The WA Liberals will consider the future of their leadership and how to pick up the pieces after a second consecutive electoral disaster delivered another resounding victory to Labor.
Latest counting in Saturday’s poll shows Labor has won 41 seats, the Liberals five and the Nationals four, according to ABC News.
Results in nine seats remain in doubt.
Voters have strongly endorsed Premier Roger Cook, who inherited the top job from Mark McGowan in 2023, after his pandemic era leadership built unprecedented popularity that decimated the Liberals at the 2021 election.
While a significant swing against Labor was inevitable after 2021’s historic wipeout of the Liberals, which reduced the party to just two lower house seats, the fragmented nature of that swing robbed the Liberals of the opportunity to start rebuilding.
They fell well short of their target of 10 seats, while the Nationals were the biggest beneficiaries of Labor’s poor showing in regional seats.
The Liberals are left without any real hope of building momentum that could create realistic hope of victory at the next election, creating the prospect of another eight years in the political wilderness.
Liberal leader Libby Mettam said on Sunday that she would leave it to the parliamentary party to decide the leadership and she did not indicate if she would seek to continue in the role.
Former TV presenter and Lord Mayor of Perth Basil Zempilas is being widely touted as her likely successor, after he narrowly secured the seat of Churchlands from sitting Labor MP Christine Tonkin.
On Sunday, Ms Mettam said the result was “not what we worked for”, but significant swings in many electorates had put them within “striking distance” in four years.
"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."
An enviable budget position built on a foundation of iron ore royalties and a favourable GST deal allowed Labor to commit to spending promises that totalled $3.4 billion.
Mr Cook said on Sunday the result was a vindication and strong endorsement of Labor’s plan to keep WA’s economy as the strongest in the country.
He is expected to refresh his frontbench after Labor’s third consecutive election victory.
