WA Liberals 80th anniversary dinner: John Howard praises Libby Mettam at Crown Perth ahead of State Election

Former prime minister John Howard says the WA Liberals face an uphill battle to win the State election but he’s confident the party is up to the task. Mr Howard and Tony Abbott were among the party’s top brass to fly into Perth on Thursday to attend the Liberal Party’s 80th anniversary gala dinner at Crown Perth on Thursday night, with former Premiers Richard Court and Colin Barnett also attending. Mr Howard praised the leadership of WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam, saying: “Libby is doing a very good job. It’s a difficult mountain, I think there’s a name attached to a horse race in Sydney . . . Everest! But we’ve started.” Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the presence of Mr Abbott and Mr Howard was proof of WA’s importance to the Federal election. “They’ve been giants within the party for a long period of time,” he said. “We’ve had a really good response from our visits here, and I’m very pleased with the reception. People have been very encouraging and very supportive, but we’ve got a long way to go between now and next election.” Ms Mettam acknowledged there was also a “massive job ahead” for the State election, but said she was confident of the party’s chances of defeating Labor and Premier Roger Cook. “We absolutely can win it. We’re focused on the right priorities,” she said. Mr Howard is helping rally the teams ahead of WA polls opening in March and the Federal election, due by May. He said he was pleased to have been asked to join the campaign trail with Liberal candidate Matt Moran in the new seat of Bullwinkel on Friday. “I always like to help out when I’m asked and I’ve been asked,” he said. The Liberal Party is hopeful of regaining some of the five seats it lost in WA in the 2022 Federal election and is confident it has a strong chance in Bullwinkel, which is notionally held by Labor. “Labor has let people in Bullwinkel down, ignored local concerns and done nothing about the worsening cost-of-living crisis,” Mr Moran said. Bullwinkel is a three-way contest, with former WA Nationals Leader Mia Davies another candidate. Labor has preselected local nurse and Mundaring councillor Trish Cook. Mr Dutton took aim at Labor over the cost of living, as he toured the Preston Street IGA in Como on Thursday. “It’s getting harder under the Albanese Government,” he said. “Food is up by almost 12 per cent . . . it was (here) in WA where the Prime Minister promised that there would be lower mortgage rates. “He promised that there would be a $275 reduction in power bills, instead they’ve gone up by $1000.” According to the Bureau of Statistics, electricity prices fell 24.1 per cent in the 12 months to September due to Commonwealth and State Government power bill rebates.