WA Liberal Party’s post-election review: Michael Keenan quits warts and all probe after State poll disaster

Former Stirling MP Michael Keenan has quit the panel conducting a “root and branch” review of the WA Liberal Party in the wake of the disastrous March election. The shock decision will delay the completion of the wide-ranging probe, which was originally slated to hand down its report next month. The West Australian understands party members were left stunned when WA Liberal president Fay Duda, a close friend of the one-time Federal Justice Minister, announced his departure during the party’s state council meeting in Geraldton over the weekend. Ms Duda cited Mr Keenan’s personal workload — he is the chief executive of disability housing provider Sana Living — as the reason for his resignation. Mr Keenan declined to comment when contacted by The West Australian. Former state president and star fundraiser Danielle Blain is chair of what is now a two-person panel alongside prominent Perth QC Mark Trowell. The pair are tasked with collating feedback from 160 written submissions to the review from Liberal members, including current and former MPs. The warts and all probe is examining the decade leading up to the March ballot when the Liberal suffered their worst ever election defeat, losing the mantle of official opposition to the National Party after being reduced to just two Lower House seat. “All elements of our Party including membership, pre-selection process, policy development, fundraising, recruitment including the important area of gender diversity, all need to be addressed with the sole purpose of rebuilding a stronger Party,” Ms Blain said n April. “The harsh realities cannot and will not be glossed over. Everything will be on the table.” Mr Keenan’s original appointment to the panel was viewed by some within the party as an attempt to protect his friend Ms Duda from any eventual fallout resulting from its findings. However, it has also been suggested to The West Australian that Mr Keenan was hesitant to take part from the outset and agreed only because the party was struggling to find prominent members willing to put up their hands. State council also heard the party’s finances were “dire” following the election blowout. Simon Creek, chair of the finance committee, revealed a planned cabinet dinner as part of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s delayed WA visit loomed as the only reliable source of funds in the short term. In a post to LinkedIn following State council, Mr Creek again used the word “dire” when describing the need for a “ground up rebuild, a reinvention even, of the Liberal Party of Western Australia”. “I don’t have all the answers, far from it, but it seems some of the rot set in through factional influence over the pre-selection process (a problem faced by all parties at times,” he said. Mr Creek railed against “internal party hacks, policy wonks or academics with no extra X factor” seeking to run for election. “Critically, we need honesty, authenticity and cupboards void of skeletons,” he said. “Even a 5 minute Google search reveals aspirational candidates whose lack of judgement caused embarrassment almost immediately (after) they were pre-selected.” In a subsequent statement, Mr Creek said the Geraldton State Council meeting was an “overwhelmingly positive” event. “I made it clear in my report that our financial position was temporarily dire but that the support from party HQ, parliamentary members (state and federal) and all others was fantastic. “If everyone does their bit, not just the Finance Committee, any financial woes will be resolved very fast.” He said the recent election loss “may have been just what was needed”. “Now we have the opportunity to work through the review process, implement change and attract future leaders based on merit.”