Home
Search
thewest.com.au
OpinionChevron Right Icon

Basil Zempilas

Pictured arriving at Parliament is Basil Zempilas, Leader of the Opposition.

opinion
opinion
Basil Zempilas CommentsPremium
opinion
Green energy transition is welcome but not at any cost

No one denies the need for the energy transition. We all want reliable, affordable and more sustainable energy - but it can not come at any cost.

Basil Zempilas

Pictured arriving at Parliament is Basil Zempilas, Leader of the Opposition.

opinion
opinion
OpinionComments
opinion
ZEMPILAS: Labor is losing its bullet proof armour

If you wanted any proof the landscape has changed and the bullet proof armour is off this State Government, find your way to WALGA president Karen Chappel’s comments from earlier this week

Basil Zempilas

Basil Zempilas, Leader of the Opposition during Telethon Broadcast on Oct 25, 2020.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Only one more sleep until Telethon magic is back again

As we build up to Telethon weekend, my new role has given me a fresh perspective on the world’s most successful television fundraiser.

Basil Zempilas

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Cook must stop shameful appeal against sex abuse payout

What’s happened to Premier Roger Cook and the State Government that he leads? When and how did they so badly lose their moral compass and become so out of touch?

Basil Zempilas

Basil Zempilas: Which of the current State Labor MPs will be the first to break ranks and publicly declare their opposition to WA’s most unpopular and tone-deaf project?

opinion
opinion
OpinionCommentsPremium
opinion
ZEMPILAS: Which Labor MP will be first to call out racetrack

Which of the current State Labor MPs will be the first to break ranks and publicly declare their opposition to WA’s most unpopular and tone-deaf project?

Basil Zempilas

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
OpinionComments
opinion
Optus doesn’t deserve its name on our stadium: Zempilas

If West Australian sportsmen have lost their medals and entertainers their honours for indiscretions they have later been found guilty of, why should a telco be entitled to keep its name up in lights?

Basil Zempilas

Pictured arriving at Parliament is Basil Zempilas, Leader of the Opposition.

opinion
opinion
OpinionComments
opinion
We must face facts: WA’s tourism strategy isn’t working

The Tourism Minister can spin this all he likes, but there’s no getting away from the facts; fewer people visited WA in the last financial year than in the 12 months prior — and they spent less money.

Basil Zempilas

WA opposition leader Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Cook’s dismissive attitude to PCH lead levels is typical

What the Premier was describing as being in the “rear view mirror” was the small matter of lead in the water at Perth Children’s Hospital.

Basil Zempilas

State Liberal Party conference on Sunday, August 31, 2025. Pictured is party leader Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Googling is not the answer to ambulance ramping, Premier

When ambulance ramping hit an all-time high back in July, Premier Roger Cook responded by telling us we have a world-class health system. The arrogance.

Basil Zempilas

Pictured is Libby Mettam and Basil Zempilas outside Parliament House on Tuesday morning.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Premier’s crack squad return from Canberra with donuts

Haven’t they heard of Face Time in the Premier’s office? Predictably, the crack squad quickly morphed into the donut squad – because that’s what they came back with, absolutely nothing.

Basil Zempilas

Opposition leader Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Cook can’t keep blaming Commonwealth for hospital fails

What part of ‘full blown’ health disaster does this State Government not understand? Our deluded Premier wants you to believe this is world-class.

Basil Zempilas

Basil Zempilas speaks at a press conference on Monday morning.

opinion
opinion
Basil Zempilas CommentsPremium
opinion
Cook’s blithe dismissal of hospital concerns shows arrogance

Instead of acknowledging the problems at Charlie’s, the Premier waved the doctors, nurses, patients and their families away and told them repeatedly, WA has a world class health system.

Basil Zempilas

Basil Zempilas speaking during Budget Estimates in Parliament, in West Perth.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Arrogance astounding as Premier passes buck on hospitals

There is no more important and fundamental responsibility of government than caring for sick, injured and dying people.

Basil Zempilas

Leader of the Opposition Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Bill Johnson appointed president of the Burswood Park Board

How nice. Burswood Park is the statutory authority of the WA Government, responsible for the control and management of the parklands of the same name.

Basil Zempilas

West Coast Fever Vs The NSW Swifts in a semi-final at the RAC Arena in Perth today: Perth Mayor Basil Zempilas is pictured in the crowd.

opinion
opinion
OpinionComments
opinion
Hakea report shows Labor is fixated on votes over basics

A scathing report which described conditions within Hakea prison as ‘entirely unacceptable’ is the newest proof of a Government fixated on pet projects such as the racetrack at Burswood, instead of the basics.

Basil Zempilas

WA Liberal leader Basil Zempilas and Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Sussan Ley is sharp, determined and realistic

I was delighted to welcome Federal Liberal leader Sussan Ley to Perth this week and to have the opportunity to spend an hour or so discussing what’s important to WA

Basil Zempilas

WA Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas speaking during Budget Estimates in Parliament, in West Perth.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Rita’s race track is unpopular with her colleagues and WA

Who would have thought the real reason for Labor’s obsession with Rita’s race track would be delivered courtesy of former Labor premier Brian Burke?

Basil Zempilas

Liberal Leader Basil Zempilas' budget reply speech at Parliament House.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasComments
opinion
Budget estimates show some ministers are making guesstimates

Budget estimates is the three day window every year in State Parliament following the Budget. It’s very clear which ministers know their stuff, and which ones have skimmed the briefing notes.

Basil Zempilas

Liberal Leader Basil Zempilas' budget reply speech at Parliament House Andrew Ritchie

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Zempilas: A mean WA Budget from a miserable Government

The Premier told West Australians cost of living was his ‘top priority,’ yet, the first Budget after the election demonstrates exactly the opposite. This is a Budget with the wrong priorities.

Basil Zempilas

Leader of the Opposition, Basil Zempilas, speaks at a press conference on Tuesday Afternoon.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasPremium
opinion
What the opposition will be watching for on State Budget day

It’s State Budget day, here’s what Shadow Treasurer Sandra Brewer and the Liberal National Opposition will be watching for.

Basil Zempilas

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasComments
opinion
Questions still linger after bare-knuckle boxing rejected

Despite the best efforts of the Premier and the Deputy Premier to make a case for bare-knuckle boxing to be allowed into WA, the event was rejected. The ultimate result left us with more questions than answers

Jay Hanna

Jay Hanna

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
Basil Zempilas
opinion
Government gutless over bare-knuckle fighting event

It’s time for leadership, Premier, pull your bare-knuckle fighting, racetrack-building State Government back into line.

Basil Zempilas

Basil Zempilas speaks to media in West Perth on April 24, 2025.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
Burswood racetrack’s a pet project with no community consult

What is going on with the State Government’s land and property development agency, DevelopmentWA?

Basil Zempilas

Basil Zempilas speaks at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasComments
opinion
Burswood Park racetrack is a waste of $220 million

This week in Parliament I asked the Premier what is the point of community consultation if that community consultation is going to be ignored?

Basil Zempilas