Whatever the outcome of the seats still undecided, the WA state election result has stunned the conservative side of politics - with Nationals Leader Shane Love describing it as "rock bottom". Both the Nationals and Liberals admit it's a harsh wake-up call and a clear sign the parties need to work together to present themselves as electable.
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00:00Like a drug addict finally realising they have to change, that's the brutally honest
00:08take from Nationals leader Shane Love as the conservative side of politics digests what
00:13went wrong.
00:14It is a night of reflection.
00:16Unfortunately there was not enough, I believe, really genuine attempt to work together in
00:25that regard.
00:26After the 2021 wipeout, there had been hopes of a return to 2017 levels, when the Liberals
00:32and Nationals held a combined 18 seats in the lower house.
00:36But they've fallen woefully short, for now just five have been called for the Liberals
00:40and four for the Nationals, leading to damning assessments from inside and outside the Parliament.
00:47If you don't have the team, morale and everyone playing their part, you can't possibly be
00:52competitive.
00:53And that's what really is, we're not competitive because we're not a team, we're not playing
00:59a role, in fact most of them don't even show up.
01:02The result has caused such shockwaves, it's even led to calls for the WA Liberals and
01:07Nationals to merge.
01:09I think it's time that there was a serious consideration and I would support it, and
01:15that is for the Liberal and National party to stop wasting resources competing against
01:19each other and to present themselves as the alternate government by forming a partnership,
01:25more than a partnership, by merging to be the Liberal and National party.
01:29A call Mr Love firmly rejects.
01:32We do have value in having two separate parties, but what we do need to do is to work more
01:37closely together so that we are not wasting resources battling each other and that we
01:44are in fact combining our efforts to overturn the Labor government in 2029.
01:50While it's now unclear who'll lead the Liberal party as it attempts to regain relevance,
01:55Libby Nettam has stressed any leader needs the party's full backing all the way to 2029.
02:01An apparent dig at the way she was treated.
02:04To suggest we have one leader now, and that leader, and then for that leader to be replaced
02:13further down the track would illustrate that we're not learning the lessons of the past.
02:20Basil Zemplis continues to be talked about as a potential leader, but after an underwhelming
02:25victory in Churchlands, questions are being asked about whether he's popular enough.
02:30It is interesting hearing people, particularly people on the other side of the political
02:35spectrum, telling people he's not liked, he's despised, women hate him.
02:41I won the primary vote over my Labor opponent by nearly four and a half thousand votes.
02:49A leadership race with no firm starters yet.