A message from your new State President

Thank you.

It is a tremendous privilege to have been elected State President at the State Conference on 24–25 October. Thank you to every delegate and observer who took part in the discussion and policy debate, especially our rural and regional members, many of whom travelled long distances to be there.

My sincere thanks to the outgoing State President, Caroline Di Russo, for her stewardship of the WA Division over the past four years. Caroline continues to serve as a Federal Vice-President and remains central to our fundraising and business engagement in WA.

Congratulations also to my fellow office-bearers: our new Treasurer, Tammy Fenwick, and returning Vice-Presidents Jacob Fowler, Holly Ludeman, Derrick Ruane, and Matthew Ogilvie.

What I’m hearing from you

In my first week, many of you have contacted me with advice and, more importantly, offers of help. That has already lifted my optimism. No one person can solve the challenges in front of us. It will take all of us.

One theme has come up more than any other: membership. Through a difficult period at the ballot box, the perceived value of being a Liberal Party member has declined. We are smaller than we need to be to fight and win elections, and too many members feel their voice isn’t being heard. I intend to change that, and it starts with listening.

This is a priority at the national level too. At my first Federal Executive meeting on Friday 30 October, Federal President the Hon. Tony Abbott AC put membership at the top of the agenda. We discussed how to improve the experience for new members, re-engage lapsed and unfinancial members, and give members more reason to stay.

Have your say at State Council – Saturday 5 December

We will set aside time at the next State Council meeting for the WA Division to have this conversation. I invite every member to attend, whether or not you are a State Council delegate, and share your ideas on how we can better engage members, attract new members, and win back those who have drifted away.

The time, venue, and registration details for State Council will be advertised to all Party members via Libmail later in November – please keep an eye out.

Help us grow – call a member who’s due to renew

The Party has made real headway in 2026. Today’s Newspoll shows Angus Taylor and his team have lifted the federal primary vote to its highest point since April, and at the state level, Basil Zempilas and the state team are exposing the incompetence of the Cook Labor Government.

To carry that momentum into 2027, we need to grow our ranks. Over the next two months, I’m asking every branch, division, and committee office-bearer to contact members who are due to renew. If each office-bearer on a five- or ten-person executive makes just a handful of phone calls, the effect across the state will be extraordinary.

And if a current or former member is on the fence about renewing or rejoining, ask them why, listen to what they have to say, and pass it on to the Membership Committee through Chair Reilly Thomas (reillyhusonthomas@gmail.com). We want to hear it.

Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you at State Council in December.

Aiden Depiazzi

State President