The man set to become WA’s next premier will face one of his final hurdles on his way to the top job today.
Key points:
- Roger Cook will meet with right faction party members today
- He will also focus on selecting his cabinet members
- The Opposition has slammed the union influence on the party
Deputy Premier Roger Cook yesterday emerged as the lone candidate to replace Mark McGowan, who will retire at the end of the week due to exhaustion.
Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson had also put her hand up and earned the support of one of the major unions behind the Labor Party, the United Workers Union.
But she pulled out of the race after Mr Cook secured the support of another key union – the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union – with Transport Minister Rita Saffioti as his deputy.
Speaking to reporters on a morning jog at Kings Park this morning, Mr Cook wasn’t calling himself Premier just yet.
“We’ve still got conversations to have within the party, I want to be respectful to those conversations,” he said.
With Labor’s left faction behind him, Mr Cook is today expected to meet with the party’s right faction members to secure his place as Premier.
He will then turn his attention to any changes within his cabinet before they are sworn in by Governor Chris Dawson.
Union influence under attack
But the Opposition has already begun attacking the process which has seen Mr Cook emerge as likely premier.
“Apparently the unions have worked out who the next premier of Western Australia will be,” housing spokesperson Steve Martin said.
“And it looks like it’s Roger Cook, who the previous premier Mark McGowan wouldn’t even trust to be the treasurer and removed from the health portfolio.
“I think we’re in for a very rough ride under the new premier.”
Mr Martin said he was waiting to see what deals may have been done, pointing out Mr Cook’s own union – the United Workers Union – had chosen Ms Sanderson over him.
“The Labor Party is a great organisation, full of very passionate people with a lot of strong ideas,” Mr Cook said this morning.
“That’s what makes it a great political party, and obviously, one of the reasons why we make such a good government.”
But Mr Martin suggested it could be a point of weakness for Mr Cook, given Mr McGowan was not aligned to any unions.
“I would think people in small business, regional Western Australia might be a little nervous about [whether] these left-leaning unions have cooked up a deal and put in place their guy,” he said.
Housing crisis should be focus
As the attention turns back to the business of government, Mr Martin said the housing crisis was one area that would need to be prioritised.
“The premier and the housing minister have not made a dent in the social housing numbers despite being in power now for six years,” he said.
“The rental market in Western Australia is very tough, people having a hard time finding a place to rent and we’ve seen builders facing all sorts of difficulties staying afloat and houses aren’t being built on time.”
Mr Martin said that while he thought there needed to be a stand-alone treasurer, he didn’t spare Rita Saffioti, who’s being touted for the job.
“Rita Saffioti clearly has a background in overspending,” he said.
“The previous premier didn’t trust any of the candidates Roger Cook, Rita Saffioti or Amber-Jade Sanderson with that job.
“He thought there was no-one in his vast array of Labor MPs that he could trust.
“And now one of them will be the new treasurer and one of them will be the new premier.
“It’s going to be some very interesting times for Western Australia.”