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A Liberal Government would undertake ‘responsible’ budget repair, shadow treasurer Angus Taylor will announce on Thursday.

FEDERAL ELECTION 2025CommentsLibs promise $40 billion savings in costings

A Liberal Government would undertake ‘responsible’ budget repair, shadow treasurer Angus Taylor will announce on Thursday, vowing to cut forecast national debt by $40 billion over the next four years. 

Dylan Caporn

Some say it is the campaign which is letting Dutton down, others say there’s too much freelancing by the leader without heeding the overarching strategy. 

analysis
analysis
Federal election 2025Comments
analysis
The hard man with a soft heart: Inside the Dutton campaign

Everyone has a different answer to the question of who is to blame for a campaign that hasn’t gotten out of first gear, but no one is willing to write the Coalition off completely with a week still to go.

Katina Curtis

‘Whatever the result on May 3, even people within the Liberals think they have run a very poor national campaign. Not just poor, but odd,’ writes Michelle Grattan.

opinion
opinion
Michelle GrattanCommentsPremium
opinion
Coalition’s reason for timing of defence policy doesn’t wash

Whatever the result on May 3, even people within the Liberals think they have run a very poor national campaign. Not just poor, but odd.

Michelle Grattan

Premier Roger Cook, centre, Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey, right, and Health Minister Meredith Hammat.

Electronic monitoringPremiumDV offenders should be ‘behind bars’ premier Roger Cook said

Premier Roger Cook said domestic violence offenders should be “put behind bars” in regional areas where electronic monitoring devices cannot be used

Sofia Fimognari and Dylan Caporn

Rick Wilson, Senator Slade Brockman and Dr Rick Fenny.

Federal election 2025PremiumIncumbent O’Connor member launches campaign in Nanarup

Liberal incumbent Rick Wilson officially kicked off his fifth campaign for the seat of for O’Connor on Monday, with the May 3 Federal election just weeks away. 

Melissa Sheil

Liberal member for O'Connor Rick Wilson will try to hold on to his seat for the fifth time this year.

FEDERAL ELECTION 2025PremiumWilson has “more to offer” O’Connor after 12 years in job

In the first of our series on the Federal election candidates for O’Connor, the Albany Advertiser sits down with the Liberal incumbent.

Melissa Sheil

Ms Brewer’s appointment as shadow treasurer pits her against Treasurer Rita Saffioti.

State PoliticsCommentsPremiumBusinesswoman set to hold Labor’s finances to account

Newly elected Cottesloe MP Sandra Brewer and former Liberal leader Libby Mettam will take on two of the biggest shadow portfolios — treasury and health — in Basil Zempilas’ new line-up.

Joe Spagnolo

Ms Cash tore into Mr Albanese.

Federal ElectionCommentsPremiumCash tears into ‘anti-WA’ Albanese Government

WA Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash didn’t pull any punches in her opening broadside of the election campaign, accusing Anthony Albanese of leading the most anti-mining and anti-WA government ‘we have ever seen’.

John Flint

Basil Zempilas has been announced as the new leader of the WA Liberal Party.

opinion
opinion
EDITORIALCommentsPremium
opinion
It’s time for Basil Zempilas to step up and lead

In news that came as no surprise to anyone paying attention, Basil Zempilas has been announced as the new leader of the WA Liberal Party. 

EDITORIAL

Adam Hort, Liberal for Kalamunda speaks during a press conference in Kalamunda on Feb 12, 2025.

WA election 2025CommentsPremiumLiberals to claim Kalamunda, bringing ranks to seven

The WA Liberals are on track to claim a seventh lower house seat with Adam Hort likely to narrowly win the final undecided seat in Kalamunda, guaranteeing its official opposition status.

Dylan Caporn

Nationals WA candidate Scott Leary.

State politics CommentsPremiumNats claim six seats as Scott Leary wins Albany

Scott Leary — a former Liberal Party candidate — has won the seat of Albany for the Nationals, getting the edge over the Liberal Party’s controversial nominee Thomas Brough. 

Dylan Caporn

Basil Zempilas’ ascension to the leadership of the WA Liberals is days away after Libby Mettam was forced out of the top role on Thursday in the wake of the party’s crushing State election defeat.

updated
updated
state politics CommentsPremium
updated
Mettam resigns as Basil looks to step up as Liberal leader

Libby Mettam has stepped down as Liberal leader in the wake of the party’s disastrous State election defeat, clearing the way for Basil Zempilas.

Jessica Page and Dylan Caporn

Liberal Candidate for Cottesloe, Sandra Brewer, and Liberal for Carine, Liam Staltari.

WA ELECTION 2025CommentsPremiumNew bench of up and coming WA Liberals emerges

Rising from the ashes, the WA Liberals are relying on a core team to form a solid opposition to beat Labor in 2029.

Jake Dietsch

Libby Mettam has refused to reveal how the Liberals will make savings.

state politicsPremiumMettam refuses to reveal how Libs will pay for its promises

The West has calculated the party has racked up $6.1 billion in pledges, with the figure not inclusive of the billions in promises made by their governing partner, the Nationals.

Jake Dietsch

Liberal Leader Libby Mettam.

analysis
analysis
Jessica PageCommentsPremium
analysis
Underestimated underdog looks ever-ready to have her day

The knowledge that Libby Mettam is unlikely to win has dulled the voter impact of Labor’s best attacks and allowed the Liberal leader to shine.

Jessica Page

Dr Tom Brough is the WA Liberal candidate for Albany.

MEET THE CANDIDATESDr Tom Brough on health, family, housing and red tape

WA Liberal’s candidate for Albany answers our questions in his own words — find out what matters most to the people vying for Albany’s seat in the lower house with this nine-part series.

Tom Brough, Liberal Party

Federal Member for Perth Patrick Gorman announces a greener redevelopment of the Perth Cultural Centre.

opinion
opinion
Katina CurtisCommentsPremium
opinion
Battle for eyeballs plays out in political stunts online

With an election nearing, there’s been a distinct increase in politicians doing silly things on social media in a bid to win the attention of voters.

Katina Curtis

Albany Liberal Thomas Brough with leader Libby Mettam

WA Election 2025PremiumControversial Liberal candidate referred to medical tribunal

Thomas Brough has been referred to a medical tribunal over a professional misconduct complaint.

Dylan Caporn

Minister for Health Mark Butler.

International relationsCommentsCoalition’s China criticism is ‘student politics’: Minister

Mark Butler has accused the Coalition of ‘student politics’ over its criticism of the Government’s response to Chinese live-firing exercises in international waters in the Tasman Sea

Caitlyn Rintoul

Well behind in the polls and swamped by Labor’s resources and majority, Libby Mettam is refusing to make the same blunder as one of her predecessors by admitting defeat. 

WA election 2025CommentsPremiumLibby Mettam adamant her ‘mountain to climb’ is scaleable

Well behind in the polls and swamped by Labor’s resources and majority, WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam is refusing to make the same blunder as one of her predecessors by admitting defeat. 

Jake Dietsch

Libby Mettam wants all prisoners and parolees on the run to be publicly identified.

WA ELECTION 2025 CommentsPremiumFugitives to be named and shamed under Liberals plan

All prisoners and parolees on the run will be named and shamed under a new Liberal Party policy if it wins the March State election.

Joe Spagnolo

The Geographe Leisure Centre is set to receive a new location if WA Liberals are elected.

Election commitments PremiumWA Liberals pledge millions to local sporting facilities

The WA Liberals have pledged $7.25 million for a new Geographe Leisure Centre if elected in the upcoming State election. 

Sofia Fimognari

Liberal leader Libby Mettam, Geraldton Regional Cricket Board president Nick Rafanelli, WACA development officer Tia Hatch, junior cricketer Micah Beckett, Sportsmans Cricket Club president Xavier Bochat, and Liberal candidate for Geraldton Tim Milnes.

Cricket cashCommentsLibs promise to build $1.5m home of cricket in the Mid West

The Liberal candidate for Geraldton has promised to build a dedicated home for cricket in the Mid West if his party succeeds at the 2025 State election.

Matthew Paddick

Libby Mettam and Roger Cook may be at the forefront of the 2025 campaign, but there is an army of election battlefield generals and trusted lieutenants guiding them into battle. 

WA Election 2025CommentsPremiumInside the inner circles of Roger Cook and Libby Mettam

From confidantes to battle-hardened campaigners, this is who the leaders listen to as they battle for votes.

Dylan Caporn