Basil Zempilas, a prominent television figure and Lord Mayor of Perth, has become a central target in the Western Australian election campaign, despite being a key figure in the Liberal Party’s strategy.
Labor Premier Roger Cook and his team have prominently featured Zempilas in their attack ads, portraying him as a polarising figure.
Labor’s research, including door-knocking, suggests he is divisive among voters, and they have used this to shift focus away from their own record.
Zempilas, however, defended his involvement, saying Labor’s focus on him was a diversion from its failures, particularly in health and cost of living.
“If you hear the Premier or a minister mention my name, they are doing that because they want you to take your eye off their chronic un-delivery,” he said.
Zempilas is widely expected to win the seat of Churchlands in Perth’s affluent western suburbs, a seat lost by the Liberals in 2021. He appeared alongside Liberal leader Libby Mettam to announce the party’s latest health policy.
Mettam, who had previously faced a leadership challenge, praised Zempilas as an asset to the Liberal team, contrasting him with Cook’s handling of the state’s health system.
Premier Cook criticised the Liberal opposition for its perceived inaction, calling it the “laziest opposition” in WA history. Zempilas, in turn, expressed his support for Mettam, calling her leadership inspiring given the party’s resource limitations.
Source: The Australian.
