WA: Barnett says he would relish the opportunity to lead WA

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2008
WA: Barnett says he would relish the opportunity to lead WA

By Warwick Stanley

PERTH, Aug 5 AAP - Former West Australian opposition leader Colin Barnett is set to
be drafted back into the Liberal leadership despite announcing his retirement from politics
and endorsing the candidate selected for his blue-ribbon Perth seat.

Mr Barnett, who would become the Liberals' fourth leader since the party's defeat at
the 2005 election, today announced his intention to contest the opposition leadership
at a party room meeting tomorrow.

He said he had been urged in recent days by Liberal MPS, party members and "members
of the public" to reconsider his decision to retire and to lead the opposition to the
next election, likely to be called within weeks.

If elected tomorrow, Mr Barnett would replace Troy Buswell, who resigned yesterday
after taking over from former leader Paul Omodei in January.

Mr Barnett, 58, has held the Perth beachside seat of Cottesloe for 18 years and held
several ministries in the government of Richard Court.

He quit as Liberal party leader following the 2005 defeat and has since announced his
retirement from politics, clearing the way for the preselection of a former chief of staff
in Mr Court's office, Deidre Willmott.

Ms Willmott, whose preselection in Cottesloe was unopposed, is yet to indicate that
she will willingly stand aside to contest another seat.

Mr Barnett, who said he had discussed the leadership "on and off" with Mr Buswell in
recent days, said difficulties remained in finding a seat for Ms Willmott should he be
voted in as party leader tomorrow.

He said he was a good friend of Ms Willmott and wanted to see her in parliament after
the next election.

"That is obviously the issue," Mr Barnett told reporters in announcing his leadership bid.

"It is a complicated issue. It is something that is up to Deidre and it is up to the
Liberal party to resolve and it is not something I should be involved in.

"I can't answer whether she will be given another seat."

He said he had attended a football match with Ms Willmott at the weekend where they
"had a chat" about the possibility that Mr Buswell would step down.

They had not discussed the likelihood of Mr Barnett's return to politics, he said.

"Wise heads have to prevail. It is an extraordinary situation that we find ourselves
in," Mr Barnett said.

He acknowledged he may still have enemies in the party room, saying he expected any
differences of opinion to be discussed at tomorrow's meeting.

"The important thing is we are going about winning government and all Liberal members
of parliament must be united in that," he said.

"When the Liberals meet tomorrow I hope there is open and frank discussion of forming
an opposition."

Mr Barnett, widely seen as sinking the Liberals at the last election with a plan to
build a canal to carry water from the Kimberley to Perth, is still to commit to serving
another full four-year term in parliament.

He persistently dodged questions as to whether he would remain Member for Cottesloe
if he won the Liberal leadership and failed to win government at the coming election,
which must be called before May 2 next year.

"I have been an MP for 18 years. I have received remarkable goodwill and friendship
from my electorate," he said.

"It is my electorate more than anyone that has been urging me take on this role."

He called an end to the press conference when he was questioned as to whether he retained
his plans for a Kimberley-Perth canal.

"If I am elected leader of the Liberal party tomorrow, I will endeavour to answer all
of your questions," he said.

AAP was/jfm/de

KEYWORD: LIBS WA NIGHTLEAD

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