Nedlands MLA Bill Marmion.
Camera IconNedlands MLA Bill Marmion. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Nedlands MLA Bill Marmion rubbishes talk he could leave politics

Jon BassettWestern Suburbs Weekly

NEDLANDS Liberal MLA Bill Marmion (62) has trounced undercurrents he could soon leave politics and that his potential departure would allow anyone missing out on replacing former premier Colin Barnett in Cottesloe to enter Parliament.

“Quite the opposite, because when someone heard the rumour I got an immediate call from a senior Liberal Party member saying ‘I hope you are not going because we need you because of your experience and level-headedness’,” Mr Marmion, who was elected the blue-ribbon seat in 2008, told the Western Suburbs Weekly.

On Sunday, a report suggested Mr Marmion might be considering his future after a cabinet reshuffle, which removed his senior health spokesman’s role on January 22.

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He said he did not regard the change as a demotion, and the speculation about his future had come from those, who he did not name, aspiring to his seat.

He reiterated his March 2017 State Election night statement that he would complete his four-years, during which he would serve his party to “ensure there are no mistakes” by using his combined experience of years as a senior minister, engineer’s skills and participation in sport and community groups.

However, that night he also said “only something really serious” would make him go early.

Asked if he had been sounded out to give up his seat for any loser in the race to replace Mr Barnett, he said he would do what was good for the party and “not an individual”.

He said he would heave to be persuaded there was someone with a CV better than his combined experience in government, business, work and the community.

In Cottesloe this week, Mr Barnett is packing up his electorate office after 27 years, with BHP lawyer Emma Roberts (40) and Kwinana Industries Council president David Honey (59), a former WA Liberal Party president, appearing to be front-runners for the Liberal Party candidacy, about which Mr Marmion would not comment.

Other nominees are Cambridge councillor Andres Timmermanis, estate agent Deborah Brady, marketer Sandra Brewer and an unnamed individual.

Last week, lawyer and former Cottesloe councillor Greg Boland confirmed his candidacy in Cottesloe for the WA Greens.

“The last time a former Liberal premier retired like this, Richard Court in 2001, the Greens almost won the seat of Nedlands,” Mr Boland said.

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