WA Liberal’s Basil Zempilas celebrated his Churchlands election victory on Saturday, March 8, with a lively party, embracing his Greek roots.
After a tense election night race with Labor MP Christine Tonkin, Zempilas secured 52% of the primary vote, leaving Tonkin with 28%.
In footage shared on his wife Amy’s Instagram, Zempilas thanked his supporters and apologised for the late hour.
“Thank you everybody but firstly I apologise because it’s such a late night because it’s taken so long to get here with hopefully the news that you’ve all been waiting to hear,” he said.
The celebration featured traditional Greek dancing, including Zorba’s Dance, as Zempilas and his supporters marked his victory.
“A bit of Greek dancing to celebrate the win last night,” Amy posted on Instagram.
THANK YOU Churchlands 💙
— Basil Zempilas (@BasilZempilas) March 8, 2025
What an honour to be elected to represent the people of my home electorate.
Thank you!! pic.twitter.com/ePxaUPP8L5
Despite the tight race, Zempilas remained confident, noting, “I knew it was going to be close, I knew it was going to be tight.”
He also reflected on the challenges, saying, “If a $1 million smear campaign has no effect, then what’s the point. I’ve withstood that and I’ve won the seat of Churchlands.”
WA Labor celebrated another strong victory, with Premier Roger Cook securing a clear mandate. Cook dismissed claims of a smear campaign, instead focusing on Labor’s continued dominance.
“This is an emphatic victory for WA Labor and it’s a vindication of the strong government that we have provided for the people of Western Australia,” Cook said.
Could a leadership spill be on the cards for WA Liberals?
While some see Zempilas as a potential future leader, he dismissed speculation about leadership changes within the Liberal Party.
“This is not a time for anything rash. We should wait and see what this full picture of this result is,” he said.
“Today’s not the day for any decisions about anybody’s future.”
Current Liberal Leader Libby Mettam acknowledged the party’s poor performance and said the decision on leadership would be left to her colleagues.
She emphasised the need for continuity ahead of the 2029 election, stating, “Whoever the leader is going into the 2029 election they need four years to work as a leader.”
Source: The West Australian.
