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Mettam makes Liberal deputy Steve Thomas quit over Burke dealings
WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam has sacked her deputy Steve Thomas after revelations he picked former WA premier Brian Burke’s brain about Collie coal issues and used him to set up a meeting in January with a prominent Perth corporate advisory firm.
The demotion of Thomas comes during a tit-for-tat between Labor and the Liberals over Burke and the day after the opposition called for an audit into a $22.3 million live entertainment grants program run during the pandemic because Burke was engaged by the lobby group that called for it.
WA Liberal Party treasury spokesman Steve Thomas.Credit: Holly Thompson
She said she required and received Thomas’ resignation as deputy leader, leader of the opposition in the upper house and as a shadow minister on Tuesday morning.
“The revelations of two-way interactions between my deputy, Steve Thomas, and Brian Burke,
were brought to my attention yesterday afternoon by the media and were deeply disappointing,” she said.
“This morning, I met with Dr Thomas to receive a full explanation and I accept that he was
motivated by trying to do the very best by his electorate.
“However, engaging with Mr Burke and failing to disclose those interactions were a significant
failure of judgment by Dr Thomas and do not meet the high standards I expect of my deputy and a
senior shadow minister in my team.”
Mettam said she would continue to hold her team to high standards.
“I make no apology for that,” she said.
Thomas’ departure from the leadership team puts him in the sin bin with Liberal MLC Nick Goiran who was also sidelined by Mettam after she took over the party early last year for his involvement in powerbroking group the Clan.
With two MPs out of action, the already depleted WA Liberals are under pressure, but Mettam has left the door open for Thomas to reenter the opposition frontbench.
“I will consider over the coming days what future role Dr Thomas might play in the shadow ministry,” she said.
Mettam said she would continue to pursue Labor over the live entertainment grants.
“I won’t be intimidated or distracted from doing so,” she said.
“Brian Burke should not profit from government grants, and I will continue to call this out.
“The Cook Labor Government still has many questions to answer around how these grants were awarded and how much money Mr Burke and his associate received as a result of their influence.”
In addition to several conversations Thomas had with Burke about Collie coal issues he also used him to help set up a January 18 meeting with prominent corporate advisory firm Poynton Stavrianou, which is involved in Collie’s Bluewaters power station through a client.
The relationship with Burke put Mettam in an awkward position after she declared on February 2 that there was no connection between her party and the controversial politician-turned-lobbyist.
Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said she was “shocked” to hear Thomas enlisted the help of Burke to help set up the meeting with Poynton Stavrianou.
She said the issue showed the Liberal Party was dysfunctional and chaotic.
“Now we have a complete divide between the leader and the deputy leader. Obviously, the deputy leader lied to the leader and, in relation to the leader, she ran out on an all-out attack on this issue and now it’s blown up in her face,” she said.
Burke first cast doubt over Mettam’s claims in a cryptic email sent to all MPs last week, claiming he had spoken to members of the Liberal front bench.
WAtoday asked all Liberal frontbenchers and former frontbencher Nick Goiran whether they had any contact with Burke in the past term of government and all but two – Thomas and Cottesloe MP David Honey – responded, “no”.
Thomas confirmed Burke had contacted his office in mid-2023 to discuss questions asked in parliament about Collie coal issues, but initially downplayed his involvement to WAtoday.
“His opinion was not recorded,” Thomas said.
This surprised Burke, who said the contact was deeper than Thomas had let on.
“I was surprised to know that Mr Thomas appears to have forgotten his numerous contacts with me including to the extent of asking me to arrange a briefing for him from a prominent Perth businessman,” he said.
“The briefing, from all reports, was successful, and Mr Thomas thanked me for it.
“I would not have commented on Mr Thomas’ contact with me had he not denied it.”
When Burke’s comments were put to Thomas, he conceded he had used Burke to set up the meeting after months of unsuccessful attempts to get meetings with groups involved in Bluewaters himself.
He said Burke was not at the meeting.
Thomas lamented his decision to continue speaking with Burke after his first contact.
“I listened politely to his comments and his opinions and possibly should have hung up immediately, but the reality is that I’m trying to fix the coal fields and the energy system and ... I’ve spoken to thousands of people on this,” he said.
“I’m so caught up in the power and energy system in this state that I wasn’t going to reject any information that might come my way, including from Brian Burke, who, in my view, was tied into the Labor Party, in the unions and might be able to give information in that regard.
“There was no influence on policy, there was no influence ... obviously no funding, I’m not in government. I can’t actually commit to anything and haven’t committed to anything. I’ve simply asked questions.”
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