WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam visits Albany and Mt Barker in Great Southern to spruik candidate Thomas Brough

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam has made good on her promise to visit the Great Southern before the end of the year, meeting residents in Mt Barker and Albany this week with Albany candidate Thomas Brough. The Vasse MLA headed south on Tuesday with the “under-the-radar” trip marking her first return to the Great Southern since April 2023. After making a surprise appearance at a Liberals-hosted transport forum in Mt Barker to listen to locals’ road concerns, Ms Mettam visited the pool and stockyards. On Wednesday, she visited the Albany Health Centre, met with local manufacturers and businesspeople. and spoke to stakeholders concerned about Water Corporation’s desalination plant proposal. “The main reason for my visit was to hear firsthand from residents and businesses about their concerns, needs and expectations,” she said. “Despite the significance of the Great Southern region to the prosperity of WA, government services, health infrastructure and housing have all suffered under successive Labor governments. “Albany is a significant regional centre with a vibrant and active community that has been taken for granted by Labor for eight years.” Ms Mettam took the opportunity to spruik the Albany candidate, saying the community “deserves” a member that is “committed to delivering regional services, delivering more housing and lowering living costs”. “In Tom, Albany will have a true local member with the right experience and priorities to deliver the advocacy and representation that Albany deserves,” she said. Mr Brough said Ms Mettam’s visit focused on understanding locals needs. “I appreciate Libby’s strong backing for our community’s priorities,” he said. “As someone who lives and works here as an emergency doctor, local councillor, and small business owner, I know the Great Southern contributes enormously to WA’s prosperity. “It’s time we had a strong voice in Parliament to match that contribution.” Incumbent Albany MLA Rebecca Stephens disputed Ms Mettam’s criticism of her government, saying Labor has “kept Albany’s economy strong, created thousands of local jobs, invested into healthcare and housing, and delivered cost of living relief to every Albany household”. “We’re less than three months from the State election, but on Libby Mettam’s only visit to Albany this year, she didn’t announce a single policy for our community,” she said. “The Liberals are a risk to Albany. They have no policies, no experience and no plan for our future.”