Defiant Opposition leader Shane Love says conditions attached if Liberal leader Libby Mettam wants his role

A defiant Nationals leader Shane Love has left the door open to handing his tenuous grasp on the Opposition leadership to Liberal colleague Libby Mettam, but says it will come at a price, admitting discussions will be uncomfortable after one his own defected to her side. Both opposition parties are now on three MPs apiece after the defection of Member for North West Central Merome Beard to the Liberals, with Mr Love only finding out by text message at 7pm on Tuesday, moments before The West Australian broke the news. Speaker Michelle Roberts confirmed on Wednesday morning that she would continue recognising the incumbent as the alternative premier in Parliament. But soon after, Ms Mettam all but said she would seek to convince him to step aside. She said she had respect for him and accepted he was currently Opposition Leader, but she was ready to take the role. “I have every confidence that we will have discussions about the way forward,” Ms Mettam told reporters. “As I have stated previously, I will not be distracted by job titles. But I am willing and ready to lead the Opposition.” Mr Love then told reporters he was open to discussing it - but conditions attached would include the Liberals agreeing to a joint ticket in the Legislative Council that guaranteed the country party at least three winnable seats. That was previously on the table but the Nationals didn’t rate a mention when the Liberals agreed how to pick the order of candidates in the top positions on the Upper House ticket at its annual State Conference at the weekend. “There may be conditions which are subject to discussions,” Mr Love said, only alluding to that one previously well-known condition. “I’m happy to engage in those discussions and we are willing to engage in a meaningful and I think well-intended position ... to ensure that we have an effective and united voice against Labor in 2025. “Obviously, the situation will be uncomfortable of course, in the first few days of Parliament (resuming next week) as we bed down the new arrangements.” Mr Love was asked whether the alliance was on a precipice - and if the prospect of it being formally converted into a Coalition was now outside the realm of possibility. “We’ll have to have discussions about what can and can’t be achieved ... things might be put on the table, they might be taken off.” He was pressed on whether he had been treated with respect, given he contacted Ms Beard days ago to confirm rumours of the defection, but she didn’t reply. “Well, we will treat them with respect,” Mr Love replied. Ms Mettam said she only learned of Ms Beard’s intentions on Monday when the Carnarvon pub owner contacted her in confidence. Mr Love said he was not only personally disappointed by Ms Beard’s move — a decision she said was entirely hers — but for those who supported her into the seat. He had earlier told The West Australian that the Nationals had “been the ones making the effort to keep those communications going”, adding: “It does remain my focus, and I’m not focused on navel-gazing on the Opposition.” Pressed on whether the Liberals having more Upper House seats indicated Ms Mettam should be Opposition leader, Mr Love responded: “I’m not sure that the Upper House is the determiner of government on Opposition status. “That’s something which I understand is more confined to the Lower House”. On that, Ms Mettam said: “There are more Liberals than Nationals in the Parliament now. “There will be more Liberals than Nationals after the next election.” Ms Beard has thrown her support behind Ms Mettam to become Opposition leader. “I have a lot of faith in Libby Mettam as the leader and I believe that she is a strong leader,” she said. “Libby Mettam will be Opposition leader at some point in time.” Mr Love said he remained hopeful his and Ms Beard’s seats would not be merged under a proposed boundary redistribution, with the WA Electoral Commission paying heed to hundreds of objections lodged, which the Nationals had encouraged. But Ms Beard clearly does not share his hope, saying she made the decision to abandon the Nationals after constituents expressed concern “about the level of representation they would have”. She said it was not an easy decision, but not unprecedented.