WA State election 2025 recap: Premier Roger Cook wins debate against Liberal leader Libby Mettam

Thanks for following our live blog to the only debate of the WA election.

Roger Cook and Libby Mettam clashed on a range of issues including health, housing, living costs, crime and leadership.

The Premier was narrowly voted the winner by an independent panel.

The independent panel has narrowly picked Roger Cook as the night’s debate winner.

The needle leaned toward Labor after the half-hour debate between the Premier and Liberal leader Libby Mettam.

Roger Cook held up his ‘made in WA plan’ as he delivered his final debate pitch.

The Premier used his conclusion to claim WA was at a “crossroads” between a dysfunctional Liberal party and his experienced team.

“Now is the time for a steady hand at the wheel,” he said.

“Only WA Labor has a plan to take this State forward and only WA Labor will do what’s right for WA.”

Libby Mettam said with Mark McGowan gone, WA now had a “failed health minister” as premier “installed by the unions”.

“We have a failing health system, the worst housing crisis our State has ever seen,” she said.

Ms Mettam said Labor had failed “on every measure”.

“Our plan will be about easing cost of living pressures, scrapping Labor’s electricity tax, stopping its wasteful spending and lowering fees and charges for families,” she said.

Premier Roger Cook claimed the Liberals were “a mess” and incapable of “fighting for you” while they were “fighting each other”.

Liberal leader Libby Mettam replied; “absolute rubbish”.

Libby Mettam was unable to say what her party’s social housing target would be.

“We will not be going backwards. We will be going forwards,” she said.

When pressed by Geof Parry and Jess Page what her social housing target would be, Ms Mettam did not respond.

Premier Roger Cook says WA is seeing “green shoots” on the issue of housing.

Mr Cook said the 23,000 housing approvals last year showed the State was making progress in increasing housing and rental stock.

Roger Cook had the first gaff of the night.

“We put Labor first,” the Premier said.

He then corrected himself to; “we put health first”.

Libby Mettam jumped on the mistake.

“You just said it, Roger Cook, you’re putting Labor first instead of the people of Western Australia,” she said.

How will your party guarantee better health outcomes to West Australians?

Both leaders were asked that key question.

Libby Mettam promised to cut ambulance ramping and attract and retain more nurses and GPs.

She said the Liberals would rebuild Royal Perth Hospital.

Roger Cook said Labor had invested in health and grown the hospital system by 800 beds.

He made an error saying “we will put Labor first” before correcting himself.

The gaff was jumped on by Ms Mettam.

Libby Mettam was asked about a pledge last year to freeze fees and charges, which she has since refrained from repeating.

The Liberal leader said that promise was made before the State budget and the party now had “a number” of other measures to help with the cost of living.

“It is about respecting taxpayers money,” she said.

“We put forward a range of different measures which the Cook Government could have taken up in the lead up to the budget.”