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Zempilas to run for Liberals in Churchlands as familiar foes face off again
The firing gun has officially started on City of Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas’ tilt at state politics, and he has emerged as the only nominated Liberal candidate running for the seat of Churchlands.
The lack of an opponent means Zempilas will sail through preselection to contest the most-winnable seat in the state for the Liberals.
Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas will run for Churchlands for the WA Liberals.Credit: Peter de Kruijff
Zempilas’ candidacy was confirmed in the latest round of seat nominations that closed on Wednesday.
His preselection comes at an interesting time for the WA Liberals, as leader Libby Mettam grapples with the fallout of revelations her former deputy Steve Thomas had contact with former notorious ex-Labor premier Brian Burke – while she criticised Labor for the same thing.
Zempilas has admitted on 6PR he had short cursory email exchanges with Burke in the past.
This masthead revealed last week that Burke canvassed votes for Zempilas during his 2020 mayoral campaign, asking the Australian Apartment Advocacy group to endorse him to its network of Perth apartment owners.
Zempilas, who was not a Liberal party member at the time, said Burke had done so without his knowledge and the revelation was “news to him”.
On Wednesday, asked whether she would accept any Liberal candidates having contact with Burke, Mettam said she had made her position clear in demanding Thomas’ resignation as deputy leader.
“I have made that abundantly clear. And that has been illustrated in my actions in response to Steve Thomas, over the last 24 hours,” she said.
Old foes face off
Nominations for the federal seat of Tangney also closed on Wednesday, and former City of Canning councillor Jesse Jacobs emerged as a surprise candidate.
Jacobs’ presence in a crowded pool of seven nominees would shock the frontrunner for the seat – and current Canning mayor – Patrick Hall.
Jacobs also campaigned in the Canning mayoral race last year and was accused of stealing Hall’s campaign signage during that election.
Hall, a former police officer, was involved in a citizens’ arrest of a man who was allegedly stealing his signs in September on behalf of Jacobs.
In order to take on Labor MP Sam Lim at the 2025 federal election, Hall and Jacobs must first convince preselectors to choose them above five other candidates, including ex-SAS and Survivor star Mark Wales; IT business owner Howard Ong; Melville councillor Jennifer Spanbroek; Bill Koul; and Sean Ayres.
The race for preselection in Nedlands is also a crowded field, with City of Perth councillor Brent Fleeton taking on Sasha Epps, entrepreneur Jonathan Huston, Hugh Shedden and David Dwyer.
In Carine, the seat’s former Liberal MP Tony Krsticevic will take on former Kalamunda Liberal candidate Liam Staltari, while the Scarborough preselection race will pit real estate agent Damian Kelly against influencer and domestic violence campaigner Lidia Kukulj.
Lawyer Lisa Olsson will contest Hillarys for the Liberals after no one else nominated for the seat.
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