Colin Barnett vows to talk more to ministers after warding off spill

Leadership aspirant and former Transport Minister Dean Nalder congratulated Mr Barnett on his win.

Colin Barnett remains the WA premier after a call for a leadership spill was comfortably defeated, while his potential challenger Dean Nalder has ruled out any further contest.

“I allowed everyone to have their point of view…. some made comments about my style of leadership, my office”, he said speaking to the press outside parliament house.

“Sometimes because I like to get on with the job people think I’m not listening”.

“I think it’s a clear indication for the strong support for the leader”, Mr Eillis said.

But all is not well on the home front, with renewed ructions in the WA branch of the Liberal Party.

“Colin Barnett will emerge as the leader of the Liberal Party, the premier and absolutely the right person to take us through to the election in March 2017”.

Murray MLA Murray Cowper, disgruntled with Mr Barnett’s reaction to the Yarloop bushfires earlier this year, proposed the spill motion.

Announcing the result, Liberal Party secretary Brian Ellis said there had been no discussion prior to the partyroom vote.

It followed months of leadership speculation, which culminated in Local Government Minister Tony Simpson quitting cabinet at the weekend, followed by Mr Nalder, who then declared he wanted to challenge the premier.

But many Liberal colleagues strongly backed Mr Barnett on their way into the meeting.

With regard to Western Power, he denied that his position was at odds with Treasurer Mike Nahan who had said it would be a key plank of the government’s debt reduction strategy.

“What I’m pleased with is that we’re all very, very focussed on getting out into our electorate, getting into the community, and Colin Barnett winning the election”, she said.

Murray Cowper with Premier Colin Barnett and regional development minister Terry Redman during a regional cabinet visit in April.

“The decision of (Barnett’s) party room (is a) decision for its members”, Turnbull said.

Mr Barnett also said it had become clear his government needed to provide more information around the timing of the Roe 8 highway extension, which is the most contentious part of the near $2 billion Perth Freight Link project, and whether it will be connected by a tunnel to Fremantle port.

An election is due to held next year, with the government trailing Labor 51 to 49 in the latest opinion poll.