Who will replace Mark McGowan as WA Premier?

Yesterday Mark McGowan announced his shock resignation. Today people look to potential candidates in the running for WA’s top job.

The popular leader will leave office at the end of the week, after six years in office and a forthcoming election that some say he had in the bag.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The WA Briefing – keeping you in the loop with the region’s breaking news as it hits.

But in terms of McGowan’s replacement, Political Commentator Peter Kennedy said there are three names to look out for.

“Roger Cook, first out of the block, it’s a very interesting move by him. It’s been suggested Rita Saffioti, the Transport Minister has been checking what support she might have, and the third contender would be Amber-Jade Sanderson,” said Kennedy.

Roger Cook is the current Deputy Premier of Western Australia, under Mark McGowan, and is considered the most likely to secure the position.

Amber-Jade Sanderson was catapulted into the role of Health Minister in 2021 and has since been praised for her notable leadership potential.

Mr Cook and Ms Sanderson are both from the left of the Labour Party and aligned with the United Workers Union, therefore it’s unlikely both will be put forward in a ballot. The United Workers Union are meeting today to discuss the candidates, and whether there is a need for a formal vote.

Rita Saffioti gained recognition when she acquired the Transport, Planning and Ports portfolios in Labor’s landslide 2017 election, although Saffioti is not necessarily aligned with the Workers Union, which may impact votes.

Former Labour Treasurer Ben Wyatt said the standout candidate should be made clear within the next week or so.

“The advantage of going out after six years is that you do have a very experienced cabinet, and whether it’s Rita or Roger or Amber-Jade, they’ve got experienced faces and experienced policy people to take the role on,” said Wyatt.

Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on Listnr today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.