The WA Liberals have declared it’s “showtime” as they start their run to the next election, buoyed by recent events and declaring they can beat Premier Roger Cook’s government at the 2025 poll.

But state party president Caroline Di Russo warned members to not necessarily preselect their “besties” in winnable seats and to instead choose the best candidate, even if their “precise” values may differ.

In her address to the party’s annual state conference in Perth, she told hundreds of delegates not to get upset if they did not get their way in the preselection process, which has been amended to give branch members a greater say.

“Please keep the toys in the cot, or at the very least keep your tantrums out of the media,” Ms Di Russo, who does not belong to any faction, said.

“The public has had almost 12 months respite from our internal intrigues and I’d like to keep it that way.”

After being left with just two seats in the Legislative Assembly at the 2021 state election, when former Premier Mark McGowan’s government took control of both houses of parliament, the Liberals clearly believe their fortunes have turned with Mr Cook now at the helm.

‘Political gifts’

Ms Di Russo pointed to the government’s dumping of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, the result in the Voice referendum, and “blazing incompetence” from state and federal Labor governments as “political gifts for the Liberals”.

“The big takeaway from this year is that we are definitely on the up. There are green shoots,” Ms Di Russo said.

She was elected Liberal state president in February, in the same week Libby Mettam was chosen unopposed as WA Liberal leader, completing the state and federal party’s first all-female leadership team, along with WA Senator and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Michaelia Cash.

At the time, Ms Mettam said female-led representation would be vital in recouping the party’s female supporter base ahead of the next state election.