WA Liberals’ candidate all but locked in as fight for Secret Harbour heats up

WA’s Liberal Party is set to nominate a candidate with a similar career track record to outgoing Secret Harbor MP Paul Papalia in the upcoming by-election.

Ryan Robertson is a City of Rockingham councillor, a former submariner and the only person to put his hand up to run for the seat as the Liberal candidate.

Rockingham City councilor Ryan Robertson is shaping up as the WA Liberals’ likely candidate for Secret Harbour. Facebook/Ryan Robertson

Due to last-minute applications, his candidacy is expected to be officially approved this weekend.

“He was a submariner of the highest order for 12 years. He became Submariner of the Year in 2020, a career of distinguished service and in many respects a career similar to that of Paul Papalia before he entered the political sphere,” Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said on Wednesday.

“I talk about the uniqueness of this group of voters, and there’s obviously a very strong maritime presence. Each voter has unique characteristics that different candidates can satisfy, and I think that’s unique.”

“If he is successful, I think he will be an outstanding advocate for the people of Secret Harbor.”

Zempilas said he had observed “huge disappointment” in the local area over the abandonment of promises made by the state government, such as the Karnup railway station.

“I think any byelection is a test for everyone, but the biggest test in this byelection is [Premier] Roger Cook and the state government. “Labour has always held this seat,” he said.

Zempilas said the Liberals entered the race with the goal of winning the seat, but he was realistic about growing support for One Nation.

“I don’t see [One Nation] As a threat to the Liberal Party in Secret Harbor. Threat to WA Labor Party; “If they lose this seat, it will be a huge slap in the face to them,” he said, predicting the expectation that One Nation would play a “meaningful role” in the by-election.

“What I’m really determined to try and achieve is the removal of Labor who hold that seat, and that would be a win for us and everyone involved in that.

“I am constantly asked the question: ‘Do you prefer One Nation?’ “Of course we will prefer them to Labor and the Greens.”

Asked whether more needed to be done to find female candidates, Zempilas said that was “assuming it wasn’t happening” and that it was a process that took place at the branch level, “and it’s not right to talk about it in this forum.”

“I think it will become clear [Robertson] “He was exactly the right kind of person to be selected in advance… he has a history and career dedicated to service in both the navy and local government,” he said.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find a better candidate than Ryan Robertson, and perhaps that’s how that decision was made, or rather that’s how that process played out.”

Last week Labor announced their candidate, long-serving Warnbro local Georgia Tree, who has worked with Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King and oil and gas giant Woodside, who they hope will be key to the party retaining the seat of Papalia.

Tree responded directly to a pointed question when asked if she was “pro-gas” given her work history, simply replying, “Yes.”

Although this admission is a little further to the left of politics, the Secret Harbor battle is shaping up as a competition between Labour, the Liberals and One Nation, with One Nation not shy about admitting they are also “pro-gas”.

Premier Roger Cook said the community knew Tree would “fight every day for working people in West Australia”.

“We do not take any seat for granted. We work hard, we fight hard for the trust of the people we represent,” he said.

“We know this is going to be an uphill battle. Every midterm election is an uphill battle, every election is an uphill battle. We know the people of this community expect us to do this.”