Libby Mettam has passed one of the first major tests of her leadership, with powerbroker Nick Goiran stepping aside as the parliamentary Liberal Party's secretary.
Within minutes of taking the top job on Monday, Ms Mettam declared a "line in the sand" by taking aim at a factional group known as The Clan — which included Mr Goiran and his colleague Peter Collier — saying their influence had turned voters away from the party.
A transcript of text messages between the group was leaked in 2021 and included disparaging remarks about women and members bragging about their ability to control party branches.
On Monday, Mr Collier apologised for the "inappropriate language" he used "on several occasions".
But Mr Goiran has refused to do the same, saying he has nothing to say sorry for after a nine-month internal investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing.
It led to Ms Mettam saying she would strip the lawyer-turned-politician of his shadow portfolios, but she failed in her first bid to oust him from the secretary position on Monday.
The position was set to go to a vote at a partyroom meeting today, but it is understood Mr Goiran voluntarily stepped aside before that happened.
Ms Mettam had maintained she was confident she had the numbers to remove him if it did go to a vote.
Upper House MP Steve Martin was chosen as his replacement.
Mettam 'pleased' at Goiran move
Speaking to journalists at a break in the meeting, Ms Mettam said she was "pleased" Mr Goiran had decided to step aside.
But she deflected questions about his future role in parliament, saying he was elected to represent the South Metropolitan Region as a member of the Liberal Party and would continue to fulfill that duty as a backbencher.
Ms Mettam also faced questions about why Mr Collier was allowed to remain in the shadow cabinet, after senior government MP Sue Ellery said he had been "up to his eyeballs" in the same conduct as Mr Goiran.
"It's not my intention to go into this matter any further," she said.
"What Western Australians are focused on, what Western Australians would like the Liberal Party and the opposition to focus on are issues relating to them."
She stopped short of calling on Mr Goiran to resign from the party, saying that was a matter for the party organisation, not the parliamentary party.
Amid persistent questioning about the futures of Mr Goiran and Mr Collier in the party, Ms Mettam walked away from the media conference to return to the party's meeting.
Liberals 'moving forward'
Most Liberal MPs kept quiet on the way into the meeting.
One of the few to speak, Upper House Mining and Pastoral Region MP Neil Thomson, said the mood in the party was positive.
"We've got a great product to offer and we're the most democratic party in Western Australia," he said.
"And we're moving forward with absolute vigour to take on the WA Labor Party."
When asked if he supported Mr Goiran's position as party secretary, Mr Thomson said he did not comment on party matters.
He said the party was "100 per cent" behind Ms Mettam.
"We're excited, we've got a great opportunity to take on the Mark McGowan Labor government," Mr Thomson told reporters.
Ms Ellery was on Tuesday dismissive of Ms Mettam's claim that she had drawn a "line in the sand" for the party.
"It's half a line in the sand if it only applies to one of the people in shadow cabinet who were described, really in scathing terms, by a report commissioned by the Liberal Party itself," she said, referring to Mr Collier retaining his membership in the shadow cabinet.
Ms Mettam returned fire today, accusing the government of being "on very thin ground when it comes to talking about matters in relation to the conduct of their own members".
“We know that they are a union-dominated government,” she said.
“It’s a bit rich for the McGowan Labor government to be pointing fingers when it comes to the management of their own team.
“WA Labor controls many things in this state, but they do not control the way that I deal with my parliamentary team.”
