Wyatt to challenge for WA Labor leadership

West Australian opposition treasury spokesman Ben Wyatt says he will challenge Eric
Ripper for the leadership of the state Labor Party.
Mr Wyatt told reporters outside parliament on Wednesday he had phoned Mr Ripper and
asked him to convene a special caucus meeting within the next 48 hours to decide the
issue.
"I'm confident there is sufficient appetite for change," he said.
Mr Wyatt said he wanted to ensure a revamped Labor Party held the Barnett coalition
government to account.
The move follows a damaging rift within the party this week after one MP sent out an
email promoting a spill motion against the low-polling Mr Ripper at a caucus meeting
in February.
Mr Wyatt said he had discussed the leadership issue with colleagues over the past
two days before coming to his decision.
He said there was a move for change to ensure the party was in a position to make
sure Premier Colin Barnett's "unfair government" was accountable to the people of
WA.
"It's my view I am the best candidate to do that," he said.
"I represent clearly what is generational change for the Labor Party."
Mr Wyatt said he believed he could bring factions of the Labor Party together to
effectively take on the government.
Before Mr Wyatt announced his challenge, Mr Ripper said he was confident he retained
the numbers to keep his job.
But opinion polls have been consistently against him.
A Newspoll published on Friday showed 60 per cent of voters preferred Mr Barnett as
premier, compared with just 16 per cent for Mr Ripper.
Labor's state development spokesman Mark McGowan has also been seen as a contender
for Mr Ripper's job, but on Wednesday he ruled out being a challenger.
Earlier this week Pilbara MP Tom Stephens sent an email to Labor MPs seeking backing
for a spill motion against Mr Ripper at an ALP caucus retreat planned for February
10.
In an extraordinary shot against a member of his own team, Mr Ripper labelled Mr
Stephens an "incompetent and ineffective" MP.