many Labor seats, making the Liberals’ task in 2029 less daunting. “Although it’s four years away, you’re always looking in four year cycles, there has been some very good work done in the last 24 hours that ultimately, in four years can help us significantly,” he said, Counting continued across the State on Sunday, with the Liberals claiming five seats, including Mr Zempilas’ Churchlands, Nedlands, Carine and Cottesloe, where former Property Council director Sandra Brewer was elected. The party was anxiously awaiting count updates in Albany, Kalgoorlie, and Warren Blackwood, with Liberals tied in three-cornered contests against the Nationals. In Pilbara, the Liberals were hopeful fresh scrutiny of the vote from Monday would give the edge to candidate Amanda Kailis over sitting MP Kevin Michel. One of the party’s greatest hopes — Adam Hort in Kalamunda — held a 200 vote lead over Labor’s Karen Beale. A close tussle, the gap between the pair on primary at one point was just 31 votes. South of Perth in Murray Wellington, held by Labor’s Robyn Clarke for two-terms, less than half of the vote had been counted, but the Liberals’ David Bolt was in the lead by more than 700 votes.