Dean Nalder will challenge West Australian premier Colin Barnett for the Liberal party leadership if a spill motion is put forward this week but says he will not instigate it.
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Mr Barnett also refuted claims by former transport minister Mr Nalder he wasn’t able to get a meeting for six months to discuss the controversial Perth Freight link with the premier.
Mr Barnett said he was extremely disappointed neither had the “courage or integrity” to tell him face-to-face before they resigned, but insisted his job was safe.
Local Government Minister Tony Simpson also quit Cabinet over the weekend, while former Mental Health Minister Helen Morton has spoken out against Colin Barnett and his office.
‘Colin is making irrational decisions without consultation with respect to ministers or cabinet, ‘ Mr Nalder, who is considered a leadership aspirant, told The Sunday Times.
Heading into their cabinet meeting on Monday, ministers including Attorney-General Michael Mischin, Health Minister John Day and Treasurer Mike Nahan flanked Deputy Premier Liza Harvey as she criticised Mr Nalder and backed Mr Barnett.
“I’ve always said I’ll do what’s right by the government, but the view of my colleagues as I judge it is that they very much support me to continue on to be the premier, to take us to the election, to hopefully win that election, and guide the state through what’s been a hard economic and financial period, and to complete some of the work we’ve got underway and broaden the economy”.
Mr Nalder told reporters on Sunday he would throw his hat into the leadership ring if a spill was called.
Mr Simpson said he no longer supported the premier, adding the WA Government had “lost its way”.
Mr Nalder denied he and Mr Simpson quit as part of an orchestrated campaign against Mr Barnett and said he took offence to the premier saying he failed to show integrity. I really don’t know why he would give up that opportunity, ‘ he said.
‘I had shown great faith and confidence in Dean and he let me down, ‘ he said.
“I am confident that the strong majority of the Liberal members of Parliament support me.they want me to continue as premier, they want me to take the party to the election and hopefully form a government in the third term”, he said.
‘I do become a little bit intolerant when issues are allowed to drift’.
“I did have in my ministerial office. spies from the toxic department of Premier and Cabinet spying on one’s every move and obviously reporting back”, Mr Murray said.
“I’m very keen to see a narrative developed that actually demonstrates to people that we understand what’s happening out in the economy and we can do things to help”, he said.
Mr Barnett said while people labelled him arrogant and “the emperor”, he thought of himself as decisive.
The August 24 poll was privately funded by prominent business leaders who for years have been highly critical of Barnett’s policies affecting their commercial operations and ventures.
“I think it’s been pretty obvious if you have a look at the events of the past weekend”, she said.
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“That entire strategy was created to undermine the premier, undermine his leadership to try and place Dean Nalder into that role”.
