Peter Law: WA has lost one of its most formidable politicians with the retirement of Alannah MacTiernan

WA has lost one of its most formidable politicians with the retirement of Alannah MacTiernan. There are few MPs in State Parliament who are as impressive at delivering impassioned and informed off-the-cuff speeches as “AMAC”, who speaks with the confidence of someone who has seen it all before. Whether it’s berating her opponents across the floor of the Legislative Council or staring down a crowd of rowdy union-types at a Labor meeting, MacTiernan is a powerhouse who commands respect. It was no secret she wouldn’t contest the 2025 election, but speculation has swirled in recent months that she might leave Cabinet sooner after a clumsy choice of words about the threat of foot-and-mouth disease. MacTiernan’s replacement in Cabinet needs three things going for them: They must be a woman, they have to sit in the Upper House and they need to represent the regions. There’s a couple of Labor MPs who tick these boxes, but the only one whose name is being mentioned as a serious contender is the South West Region’s Jackie Jarvis. Her elevation from first-term backbencher to minister would be extraordinary and undoubtedly put a few noses out of joint among the ambitious second-term parliamentary secretaries. MacTiernan’s retirement creates an opportunity for McGowan to frame his now inevitable Cabinet reshuffle as “renewal” ahead of 2025, rather than in response to a crisis. If last summer’s shake-up was all about getting deputy premier Roger Cook out of the health portfolio, this year’s could spell the end for factional heavyweight Dave Kelly. Kelly, who is aligned to the influential United Workers Union, has seen his responsibilities diminish with each reshuffle and could make way for Cabinet Secretary David Michael.