Perth’s political landscape got a sharp jolt last night, and Basil Zempilas, the city’s high-profile mayor and Liberal hopeful, wasn’t mincing words. The Liberal Party’s dreams of snatching back the federal seat of Curtin are dead in the water, with independent Kate Chaney holding firm in the blue-ribbon stronghold. Zempilas, who’s been eyeing a bigger stage, called the party’s failure a “wake-up call” for a Liberal machine that’s been running on fumes.
The numbers don’t lie. On April 16, the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed Chaney’s grip on Curtin, a seat the Liberals owned for decades until her teal wave swept through in 2022. She nabbed 52.3% of the two-party preferred vote, a comfortable edge over the Liberal challenger, who barely scraped past 47%. It’s a bitter pill for a party that once saw Curtin as untouchable, a leafy, affluent patch of Perth where Liberal loyalty ran deeper than the Swan River.
Zempilas, speaking at a Perth council event yesterday, didn’t hide his frustration. He pointed to the party’s “stale playbook” and failure to connect with voters who’ve grown weary of old-school politics. The former TV presenter, who’s been flirting with a state or federal run, said the Liberals need to ditch the “same old faces” and embrace a bolder vision. His words carried weight—Zempilas isn’t just a local figurehead; he’s a potential kingmaker in a party desperate for fresh blood.
Chaney, meanwhile, is cementing her place as Curtin’s new normal. Her campaign, bankrolled by climate-focused groups and grassroots donors, leaned hard on renewable energy and integrity in politics. It’s a formula that’s worked twice now, first toppling Liberal heavyweight Celia Hammond and now fending off a spirited but undercooked Liberal push. On April 20, Chaney told supporters at a Subiaco community hall that her focus remains on “listening to Curtin’s people, not party machines.” Her team’s data shows 68% of voters in the electorate prioritize climate action, a stat the Liberals seem to have missed.
The Liberal Party’s woes aren’t just Curtin’s story. Federal vote counts from April show teal independents holding or gaining ground in seats like Kooyong and Wentworth, squeezing the Liberals in their urban heartlands. In Western Australia, the party’s state branch reported a 12% drop in membership since 2021, a figure confirmed in a leaked memo last month. Zempilas, ever the showman, didn’t name names but hinted at “infighting” crippling the party’s chances.
Chaney’s office released a statement on April 25, noting her work on local infrastructure and small business grants has kept her approval ratings above 60%. The Curtin electorate, home to 98,000 voters across suburbs like Nedlands and Floreat, hasn’t swung back to the Liberals despite their promises of tax cuts and tougher border policies. Yesterday’s final tally from the electoral commission sealed the deal: Chaney’s lead was 4,821 votes, insurmountable even with late postal ballots.
Zempilas, for his part, isn’t giving up. He’s got until 2026 to rally the Liberals or chart his own path. But for now, Curtin belongs to Chaney, and the Liberals are left licking their wounds. The mayor’s warning hangs in the air: change or keep losing.