Libby Mettam says Basil Zempilas is refusing to identify businessman who funded opinion poll

Liberal Leader Libby Mettam says Perth Lord Mayor and Liberal candidate for Churchlands Basil Zempilas is refusing to identify the mystery businessman she’s blamed for this week’s leadership crisis. Ms Mettam urged the businessman — who funded a rogue opinion poll, warning she is leading the Opposition into an election disaster in 14 key metropolitan seats — to out himself. “Put up or shut up applies to everybody involved,” she said outside State Parliament on Thursday. “Basil stated yesterday . . . he thinks he may know the individual, the businessman involved and that if I asked him, he would provide that information. “I asked him, he did not provide the information. The reason he provided is that he’s not certain. “I would encourage that cowardly individual to step up, come forward.” Mr Zempilas said on Thursday that “Libby’s right.” “She asked and I said ‘I’ve been told a name but that I didn’t know for sure it was right’, so it wasn’t wise to pass on,” he said. Ms Mettam admitted she was surprised to discover the poll was commissioned by Ammo Marketing and Cam Sinclair, who is leading Mr Zempilas’ campaign team for Churchlands ahead of the State election in March. “I believe questions do need to be asked in relation to Cam Sinclair and the contract that he has with the Liberal Party given his obvious involvement in this matter,” she said. When asked if she still trusted Mr Zempilas, she paused before answering. “It’s a positive, we have a working relationship,” she said. “I can only take him at his word which is that he’s 100 per cent in support of my leadership, that he has had no involvement in this amateurish campaign to unseat me. “I’d just like that coward to come out of the shadows so that we can all move forward.” With 100 days to go until Western Australia votes, Ms Mettam insisted her team is “more united” in the wake of the failed motion to appoint Mr Zempilas “campaign leader” in her place. Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti predicted the “drama” was not over, declaring it proof Mr Zempilas cannot be trusted. “There was a businessman who funded the poll, but obviously Basil and his campaign team were the ones that commissioned it and that’s why they’ve been misleading the WA community,” she said. “This is again a demonstration of how chaotic and divided the Liberal Party team is. “What we have is a candidate working with his good friend and member of his campaign team to commission polling, polling that tried to oust Libby Mettam.” She said Labor remains in “Government-mode” on the last sitting day of State Parliament. “We continue to promote and advance the fact that we have an economic plan for the State, we have created a record amount of jobs. We’re investing in our key priority areas,” she said. “And just look at the other side, over the past week, where we’ve had chaos (and) dysfunction.”