Jessica Page: A presidential-style election means it all comes down to a popularity contest

John Howard introduced the infuriating notion of “core” and “non-core” promises after the 1996 Federal election.

In WA in 2025 it’s a question of priorities.

Libby Mettam’s post-Budget media statement way back on May 9 promised: “a WA Liberal government would take meaningful steps and stop treating families as cash cows, by freezing fees and charges”.

Since then, that priority has disappeared.

On Tuesday, the Liberal leader refused to repeat it, saying only: “We will continue to talk about cost-of-living relief”.

Example No. 2. Last week, deputy Liberal leader Steve Martin said a Kwinana Freeway widening was “not our priority”.

But after the Federal express arrived in town with a $350 million cheque to pay for it, Libby Mettam declared she was on a “unity ticket with Peter Dutton” for job creating projects that aren’t Metronet.

The looming Federal election stole some of the spotlight in Perth this week, but Anthony Albanese still hasn’t set his date with destiny.

In State politics, the date is set, the arguments are loaded and the race is on.

Both major parties have launched their first ad campaigns, revealing what they think are their strengths and attempting to hide their weaknesses.

Both are betting on a presidential-style election. Come what may, Roger Cook and Libby Mettam will wear the results of this one.

Cook is being packaged up and sold as the cool-headed leader of a stable team, promising a “steady hand at the wheel”.

The Labor ad touts his Government’s years of “experience”, highlighting their Liberal rivals lack thereof, and attempts to paper over any cracks in that record.

It ignores arguments over wasted spending to remind voters about the State’s AAA credit rating and a GST deal that makes it possible to spend big.

The ad mentions “record investment in hospitals” while ignoring the blatant fact it still hasn’t been enough to keep pace with growing demand. Ditto housing.

Labor has spent the past three weeks talking tough on law and order, promising millions to local sports and community infrastructure and revealing new plans for road and rail that very deliberately target every key seat.

Senior Labor figures firmly believe they caught the Liberal party napping in January, while team Mettam believe voters weren’t yet tuned in to the election fight.

They’re both right.

There’s a sense of apathy, because voters are being told this election is a fait accompli.

True, it is hard to give a routed Opposition any chance of winning from 24 seats down.

But there is a danger that, when voters do tune in, it will be too late to unravel the prevailing perception from 2021 when an internal autopsy accused Liberal MPs of “staggering laziness”.

Labor took the opening.

“Are you really serious about government, because at the moment you’re not working hard enough,” Cook said on Tuesday.

Mettam has been working the hustings hard behind the scenes but hasn’t kept pace with Cook’s daily press conferences in front of the TV cameras, often delegating that task to her deputy.

And in the Liberals’ new ad, too much was left unsaid.

There’s no sign of the team that still includes “cowards in the shadows” who thought she wasn’t good enough a few months ago.

Sitting on a milk crate, chatting to actors dressed up as ordinary workers and bemoaning a Government that doesn’t listen reinforces what voters already think of Mettam.

She’s not meant to be a typical, well-rehearsed politician. She’s genuine.

The line promising to focus on the “right priorities” of cost of living, health and housing has cut through.

But the second half of the sentence — “real solutions” — has been left hanging with little explanation.

Voters have heard it all before, that’s why they’re not tuned in.

What has been left unsaid speaks volumes.