Libby Mettam has been chosen as the new leader of the WA Liberals, while the WA Nationals confirm former deputy Shane Love will be their new leader.
Ms Mettam became leader at a partyroom meeting today after the previous leader David Honey pulled out of a leadership contest.
Upper House MP Steve Thomas, who had backed Ms Mettam in the spill, has been elected unopposed as the deputy leader.
Ms Mettam had challenged Dr Honey for the leadership on Friday, saying she had the support of her colleagues.
"I am honoured to have been chosen by my colleagues as the new leader of the WA Liberal Party," she said in a brief statement.
"Every day I will fight to get the best deal for WA.
"Thank-you to David Honey for your hard work, dedication and service as leader following our 2021.
"I look forward to continuing to work closely with you."
Mr Thomas and other critics of Dr Honey had said the party was failing to cut through under his leadership and needed a re-set to be taken seriously as a credible opposition and potential alternate government.
Dr Honey tweeted that he wished Ms Mettam the very best "as she leads our great Party into the future".
"I'd like to thank my Parliamentary colleagues for giving me the opportunity to lead the Party over the last two years."
Dr Honey had taken the reigns after the Liberals 2021 election wipe-out, when he and Ms Mettam were the only two Liberal MPs left in the Legislative assembly.
Ms Mettam is the fifth Liberal leader since former premier Colin Barnett quit after the party lost government at the 2017 election.
Arriving at state parliament earlier, Dr Honey had refused to commit to standing in the leadership contest against Ms Mettam, who was believed to have the support of the majority of Liberal MPs.
Another Liberal MP, who did not want to be named, said it was "good news" Dr Honey had stepped aside.
The pair had promised to continue working collaboratively together regardless of the outcome of the leadership spill.
Time for 'serious opposition'
Mr Thomas told Perth ABC Radio Ms Mettam needed to become Liberal leader for the opposition to be taken seriously.
"It is time for the Liberal Party, and to some degree the opposition alliance, to look like a serious opposition, to be taken as a credible and potent Opposition, and I think we need a reset for that," Mr Thomas said.
"I've been convinced that I think Libby Mettam will need to take over the leadership to give us a reset to make us look over the next two years like we might be ready to take over government after the next election."
Mr Thomas said that under Dr Honey the opposition had struggled to cut through with its messaging.
But as health spokesperson, Ms Mettam has led the opposition's criticisms of the McGowan government's handling of hospitals, ambulance ramping and COVID-19, and also led the parliamentary inquiry into sexual abuse and sexual harassment on fly-in, fly-out mine sites in Western Australia.
Mr Thomas also advocated for the status of opposition leader to be switched from the Nationals to the Liberal leader.
Under parliamentary protocols, the opposition party is the one with the second most amount of seats in parliament, which is the Nationals.
But Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Michelle Roberts today said the title of opposition leader could be transferred through agreement between the parties.
The Nationals also elected a new leader on Monday, choosing former deputy Shane Love after Mia Davies said she would stand down in a surprise announcement on Friday.
Opposition leader, for now
She said she could not commit to another term of parliament.
Mr Love said he did see himself as leader of the opposition.
"You can't be the deputy leader of the party, without expecting that at some point you might be stepping forward and undertaking that role," he said.
"It wasn't something I was actively seeking.
"I see myself as the opposition leader here today and what happens from here is a matter of discussion between the two parties."
He said the alliance between the Liberal and National parties had worked effectively over the last two years.
"I expect that those arrangements may be able to be kept going for the coming weeks of parliament, beyond that, there'll have to be further discussions," he said.
Mr Love's former position as deputy leader of the party has been taken by Roe MP Peter Rundle.
"At this stage I think Shane is the right person to take us forward," Mr Rundle said.
"I think we've got some serious discussions to be had over the years ahead and I think Shane is a good person to lead us into those discussions."
